Over in Mottram, there’s a caravan cafe on top of a hill serving up some absolutely belting Full English fry-ups with stunning views to match.
Called Bee’s Coffee Pot, it has slowly been growing as a favourite amongst locals since 2020 when co-owners Natalie and Toni Bagley decided to convert their old caravan, formerly used to take Toni to horse shows, into a kitchen.
First opened on October 23, 2020, right in the midst of the Covid pandemic, its middle-of-nowhere location on their family farm was perfect for attracting those enjoying the outdoors at a time when it was incredibly difficult to do much inside.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Nearly three years on, its following continues to grow – with foodies travelling from all over to sample their famous loaded fry-ups and breakfast baps.
The cafe is named after Toni, who had been a model in London prior to the pandemic appearing in campaigns for the likes of Burberry and Hugo Boss. Taking her childhood nickname Bee, given to her whilst at nursery, it’s even cuter than we first thought.
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The pair decided to open after a long period of furlough, with Natalie keen to throw in the towel and try something new after over 20 years working in pharmaceutical medicine.
At first, it was slow going – taking them seven months to pull in enough money to become VAT registered. But over time, the women created a community of customers – and even found themselves inundated with letters and gifts as those struggling through the pandemic shared appreciation for the peace that a trip to Bee’s gave them.
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Bee’s Coffee Pot might’ve only made £1 in its first week but as time has gone on its fanbase has grown massively.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
This is the kind of place where the staff are on first-name terms with every customer, and people keep coming back again and again. They have hosted birthday parties, hen parties and anniversaries, and were even named Tameside Takeaway Cafe of the Year in 2022.
A real family affair, Natalie’s oldest daughter Paige bakes the cakes, whilst her other teenage daughters Halle and Laurie also help out where they can. Even eight-year-old son Darby does his bit, collecting the farm’s fresh eggs to be cooked up as part of Bee’s charming fry-ups inside the caravan’s kitchen.
On the menu, you’ll find breakfast staples including a Full English with local butchers’ meat, eggs, tomatoes, black pudding, beans, toast and mushrooms, alongside classic breakfast baps stuffed with egg, bacon and sausage.
Elsewhere, there’s plenty more to get stuck into ranging from loaded fries topped with chicken, cheese and sriracha mayo, to crispy chicken burgers, daily-changing soups, toasties, hot dogs with crispy onions, and halloumi fries served with a sweet chilli mayo.
There is also a selection of mouthwatering cakes and cookies on offer – all baked by the family’s eldest daughter.
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Think cookies stuffed with ice cream and cream, Lotus Biscoff, mini eggs, Kinder Bueno, Maltesers, double chocolate and more, plus extra sweet treats like brookies and triple chocolate brownies, carrot cake and Bavarian slices.
A wonderful way to wile away a Saturday morning, head over on a clear day to enjoy views across Tameside from what feels like the top of the world.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Eats
The viral factory in Oldham that sells £2 Colin the Caterpillar cakes
Thomas Melia
A factory in Oldham has gone viral online after sweet fiends discover they sell ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cakes for less than half price.
There are some things that just go hand in hand: a brew and a biscuit, peanut butter and jelly and Brits and their crazy obsession with a character chocolate cake from M&S called Colin the Caterpillar.
Since hitting the shelves in 1990, more than 15 million Colin the Caterpillars have made their way from supermarket shop floor to our sweet-treat-awaiting plates.
Who would’ve ever guessed that the home to this cheeky chappy, who M&S have made their unofficial mascot (after Percy Pig, of course), has been crafted and created right here in Oldham?
The utterly delicious Colin the Caterpillar cake which you can get for £2 at Park Cakes.The shelves at Park Cakes are stacked with Colins and Connies.Credit: The Manc Eats
Established in 1937, The Park Cake Bakeries – or just Park Cakes, colloquially – has been serving up this critter-inspired cake for over 30 years, and savvy shoppers have flocked to their factory shop to get their hands on some very sweet savings.
There’s a whole range of cakes on offer at this Oldham dessert factory shop, including slabs, sponges, loaves and even sweet pies too.
