A new all-pink cake cafe with branches around the globe is set to open its first north west site at Manchester’s Trafford Centre this year.
EL&N (which stands for Eat, Live, and Nourish) is as famous for its elaborate interiors as it is for its intricately beautiful cakes, already boasting successful sites around the world in locations like Milan, Dubai, London, Paris, Doha and Edinburgh.
Now, it’s been revealed that the brand coming to Manchester with pictures in the Manchester Evening News showing construction already underway at Trafford Palazzo.
Images show huge pink archways and sparkly signs, with a clear pink roof emblazoned with the brand’s name as well as a second sign that reads: ‘Love Coffee,’,
Sitting opposite Primark, it is expected to open inside Trafford Palazzo in time for Easter 2023.
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First founded in Mayfair, London in 2017, EL&N quickly established itself as a go-to for cake lovers – drawing in an Instagram-minded crowd with its flower walls, hot pink interiors and mouthwatering cake, coffee and mocktail menu.
It has eleven sites in the UK as well as six international locations, all serving up the likes of gorgeous afternoon teas alongside drinks such as speciality hot chocolates, flowering and iced teas, hot coffee and cold brew cans.
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Elsewhere on its menu, diners will find brunch staples including avocado toast, eggs benedict, shakshuka and Turkish eggs, plus mouthwatering loaded French toast, sandwiches and chapatis.
As for cakes, think giant slices of cake in flavours like pistachio, carrot, honey, red velvet, strawberry and chocolate ganache, plus further treats like tiramisu, raspberry cheesecake and dulce mille feuille.
And there’s more. From classic flavours of gelato to a range of different dulce de leche, plus giant cookies and brownies, the list of desserts on offer seems never-ending.
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EL&N Honey Cake. / Image: EL&N
Mark Whittaker, Executive Director – Property Investment & Management at Peel L&P, said: “This is an extremely exciting announcement and will elevate the offering even further at Trafford Palazzo.
“EL&N is exactly the type of operator we are looking to attract, a forward thinking, unique brand that will complement the centre and add to the experience we are fostering within the space.”
Alexandra Miller, Founder of EL&N, said: “We are thrilled to announce our very first opening in Manchester at Trafford Palazzo.
“This location in particular is iconic, and we can’t wait to bring our unique offering to the diners of Manchester.
“The store design ties in all the classic EL&N interior elements along with some fresh new Instagram moments that we’ve never done before, Manchester, you’re in for a real treat!”
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Award-winning Manchester cocktail bar Red Light announces surprise return in new location
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, an award-winning cocktail bar that closed its doors earlier this year, has announced it’s making a grand return.
The celebrated watering hole had been at Kampus in the city centre for three years before it closed for good in August.
But now, in news that will thrill a lot of us in Manchester, the bar has announced it’s returning, with plenty of new ’surprises’ to come.
Announcing Red Light 2.0 this evening, they revealed a brand-new location, with all the cocktails we all loved before, plus a new bar snack offering.
Also new with its reopening will be a dedicated clubbing space (operating in a residential area was one of the reasons Red Light closed at Kampus) and the return of its legendary street parties.
They said: “Your love and support has meant the absolute world to us since we closed the doors to our Kampus venue.
“It’s been a tricky secret to keep but we’re thrilled to share that we’re back and in a brand new location!
“This one feels special, it’s not often you get a second chance at things in the current climate.”
They added: “We can’t wait to welcome you with open arms. Red Light NQ. LETS GO BABY!”
Although they’ve not announced the location, they have teased some pictures – and unless we’re very much mistaken, they’ll be moving into Tariff Street, in the old El Capo site.
Chinatown restaurant pleads for help after dine-and-dash customer leaves staff member in A&E
Daisy Jackson
A brilliant restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown has shared CCTV and a heartfelt appeal after one of its staff members was left in A&E.
Noodle Alley shared that one of its young staff members chased after a group of dine-and-dash customers who’d left without paying for their meal.
The restaurant then said that she was ‘assaulted’ at some point in the chase and ended up in A&E.
In their statement, Noodle Alley said that the staff member ‘had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this’.
They wrote: “What has this world come to? A violent man sent our staff to A&E over an unpaid meal.”
The CCTV shows a group of three young men, all carrying Selfridges shopping bags, entering the restaurant.
They sit and enjoy a meal, before two of them slip out of the restaurant. The third man then exits but is chased by a Noodle Alley staff member.
It’s at this point – out of the range of the restaurant’s CCTV – that they said she was assaulted ‘after going beyond her duty to try and recover what had been taken’.
The family business said that she has been ’emotionally affected’ by the incident.
The police are involved and the restaurant has appealed for anyone who can help with their investigation to get in touch.
It’s also the second time they’ve appealed about a dine-and-dash customer in the last few months, but this incident went ‘far beyond’ previous incidents.
In their full statement, Noodle Alley said: “We’re a small family business, and lately it feels like small businesses are being targeted again and again.
“But this time, it went far beyond anything we have experienced before.
“One of our young staff members — a girl simply doing her job — was assaulted after going beyond her duty to try to recover what had been taken from our restaurant. She ended up in A&E.
“What hurts us most is seeing how emotionally affected she has been by what happened. She told us she had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this.
“We work hard to look after our staff and our customers, and nobody should have to go through this simply for doing their job.
“We have reported the incident to the police.
“If anyone recognises these individuals or has any information that could help the police with their investigation, please contact us or the police directly.
“We’re sharing this because we believe our staff deserve to feel safe at work.”
Georgina Pellant -
10th March 2023 
