Parklife has announced it will have an alcohol-free bar on the festival site for the first time ever this June, welcoming Love From to the fields at Heaton Park.
The huge Manchester festival confirmed that Love From, the city’s only booze-free boozer, would be joining its list of vendors.
It’s the first time in Parklife’s 14-year history that it will have an alcohol-free bar on site, a move with festival boss Sacha Lord says is ‘exciting and important’.
Love From first opened its doors as a pop-up at Kampus in January, where it’s since been granted residency.
Founded by Karl Considine, Love From has long maintained the ‘cutting out isn’t missing out’ and has provided a space that offers all the best bits of a classic cocktail bar, minus the hangover.
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Parklife will be the local bar’s biggest event to date (and they don’t come much bigger than this).
It’s hoped it can spread the importance of the Love From messaging among the young crowds who flock to the festival every year, breaking boundaries around drinking culture as it goes.
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To celebrate this milestone achievement, Love From has even taken over the huge billboard at Victoria Warehouse, and will be collaborating with Parklife to give away to VIP weekend tickets through Instagram.
Founder of Parklife festival and Night Time Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester, Sacha Lord commented: “We’re really excited to be bringing Love From to Parklife festival this Summer.
“Working with local brands is always exciting, but specifically working with Love From as a result of the impact they are having in the alcohol-free space is a really important part of running an inclusive festival.”
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Founder of the Love From bar, Karl Considine, said: “Personally this is a real pinch me moment for a few reasons, even though I don’t drink I love house music, and I am excited to be able to bring my business to Parklife.
“It is wild to me that Love From is only a few months old and here we are working with one of the biggest festivals not just in the UK, but in Europe.”
Karl Considine, founder of Love From, on announcing his alcohol-free bar will be at Parklife festival
It’s also been reported that almost half of young adults (44%) regularly drink no- or low-alcohol drinks.
Sacha continued: “From my own experience through my work for The Warehouse Project, we are seeing first hand how younger audiences want different experiences which includes more propensity to drink no and low drinks.
“Hospitality has to adapt our industry to suit current societal changes, there is a huge resurgence in the non-alcoholic market and we have watched Love From do incredibly well in this space.
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“Working with Love From was no brainer for us and we hope it is the start of a long term partnership!”
Karl concluded: “The fact that a festival like Parklife recognises not just that sentiment of ‘you don’t need to drink to have fun or join in’, but also that they’ve recognised the changing behaviours in drinking culture amongst younger generations is amazing to see.”
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
Daisy Jackson -
14th May 2024 