Whether you’re a firm believer that the birthday person deserves all of Colin’s white-choc face or you precisely cut it up so everyone gets some, Park Cakes has the solution, selling bags of the character’s chocolatey face so you can have one all to yourself.
The cake isn’t the only thing that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as the prices will too. Colin the Caterpillar, who normally retails for just under a tenner, is sold for around £2 at this Oldham factory shop.
It’s always the ones that look unassuming, isn’t it?
Alongside producing one of the most adored cakes in the UK, they’re also responsible for lots more of your favourite supermarket sweet treats, and we’re definitely not complaining.
You can let your sweet tooth go wild in this factory shop as they sell everything from rainbow birthday cakes to sticky toffee puddings.
There’s so much on offer too, how about a giant bag packed to the brim with misshapen golden flapjacks that’ll last you over a week and cost you less than a fiver? Sounds like a plan to me.
If you haven’t had enough of your Easter chocolate fix, why not trek over to Oldham and stock up on even more chocolate and sweet treats? Trust us, there’s plenty to choose from.
Park Cakes factory shop can be found on Ashton Road in Oldham and is open from 10am-4pm, so go and grab yourself a seriously sweet deal before everyone else beats you to it.
Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.Credit: The Manc
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Adam Higgin (via Facebook)
Eats
Kobbie Mainoo shouts out more of his favourite food spots in Manchester
Danny Jones
Man United star Kobbie Mainoo is back putting people onto his favourite places to eat in Manchester, and judging by his picks, he doesn’t just know football – he knows his food spots too.
The Stockport-born footballer turned 20 years old this month, and as well as celebrating leaving his teens with that impressive goal in the comeback against Lyon, the Manchester United midfielder was met with a birthday cake by his club, along with a fun little game of 20 questions.
Sharing the short but insightful Q&A, in which the number 37 dove into his favourite parts of matchdays, the best birthday gift he’s ever received, as well as the tried and tested dream dinner guest lineup.
Naming a very sporty trio of Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan and Jon Jones, the only logical next step was to ask him where his favourite places to eat around Manchester were, to which he answered…
That’s right, spotlighting a personal favourite of ours, the first Manc venue on his list was Pho Cue, the authentic family-run Vietnamese spot known for great value, top-quality street food such as their big hitter bánh mìs, as well as big queues every lunchtime.
If you don’t know already, then get to know.
As you can see, the second place he mentioned with the booked-up-till-kingdom come Onda Pasta Bar, which went viral for its ‘Tiramisu drawer’ last year and opened their first proper restaurant back in June.
Since then, it’s fair to say it’s more popular than ever and you’re lucky to get a table; if you, however, you’ll be treated to some of the most luxurious and indulgent pasta not just in Manchester but probably anywhere in the country, if you ask us.
These latest shout-outs come after Mainoo famously put Salford’s culinary kings, Burgerism, on the nationwide map after name-dropping them in his British GQ interview in November 2024.
You can watch the full thing HERE, but you already know the biggest takeaway from that chat, quite literally: the boy knows his burgers.
Kobbie is actually just one of several famous faces to have proclaimed Burgerism as the best in the business, at least in Greater Manchester of late.
Not only have British influencers Ollie Ball and Jacob Pasquill now become seemingly regular presenters on their social media, but online content creator turned boxer and WWE star Logan Paul also visited the beloved burger joint and reviewed it during a recent visit to the UK.
We’ll confess we’re more likely to take the local lad’s word on board over the bloke who used to make Vines, but it’s just yet more proof that the Manc food scene is top tier.
Come on, just look at the state of these selections:
Not a bad little spread there, Kobb… (Credit: The Manc Eats)
We’re not sure how much of this stuff Mainoo is allowed on the diet sheet, but we can at least confirm that Kobbie knows his Manchester food, and as far as favourites go, we might just stand a chance of becoming best friends yet.
Happy birthday to a young man with a very bright future and hopefully a very active metabolism.
Georgina Pellant -
19th April 2023 
