Eats

Manchester Christmas Markets favourite Oi Dumplings issues plea after new restaurant hit by devastating fire

It had only been open a few months - so sad.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 24th October 2024

Oi Dumplings, a firm favourite independent business at the Manchester Christmas Markets, has been left devastated after a fire destroyed their new restaurant.

The beloved Vietnamese business only opened its first proper restaurant of its own in July of this year, a beautiful, terracotta-painted neighbourhood spot in the picturesque village of Marsden.

Prior to that, they had been trading from a tiny cabin with no indoor seating and doing the rounds of street food events, including the Manchester Christmas Markets.

But earlier this week, Oi Dumplings’ stunning little restaurant totally ‘perished’ in a freak fire, triggering a huge outpouring of grief and support from the local community and friends of the business (us included).

The fire was started in their brand-new, switched-off tumble dryer and has devastated the space they so carefully designed and built.

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Oi Dumplings is now going through the lengthy process of insurance before they can begin to rebuild – but with the Manchester Christmas Markets barely two weeks away, they’ve issued a plea for help.

Founders Mollie Power and Maisie Davies now desperately need somewhere to prep for the markets, a key income stream for any small independent.

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The beautiful Oi Dumplings restaurant in Marsden, opened in July, has been devastated by a fire. Credit: Instagram
The beautiful Oi Dumplings restaurant in Marsden, opened in July, has been devastated by a fire. Credit: Instagram
The beautiful Oi Dumplings restaurant in Marsden, opened in July, has been devastated by a fire. Credit: Instagram
The beautiful Oi Dumplings restaurant in Marsden, opened in July, has been devastated by a fire. Credit: Instagram

They’re seeking a temporary space where they can do the pain-staking work of making their own handmade dumplings.

Oi Dumplings said ‘we’re not giving up’, adding: “The markets played a massive part in funding our restaurant, and we hope that it will play its future role in rebuilding our restaurant.”

They also quipped: “In times of darkness we are looking for the light and luckily enough for us, there’s a great big massive hole in the roof of the building.

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“So there we go, we will move and do the only thing we can right now. Steam some award winning dumplings for the Manchester Christmas Markets.”

Their full statement is below and if you can help them get back on their feet, you can message them on Instagram HERE.

Oi Dumplings’ statement after fire

Food at Oi Dumplings in Marsden. Credit: The Manc Group
Food at Oi Dumplings in Marsden. Credit: The Manc Group
Food at Oi Dumplings in Marsden. Credit: The Manc Group

I remember when we started ‘Oi’ with nothing. We were both teaching online and doing random delivery jobs for Amazon during the pandemic. We spent £120 on ingredients and packaging. We used the ice packs and delivery bags that we had from Amazon to deliver our little dumplings around Yorkshire and Manchester. We were so worried we wouldn’t get that money back. When we posted about our new venture online, embarrassment and fear crept in. I remember crying in bed thinking ‘What have we done? No one is going to buy these dumplings from a random person online.’ How wrong we were. I guess you don’t know till you try. 

Fast forward four years, a series of fortunate events, countless hours and hard work. We moved from Gazebo, to the Cabin, to Manchester Christmas Markets.

After four years of working our asses off, we found ourselves in a position where we could buy our first business and renovate a space. It was so amazing to see our vision come alive and even better that we would be INSIDE. How lucky. How blessed. How glorious. But as we all know, life is a series of tests. And my god it is testing us. Riding high in April, shot down in May.

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We then faced problem after problem. Planning, licensing, court hearings. And now the pièce de résistance. A fire – caused by spontaneous combustion in the tumble dryer. Guys, never trust your dryer, ours was brand new and turned off.

And so we are left with a perished establishment. What isn’t burnt, is damaged by smoke and water. It was lucky that the fire was caught when it was. To the team of brave professionals that put the fire out, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

Over the past few days we have been inundated with messages from our customers, friends and family. We have taken the time to read every single one. Words of encouragement and offers to lend a helping hand in any way possible. How beautiful. The community we surround ourselves with is truly and utterly astonishing. So what can we do now? 

