The Vurger Co – one of the last fully vegan spots standing in Manchester – has announced its sudden closure.
The national restaurant brand arrived here in Manchester in the spring of 2022, serving up its established menu of plant-based burgers, shakes and sides.
The Vurger Co took on a pretty prominent site in Manchester city centre, putting down roots on the ground floor of a new building on the corner of Tib Street.
The restaurant did a pretty good job of impersonating a normal burger joint with its meatless patties, fake bacon, and plant-based fried chicken.
Highlights on the menu included its buffalo ‘chicken’ burger, its loaded chicken and waffle tater tots, and its delicious vegan milkshakes.
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The eight-year-old business said it has spent 50% of its time in the trade ‘in total turmoil’, faced with ‘unfathomable’ turmoil from the pandemic to the economic crisis.
They wrote in a detailed statement, signed by co-founders Rachel Hugh and Neil Potts, that they were ‘flying’ until March 2020, when they were struck with ‘infuriating government policy’ and ‘indescribable suffering’.
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Manchester Vegan burger joint The Vurger Co. Credit: The Manc GroupManchester Vegan burger joint The Vurger Co. Credit: The Manc Group
The Vurger Co said: “To say that the industry is in crisis doesn’t even come close right now.”
Their statement also touched on the current news stories around the ‘death of veganism’, which has no doubt been fuelled by several closures of other plant-based restaurants (Manchester alone has lost V Rev, Zad’s takeaway, and Frosts Burgers).
As well as opening restaurants across the UK, The Vurger Co had its sauces in supermarkets, launched a recipe book, and even served Billie Eilish twice.
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Their statement continued: “We have grafted every single day, to ensure people were employed, paid and our communities were served. We’ve given it absolutely everything we’ve got, in all possible ways, and we are extremely proud. We won’t ever let anything take away from the magic of the journey of the last 8 years.”
The Vurger Co signed off by urging people to support their local vegan business, and called on the Government to lower VAT and take other measures to help the hospitality industry.
When we began, we truly didn’t have a playbook, we had no competitor to replicate, no other small vegan restaurant business to ask about crowdfunding, no one to ask about how to scale a vegan restaurant brand – and everything in between. Throw in a global pandemic into the mix and we’ve basically lived 50% of the 8 years in total turmoil. The amount of adversity we have had to overcome year on year is unfathomable, I couldn’t even begin to describe.
We set out to create an awesome burger restaurant that welcomed everyone, with a goal of being mainstream and providing the most incredible working environment. Until March 2020, we were flying! From 2016, we were amongst the brands helping to generate early momentum in this space. We had opened two restaurants in less than a year, and were scheduled to open our third, in Brighton, in March 2020, but the universe had other plans.
Like every other hospitality brand, we muddled through the pandemic as best we possibly could. We prioritised our staff and their wellbeing to the max. We battled through infuriating government policy. Like everybody else in our industry, the suffering was indescribable, leaving us as business operators, and our teams, stressed, exhausted, and desperately hoping things could return to some sort of normality.
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However the last couple of years have seen seemingly endless domestic and international crises in the world, which have all created truly a perfect storm for hospitality. Soaring costs due to international and domestic inflationary factors, plunging sales due to customers’ spending power being dramatically reduced, and the complete absence of investor confidence in the sector all of a sudden. To say that the industry is in crisis doesn’t even come close right now.
Then combined with the most recent anti-vegan misinformation charting ‘the death of veganism’ and ‘the end of the trend’ etc. The result is that it has completely unjustifiably, incorrectly and needlessly hammered consumer confidence.
Our incredible customers that are so loyal, passionate, and incredibly supportive.
From our very first market stall in the summer of 2016, through to pop ups, events, multiple restaurants, meal kits in the pandemic, mayos in supermarkets around the world, your support has meant the absolute world to us. We’ve had the most wonderful time serving you all, and providing you all with a space to enjoy great hospitality. Throughout all of it, you’ve shown up, and kept showing up and kept shouting about us, and helped us win so many awards over the years. Every comment, review, referral, every tip you’ve given our wonderful staff, every burger you’ve purchased – every single thing matters so much to us, and we’re incredibly grateful for your loyal support for so many years.
