Feel Good Club is Manchester’s new kid on the block and it will be remaining open throughout the second national lockdown for takeaway services and to provide support.
The movement – which started humbly as an Instagram page by founders Kiera and Aimie Lawlor-Skillen – is aimed at normalising the stigma around mental health and has flourished into a successful platform of 120K+ followers.
So successful in fact that is saw the pair go on to open the doors to their brand-new wellbeing-focused coffee house in the heart of the Northern Quarter just last weekend.
But, despite the country heading into another national lockdown – which is expected to take effect from 0.01 GMT on Thursday 5th November and requires hospitality businesses to close for the four week duration – Kiera and Aimie will be keeping the Hilton Street coffee house open for takeaway only.
As well as being a brilliant independent business to grab your caffeine fix from, it will also provide vital support services for those who need most, especially as Google search data compiled by Feel Good Club shows the increasingly-worrying rise in mental health searches, with a 25% uplift in the UK overall.
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Searches for how to deal with anxiety are also up by 53%, how to cope with OCD up 89%, and searches for tips on how to cope with depression are up 67% too.
Making the announcement on Instagram, Kiera and Aimie said: “We’ll be staying open throughout lockdown for takeaway [and] our team are mental health first aid trained so can support people who may be in need when they come to get their coffee,”
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“It’s a difficult time for everyone and we want to offer support to anyone who might be struggling during this time.”
“Feel Good Club exists to remind people that we are all just humans”.
The cafe also employs a number of community-driven initiatives such as the ‘pay it forward’, which means you can pay for someone else to have a coffee on you, or easily enjoy one of their pay it forward coffees if you are in need, struggling or having a hard time.
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To make ordering as comfortable as possible, you can send @wearefeelgoodclub a message on Instagram before you order, or ask for a ‘Thumbs Up’ on arrival, and the staff will know exactly what you mean.
Feel Good Club will continue to be a space to host community events, a co-working space, and a place to relax once restrictions are lifted too, and you can find more information via the website here.
A new Southeast Asian BBQ restaurant has opened on a Manchester rooftop with jaw-dropping city views
Clementine Hall
Say hello to Sister Moon, a beautiful new restaurant bringing a taste of Southeast Asia to Manchester city centre.
It’s the latest addition to Manchester’s Treehouse Hotel, which opened last year transforming a huge building at the end of Deansgate.
This is the final chapter of its new opening, and it might be our favourite one yet.
Sister Moon is the new project from acclaimed chef Sam Grainger who you’ll know from Madre, among others.
Images: The Manc
Sam is working alongside Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford (Electric Chair, Volta, Freight Island) at Sister Moon, a Southeast Asian BBQ concept inspired by his time cooking with a local family in Thailand.
All the dishes are cooked on open fire, including dishes like the fried pork skewers with banana ketchup and the grilled prawns with crispy chilli and garlic.
Image: The Manc
Elsewhere on the menu you’ll find stars like the crispy pork belly and pomelo salad as well as the slow cooked lamb jungle curry (warning, this one’s got a kick).
Looking for something lighter? There’s dishes like the smacked cucumber and the cold soba noodle salad that make for the perfect lunch option.
Images: The Manc
And it’s not just Sister Moon which has opened on the 14th floor of the Treehouse Hotel, also now open is The Nest, a new signature bar with panoramic views of Manchester that will be a destination for late-night drinks and social occasions.
Just up the stairs is also The Hideout – an intimate rooftop lounge and event space designed for private hire.
Kick off your evening with a drink in The Nest before making your way for a flavour-packed dinner at Sister Moon – all whilst enjoying jaw-dropping views of the city.
Sister Moon, The Nest, and The Hideout will officially open on Saturday 5 September, and you can find out more here.
Cult favourite shawarma bar hailed ‘outstanding’ by major reviewer
Daisy Jackson
A shawarma takeaway in Manchester has received a glowing review that’s left its founder with ‘the biggest goosebumps’.
Sqew opened its doors on Deansgate last year, having started life over in Leeds, scooping up all sorts of awards and accolades as it went – including Deliveroo’s Best Kebab of 2025.
And now it’s caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 400k followers) paying Sqew a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up on Deansgate to test the claims that Sqew is serving the UK’s best shawarma.
In their video review, Bite Twice said that the food is ‘out-f**kin-standing’, and rated it a strong 9.2 out of 10.
They said before even taking a bite: “I can tell you already we’re in for a treat. The quality of meat, cuts on that spit, look outstanding.”
Then after taking their first mouthful, they added: “That was one of the most juicy, flavour-filled, gorgeous bites into anything that I’ve ever had. It’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s got texture.
Sqew founder Mitch outside his Deansgate restaurantSqew has received a rave review
“But that meat, the quality of the chicken, it’s out-f**kin-standing. It’s been seasoned to perfection.
“This is taking the humble shawarma wrap to absolute heights, my god.
“Up there with the top three best shawarmas I’ve ever had in my life. Probably joint top with Fostok Halab, which is massive praise. 9.1. Why not, f**k it, 9.2, what you gonna do it about it?”
Responding to the video, Sqew founder Mitch Renshaw said: “Watched this 10 times. The biggest goosebumps. Thanks guys, made mine and the team’s day!”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
