It’s not very often these days that a place opens in Manchester with very little fanfare (you’ll usually find a dozen influencers at the opening of a new ATM).
It’s even rarer to find somewhere that has opened very quietly, and ended up properly busy – yep, even on a Monday afternoon.
That such place is North Westward Ho, and it’s a testament to the brewery behind it that it’s already drawing in a crowd with barely a single social media post or press release in sight.
Pomona Island has taken on a chunk of the former Chaophraya restaurant, just tucked away off Market Street and Cross Street, and the grand arch-windowed red-brick building is now a home for all of Pomona Island’s excellent craft beers – from the easy-drinking Factotum, to the excellent Phaedra pale ale.
In the fridges are rows of their familiar cans – a pastel background, a doodle, and a name like ‘KICK OFF YOUR SHOES AND RELAX YOUR SOCKS’, ‘TAKE THIS CHIPS WITH CHEESE’, and ‘CURDLE SCRECH’.
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At any time there are 18 lines of world-class craft beer, five cask lines and four lines of natural wine and cider.
North Westward Ho’s traditional interior. The foundation stone at North Westward HoInside Pomona Island’s new pub, North Westward Ho
They’ve shunned the usual identikit craft beer bar starter pack too. There’s no plywood, no plants, no wall of merch.
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Instead, North Westward Ho feels like a proper Manchester pub that has been styled with dark wooden details, ornate tiling, wall sconces, oil paintings.
There’s a curved mahogany bar that wouldn’t look out of place in a five-star London hotel, dark green ceramic brick tiles on the wall, and a foundation stone set into the entryway that makes it feel like this pub has been here for decades (even though the date on the plaque states 2023).
The bobbing nightclub at Pomona Docks lasted several years before closing in the early eighties.
But if its namesake stays on the same trajectory that it’s started with this month, this is a pub that’ll stand the test of time.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
The Manchester restaurant serving bottomless curry for just £20 during National Curry Week
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s leading curry houses is bringing back its bottomless curry offering very soon.
For just £20, diners can tuck into unlimited curry, rice and naan at Zouk Tea Bar & Grill, stuffing yourself silly on authentic dishes from from all over the Indian subcontinent.
There’s nothing quite like getting the gang together for a proper curry, and Zouk is making it even easier to do exactly that this October.
They’ll be bringing back the £20 Bottomless Curry deal for National Curry Week 2026, running for five nights only, from Monday 5 October to Friday 9 October, with tables available between 5pm and 10pm each evening.
Guests can choose one curry from a daily selection of four, with meat, vegetarian and vegan options available throughout the week.
Once you’ve picked your curry, you can then order as many portions as you fancy during your 90-minute booking.
Rice and naan are unlimited too, so there’s no shortage of carbs to mop up the curry with.
The dishes on the menu include some of Zouk’s favourites, such as Chicken Karahi, Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka Masala, Dall Makhani, Chicken Handi and Gobi Manchurian.
The exact four-dish selection varies by day, giving curry fans a reason to head back more than once during the five-day promotion.
And yes, you can go back for another helping.
Zouk owner Tayub Amjad said: “National Curry Week is always a great excuse to celebrate the food we love.
“Bottomless Curry has become a real favourite with our customers, so we’re excited to bring it back for five nights. It’s relaxed, great value and perfect for getting friends together for a proper curry night.”
Advance booking is recommended – you can book your table for the Zouk Bottomless Curry nights HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
20th October 2023 