From absolutely nothing but an idea in 2016, we opened 4 stores and a whole production site, we got our sauces into Ocado, Whole Foods, Co-op, stores in LA, NYC and Dubai, we launched our recipe book with the most amazing publisher, our brand served hundreds of thousands of burgers to people up and down the country and yes we even served Billie Eillish and family not once but twice! Proud of what we achieved would be an understatement.
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On a personal level for us, it has been the most incredible emotional rollercoaster. Building this brand for the last 8 years has been a real privilege. We’ve done nothing else, thought about nothing else, and worked on nothing else, but The Vurger Co, for 8 years. We have grafted every single day, to ensure people were employed, paid and our communities were served. We’ve given it absolutely everything we’ve got, in all possible ways, and we are extremely proud. We won’t ever let anything take away from the magic of the journey of the last 8 years.
It only seems right to finish with our wishes for the industry….
Please support your favourite vegan business! Even if you aren’t able to afford spending with them right now, remember, a like on social media, a positive google review, a nice comment, speaking positively about them to others or a recommendation are all free and could make all the difference too. Less hatred towards vegan businesses who are doing their utmost and more love is needed!
Government to WAKE UP – Lower VAT, Hospitality business rates reform, Reduction in National Insurance Contributions, Energy support – it’s all needed and all needed right now so desperately.
We’re here for anybody who wants advice or support, whatever we can do to help keep the overall vegan train on the track, we’ll be doing from here forwards. Sending all our love to our fellow vegan restauranteurs, you’re amazing.
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All our love, Rachel and Neil.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Bottomless curry deal returns to popular Manchester Indian restaurant Zouk
Danny Jones
One of the best-loved Indians in Manchester has relaunched its bottomless curry offering and is chucking in free rice and naans to boot.
Zouk over on Chester Street has brought back its endless curry, rice and naan deal to ease the last of those January blues.
Every night this week, you’ll be able to tuck into a full buffet of the tea bar and grill’s award-winning, authentic curries, showcasing dishes from all over the Indian subcontinent.
Costing just £20 a head, you can feast until your heart’s content on some of the very best curries in the city – no exaggeration.
What does ‘bottomless curry’ night at Zouk look like?
The bottomless curry deal at Zouk first ran this year back in January, but it’s now back for National Curry Week (6-12 October 2025), and we can’t wait to stuff ourselves silly yet again.
Every single day, there’ll be four different curries to choose from, always including two meat options, a vegetarian curry and a vegan dish.
What exactly can you get on Zouk’s bottomless offer?
As mentioned, each booking also includes unlimited rice and naan to go with your curry of choice.
Tables are for 90 minutes per booking, giving guests plenty of time to take on the increasingly popular bottomless curry challenge.
Question is, do you have the stomach for it?
With an ever-rotating selection of curries inspired by various distinct regions and speciality cuisines, you’re not short on variety either. You can see Zouk‘s current bottomless curry menu in full below:
Monday
Chicken Karahi – A speciality from the Northwest region of Pakistan. Tender pieces of chicken cooking in a sizzling wok over hot flames with tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, cumin, ginger and garlic.
Lamb and Potatoes – Tender chunks of lamb cooked with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Mutter Paneer (V) – Indian Paneer cheese with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Chole Masala (VG) – From Delhi to Punjab, this authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic.