The only thing we can focus on now is the courage to move forward whilst our premises are in the hands of our insurers. We have the Manchester Christmas Markets around the corner and we are in urgent need of a temporary space to prep in, and we need your help to find that space. The team at Manchester Markets have kindly delayed our final payment to give us room to replace the equipment that perished in the fire. The markets played a massive part in funding our restaurant, and we hope that it will play its future role in rebuilding our restaurant. We’re not giving up. In times of darkness we are looking for the light and luckily enough for us, there’s a great big massive hole in the roof of the building. So there we go, we will move and do the only thing we can right now. Steam some award winning dumplings for the Manchester Christmas Markets.

Please, please, please share this post and help us find our temporary home?!

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Popular Manchester restaurant bar to give out FREE sausage rolls to people called ‘Greg’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sausage roll

One of Manchester’s much-loved restaurant bars is doing a free sausage roll giveaway next week… but there’s a catch.

The catch being you have to have a certain name in particular.

It was only last week that popular high street chain Pret A Manger announced it would be slinging out free sandwiches to any Mancs with ‘Nic’ in their name over the late May bank holiday weekend, and now Tariff & Dale is getting it on the giveaway action, and it’s all to celebrate the iconic event that is National Sausage Roll Day.

In case you didn’t know – which is very likely, let’s be real – next Thursday (5 June) is the day dedicated to all things sausage roll.

So what better way to mark the occasion than with free portions of Tariff & Dale‘s legendary meaty treat?

The popular Northern Quarter restaurant bar is known for its creative comfort food, craft beers and cocktails, and laid-back industrial vibe, with one of the cult-classic dishes on its menu having always been the honey pork sausage roll – which just so happens to be a whopping 15-inches long, by the way.

Resembling something more of a pork wellington than a sausage roll, if you will, the dish is crispy, golden, and glazed with honey on top.

But to celebrate National Sausage Roll day, instead of parting with £9.50 for a portion or £48 for the full 15-inch thing, people with one specific name can actually get a slice for completely free of charge.

Tariff & Dale sausage roll
Tariff & Dale is giving away FREE sausage rolls to people with this name next week / Credit: Supplied

And that name is ‘Greg’, because if we’re honest, when it comes to sausage rolls, we all tend to think of Greggs.

So whether your surname is Gregory or Gregson, or you’re simply just called Greg, then all you need to do to claim your complimentary slice of sausage roll heaven is head on down to Tariff & Dale next Thursday 5 June from 12pm up until 9pm.

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Make sure you show your valid ID proving your name when you order at the bar, and get ready to stuff your face.

Failing that, anyone not called Greg will just have to pop into actual Greggs instead.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons

Eats

Plans to open a brand-new pub on the site of the Rovers Return

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Stables Tavern is coming to Manchester in June. Credit: Supplied

A brand-new pub is set to open in Manchester city centre net month, with treats in store like complimentary bowls of crisps, an outdoor terrace, and a games parlour.

The Stables Tavern is taking shape in the St John’s district, poetically on the same site that was once home to Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub.

They’re promising this will be a ‘historic tavern reimagined for today’s lover of a proper pint’.

The pub will come from Shiko Group, which is also behind Courts Club, where you can play tennis or basketball followed by court-side pints, and Side Street, a bar-restaurant-events space with a mid-Century interior.

Neighbouring the Bonded Warehouse, The Stables Tavern will join this rapidly blossoming new creative district, just across the yard from Caravan, The Trading Route and Aviva Studios.

Inside, punters will find multiple beer taps with local beers, served with complimentary bowls of crisps as well as a menu of pub snacks like handmade sausage rolls and local pies.

The pub will be split into three sections – an outside terrace, a main bar, and a parlour area at the back of the pub for live entertainment, old school games, and rounds of whiskey.

This might be a new district but it’s a historic area for the city – the same building was a busy watering hole back in the early 19th century for workers, merchants and visitors who made use of the nearby canals and cobbled streets.

It was then the home of the Rovers Return, back when this area was the home of Granada Studios.

Hayley Sammé, Marketing Director, said: “We’re so excited to bring The Stables Tavern back to St John’s. The area’s extensive historical backdrop and burgeoning hospitality scene provides the perfect landscape for a traditional British pub.

“It’s the perfect addition to the existing scene, and we hope it’s going to become a popular spot in our new creative district.”

The Stables Tavern will open at St John’s on Friday 6 June.

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Featured image: Supplied

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