Bosses behind Ramsbottom wood-fired tapas favourite Levanter have permanently closed the restaurant a week after losing its Michelin plate.
The news comes just months after owners Joe and Fiona Botham made the decision to shut down half of their Ramsbottom site – also once home to their second restaurant Baratxuri – in a bid to battle the challenges brought on by rising energy bills.
Faced with extortionate costs to keep their business going, in January the pair made the call to temporarily shut Levanter’s large bar and dining room; leaving just its main dining room open to the public until the summer.
It was hoped this would be enough to keep the business going until the warmer months, with owner Joe tweeting at the time: “We’ve had to take the hard decision to hibernate the Smithy St side of Ramsbottom – the Bar & the Comedor Dining Room, for the foreseeable future.
Image: Levanter
Image: Levanter
“We’re hopeful this will just be for the quieter Winter months & we can fire it up again once the warmer weather kicks in for Spring/Summer & demand for the outside tables on Square St kicks in too.”
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However, a message posted on Levanter’s website on Tuesday afternoon shows that, unfortunately, the measures Joe and Fiona adopted were not enough to keep things going any longer.
A message on Levanter’s website reads: “Levanter is now closed. Thank you to all our guests who have visited and supported us over the last 9 years. We will miss you.”
First opened in 2014, Levanter made its name as a proper local tapas bar serving authentic wood-fired Spanish plates, alongside fine wines and sherries to foodies from far and wide.
Image: Levanter
Image: Levanter
It proved so successful that a year later its owners then went on to launch the acclaimed sister Pintxos bar and basque enclave Baratxuri, which has since moved from its original north Manchester home into Exhibition on Peter Street.
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That same year, Levanter received a rave review fromGuardiancritic Jay Rayner who described it as “the kind of restaurant so many of us seek, where frill and pomp have been dispensed with in favour of feeding people well.”
Another casualty of the energy bills crisis, we know that many in Greater Manchester – and beyond – will be incredibly sad to see Levanter go. It’s also sad times for foodie hotspot Ramsbottom, which has lost three Michelin-recommended restaurants in recent years.
Featured image – Levanter
Eats
Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap
Daisy Jackson
Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.
The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.
The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.
More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.
And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.
In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.
“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.
“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”
The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.
Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.
With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrongHuge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage
Salon Madre – A new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A new tequila bar and pool hall is set to open in Manchester in a couple of weeks, from the same team behind Madre.
The huge new space, Salon Madre, will be serving up the tacos and burritos that have made the Mexican restaurant at Kampus so well-loved.
And all that’s alongside a drinks menu that centres around tequila, including frozen, classic and flavoured margaritas and palomas.
Can’t stomach tequila? There’ll also be wines on draft, Corona and local beers.
The food menu will show off signature dishes like al pastor tacos, with daily rotating specials, plus Gringas, nachos and Madre’s huge burritos.
Salon Madre has taken over a spot just off Kampus’s lush garden that was previously home to a Seven Brothers taproom, right next door to Madre itself.
Salon Madre is a new Mexican pool hall and tequila bar in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupSalon Madre is a new Mexican pool hall and tequila bar in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
As well as all the Mexican food and drink goodness, the bar will have four pool tables and will be screening Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) and American sports.
The dream is to bring the fun and liveliness of a Mexican pool hall to the heart of Manchester, in this beautiful spot right near Piccadilly and Canal Street.
Salon Madre will open on 6 December at Kampus, with bookings for Christmas groups and parties now available.
Georgina Pellant -
4th April 2023 