Tuesday
Tamater Kadei Murgh – A delicious chicken and tomato curry cooked with mild spices. Perfect with rice or bread
Lamb Do Pyaaza – Medium-spiced North Indian speciality: tender pieces of lamb slowly cooked with lavish amounts of caramelised onions in a spicy masala
Tarka Dall (V) – Channa and mung lentils cooked in a spicy sauce
Gobi Mutter (VG) – Spicy cauliflower sautéed in a rich tomato masala with peas
Wednesday
Chicken Do Payaza – Spiced North Indian chicken dish with tomatoes and caramelised onions
Lamb & Bindi – Tender pieces of lamb cooked in a spicy masala with ‘lady fingers’ (okra)
Chole Masala (V) – Authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic
Mili Juli Sabzi (VG) – Fresh vegetables fused together with herbs and spices
Over the halfway hump, room for more? (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Thursday
Chicken Tikka Masala – A simple classic chicken tikka masala. Chicken pieces marinated in yoghurt tossed inside a balti of garlic and ginger.
Lamb Rogan Josh – A speciality from Jammu and Kashmir, with chillies and juicy tomatoes.
Dall Makhani (V) – Black lentils in a smooth and creamy sauce.
Palak Aloo (VG) – Spinach leaf and fenugreek cooked with new potatoes and coriander.
Friday
Chicken Handi – Punjabi-style chicken curry slowly cooked over burning flames with tomatoes, onions, garlic and Zouk’s special garam masala.
Lamb Jalfrezi – Lamb pieces cooked with capsicum, onions and tomatoes in a thick spicy sauce.
Bengan do Pyaza (V) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of aubergine cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
Bindi Do Pyaza (VG) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of Okra cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
And now we’re stuffed…
If you’re looking for somewhere to get bottomless curry in Manchester, this is the place for you. (Credit: The Manc)
Zouk has become one of Manchester’s leading restaurants since it opened in 2009, even drawing in famous fans like Rihanna, Drake, Manchester United stars and, of course, many a Mancs each and every day – because there’s never a bad time for a curry.
Available all throughout this week, you can make the most of this incredible bottomless curry deal like we do every year and trust us, Manchester: it genuinely NEVER disappoints.
You can find more information – including all terms and conditions – on the website and book your visit HERE, or over the phone on 0161 2331 090.
First vendors confirmed Glossop Market Hall, including two indie Manc traders
Danny Jones
The first vendors for the upcoming Glossop Market Hall have been announced, and the lineup includes two beloved Greater Manchester independent businesses.
Better still, the third is another noteworthy name from the North West.
Glossop Market Hall is scheduled to launch later this year, setting up shop in the historic town hall complex, where the High Peak Borough Council, a retail shopping arcade and various other municipal buildings have stood in various different iterations for nearly well over a century.
With the Derbyshire town set to celebrate the opening of the newly revamped market hall, those behind the new Glossop attraction have now revealed the first three names set to take up residence there.
As you can see, the biggest names already signed on to cook from one of the six kitchens is a Manchester favourite food hall in its own right: Hello Oriental.
The Pan-Asian paradise not only has a subterranean space below Circle Square, but also at The Trafford Centre, as well as a dessert spin-off in Freight Island.
Indie trader number two comes in the form of B&V Trading, who are based at Stanley Square in Sale and specialise in eco-friendly, UK-made treats, toys and essentials for four-legged friends.
After proving a hit with the locals, their small stall at nearby Altrincham Market has grown to see them open up not just a second site in the leafy Cheshire suburbs of Knutsford back in 2022, but now boast a third location in neighbouring Macclesfield.
Speaking of Macc, local gin and whisky makers, Forest Distillery – based up at the famous Cat and Fiddle Inn pub towards the Peaks – they round out the first wave of regional businesses set to pop up in Glossop Market Hall (GMH) when it finally arrives this winter.
And once again, as the update on social media reads: “This is just the beginning”.
Natives, day-trippers and tourists from all over are bound to visit this place when it opens sometime in November (exact date still TBC), and with space not only for a dedicated bar, dining space and a coffee shop, but a total of 17 retail spaces, we can’t wait to see what comes next.
GMH becomes just the latest among a growing trend of food and drink halls popping up all over our part of the country, with virtually every Greater Manchester borough now boasting at least one of their own – or, in the city centre’s case, what feels like a dozen now.
Exhibit number… not sure, we’ve lost track at this point.