Local celebrity Simon Wood has called out a recent group of no-show customers that failed to turn up to his city-centre restaurant this past weekend.
The 48-year-old behind the self-titled WOOD Manchester didn’t hold back when criticising the no-show guests who had reserved the chef’s table on Saturday night, one of the most exclusive and expensive experiences for any restaurant.
Wood won MasterChef back in 2015 and remains one of the best chefs in the city but with everyone in the hospitality industry still being hit hard by the cost of living and crisis, rising business rates and energy bills, any bookings are important – let alone a chef’s table.
Addressing the absentee diners’ decision to not only skip out on the table but make no effort to let him and his team know they wouldn’t be making the meal online, he signed off by simply saying: “What a way to support a small business. Much appreciated, you tw**ts.
An Actual image of my Chefs table at 8pm last night
I’d like to say a huge thanks to the Table of 5 that no showed, not even a phone call or a courtesy so I could try and resell the table
As you can see, the chef-owner felt rightly aggrieved by the no-show, not only offering sarcastic gratitude but proceeding to use some choice language to describe the behaviour.
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He doubled down in a later post by insisting, “It is not the restaurant’s responsibility to have a policy or contingency in place to accommodate every eventuality where a patron or prospective patron may or may not be an absolute sh**house…. I think that covers all replies to the below thread.”
Wood had no intention of hiding his frustration, also choosing to reshare an old post about the “entitlement” within the culinary scene and service sector as a whole.
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He even uploaded a clearly loaded image of his ‘song of the day’: ‘People = Sh**’ by Slipknot
Social media was awash with plenty of support from fellow Mancs and diners from all over, at least, with one person writing: “To keep good restaurants in business, we have to change the norm to deposits / buying tickets for seats.
“If it’s accepted in a cinema or at a concert, why not a restaurant where the spoilage of a no-show is the same or likely, worse?” Another went on to add, “I have been twice – lunch and dinner – high quality and impeccably looked after by the staff.”
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It goes without saying that if you can’t make a booking, what level of restaurant or food spot you might be heading to, then it’s not just common courtesy to let the business know as soon as you can, it can be the difference between them being able to flip the table and whether or not they struggle that month.
As if it needed reiterating at all, it doesn’t matter whether it’s Simon Wood and his fine-dining restaurant or your local pub serving up good honest grub other, just letting them know if you’re going to be a no-show takes very little effort at all…
Manchester institution Salvi’s announces closure of original city centre restaurant
Danny Jones
One of Manchester’s oldest and most loved Italian restaurants, Salvi’s, has sadly announced that they are closing their original restaurant after more than a decade and a half.
Having served authentic recipes from Naples and been at the forefront of the cuisine in this city for well over 15 years, it can be hard to remember a time before Salvi’s.
With that in mind, we’re gutted to hear that their OG location over in the Corn Exchange is now shutting its doors imminently.
But fret not: it’s not all doom and gloom, as they promise this isn’t the last you’ll see of them.
Often considered the first true Manc-Neapolitan eatery, which turned from a small counter and deli into, at one point, a big and beloved group of local independent restaurants with multiple locations, most people know the name and the sign, and plenty have patronised them since day one.
Sharing an emotional message in the caption of the post above, founder Maurizio Cecco and his wife Claire said: “For sixteen years, Salvi’s has been part of Manchester’s story. We’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve built together.
“As the city changes, independent businesses have to change too. Today will be our last day of trading at Corn Exchange. Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey all these years.
“This isn’t the end of our story; it’s the beginning of a new chapter – stay tuned. Grazie Mille.”
Unsurprisingly, the reaction to the news has been bittersweet, with people obviously saddened to hear of this latest closure but also looking back fondly on its past.
One person wrote in the comments: “I remember launching this amazing place all those years ago and have continued to watch you thrive!! Best of luck for the future!” Another added: “Will miss Salvi’s great food, great staff, not forgetting the Italian festival. All the best, Maurizio and family in your new adventure
As mentioned, it’s also worth noting that Maurizio and Claire are also behind the equally famous Festa Italiana, which draws crowds of tens of thousands across a full weekend every single year.
Having been regulars and firm fans of both their first family-owned flagship site and the aforementioned festival for many years, we’re equally gutted to see it go.
But as they made clear, this is not a definite ending for the brand, and it’s safe to say we’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever comes next.
Thanks for the memories and all the incredible food and drink you’ve served us – we hope we hear from you again sometime very soon.
Iconic old Manchester boozer named the best pub in the UK
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s most legendary pubs – which happens to be home to its most legendary landlady too – has been named the best in the UK.
The Peveril of the Peak has shot to the top of a list of the 22 Best Pubs in the UK, compiled by Time Out.
The comprehensive list spans the length and breadth of the country looking for the watering holes that nail a ‘convivial atmosphere, charming staff, charismatic decor and, above all, a varied selection of well-kept, well-served drinks’.
And it’s Manchester’s very own Peveril of the Peak, or The Pev, that made it into the number one spot, being labelled by judges as ‘perfect’.
Time Out praised the pub’s ‘dazzling’ tiled exterior, its jukebox and pool table, and its 96-year-old landlady Nancy Swanick, who (along with her family) has overseen the pub for more than 50 years.
The Peveril of the Peak wasn’t the only Manchester pub to make it onto the list of the best in the UK – there was also a nod for another local icon, The Marble Arch, which placed 15th.
Elsewhere in the North West, The Golden Lion in Todmorden, and The Roscoe Head in Liverpool made it onto the list, along with a couple of pubs in Sheffield.
Inside The PevThe Peveril of the Peak pub in Manchester
Speaking of The Pev, Time Out wrote: “The Peveril of the Peak — or the Pev, for short, always — is the kind of pub that’s so perfect, it deserves to serve as the venue for the wetting of your head, your wedding and your wake. And, preferably, as much life between.
“Standing freely on Great Bridgewater Street, the Pev beckons you in with its dazzling green, yellow and brown tiling, retro windows and heavy emerald door. Inside, it’s a ‘proper pub’ and then some: a jukebox, pool table and dartboard are all crammed into a cosy snug, smattered with vintage stools, sticky tables and framed Pub of the Year awards from decades gone by.
“The boozer — rumoured to be both a former brothel and a haunt for ghosts — has been overseen by legendary landlady Nancy Swanick, who still lives above the bar and is now well into her 90s, for over 50 years. Expect a knees-up for the ages when she hits the big 100. Cheers!”
The full list of Time Out’s 22 Best Pubs in the UK 2026
Danny Jones -
30th September 2024 
