Despite being prominently visited by Mohammed Ali in 1974, there is no denying that over the years, Stretford Mall lost its charm.
But, thanks to efforts from Trafford Council, Bruntwood Works, and local business entrepreneurs, Stretford Mall has surpassed its past glory with a delightful food hall surrounded by innovative local businesses, including The Hive.
Despite only being open two days before the national lockdown in March, and now operating as take-away only, The Hive is perhaps the centrepiece of a blossoming ‘Stretford Strip’.
As well as already offering breakfast every morning, a roast dinner every Sunday, and a delicious array of innovative meals all day long, The Hive’s menu is still improving.
The Hive, Stretford
The recent launch of the Healthy Hive branch of their menu adds another layer of deliciousness to this business, with offerings such as curried mushrooms and vegan hotdogs.
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Co-Owner Chris Herbert said: “We had all this time during lockdown, so we have basically opened a COVID restaurant bar.
“Every single thing down to the smallest detail is a COVID friendly bar because we have known nothing else.”
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Over 11 thousand people have been through their doors since July, and they boast zero cases of Coronavirus related to the business, despite taking every single person’s temperature and track and trace personal details, instead of the general one person per group rule.
The key for these business owners was providing a local but cool atmosphere that enabled people to have a night out that they could safely walk home from, and despite COVID, this goal has not changed.
Chris said: “It’s only going to get better. COVID and what’s happened and lockdown, it’s just an obstacle that Stretford is going to get over, this isn’t going to kill Stretford off. It’s only going to make Stretford stronger.
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“The ‘local’ is going to thrive again.”
The Stretford FoodHall has also become a symbol of the change in Stretford, providing a constant turnover of delicious independent vendors, and this year even providing christmas trees that can be delivered to your door.
Stretford Food Hall
‘A Convenient Store’, located inside the Hall, are already open for pre-orders of locally sourced Christmas trees, alongside grocery deliveries that arrive at your door in two hours.
The Food Hall also collected food and household items during lockdown for charity, and recently on facebook they announced that they were widening the organizations they were donating to.
The current resident vendors are Herbivorous and Dim Sum Su, which offer delicious vegan meals and dim sum, among other things.
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Hannah, supervisor on the retail side of the FoodHall said: “It has been an absolute pro for the community, we have loads of regulars that constantly come in and it is gorgeous seeing the same faces, especially through COVID.”
The Foodhall also ensures that it uses local vendors for its produce, in order to inject profits back into the community, something desperately needed during these COVID times.
Whilst definitive prospective plans for Stretford are uncertain because of the pandemic, it is clear that the future is bright for this blossoming area.
Eats
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse to reopen
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme – the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue will live on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, is currently being carefully restored ahead of its big relaunch just next week.
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’ll also be affordable, hearty pub grub including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
The team bringing The Abbey to life are Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth – Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manchester venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year; and Gareth is the founder of multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch is part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
Glimpses of The Abbey’s refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth Hemmingfield from The Abbey commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area. Honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Gemma Bradley -
16th November 2020 
