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.
Viral Korean street food brand Bunsik is coming to the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
Korean street food brand Bunsik is branching out, with a brand-new restaurant confirmed for the Trafford Centre.
Set to open later this year, the London-born brand will be bringing its viral Korean corn dogs – with cheese pulls that stretch as far as your arms will go – to the huge shopping centre.
As well as that, Bunsik is famed for classic Korean street food dishes like ttekbokki, crispy fried chicken, and kimbap.
The Korean favourite already has a popular site over in Manchester city centre, opening up on Piccadilly Gardens back in 2023.
Bunsik is set to open in the Trafford Centre’s The Orient food hall in June, taking over the old Shere Khan unit.
It joins other recent openings like Joe & The Juice, Jerk Junction, and the brand-new Eastern Garden dining area which is home to Blanchflower, Chit n Chaat, and Hello Oriental.
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Bunsik to Trafford Centre this summer.
“It’s a brand that brings something fresh, fun and exciting to our food lineup, and we know our visitors are going to love it.”
Korean corn dogs from BunsikThe existing Bunsik at Piccadilly Gardens
Jae Cho, founder of Bunsik, said: “We have been truly overwhelmed by the incredible love and support Manchester has shown us since we opened at Piccadilly Gardens.
“Seeing so many people enjoy our food every day gave us the confidence to believe that Bunsik could truly become a nationwide brand.
“It confirmed that the UK’s love for Korean street food is even stronger than we imagined.
“With that same energy and confidence, we are now thrilled to bring Bunsik to the iconic Trafford Centre. We hope our new home becomes just as beloved a spot for everyone in Manchester and the surrounding areas. We can’t wait to welcome you all very soon!”
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to Manchester next month
Daisy Jackson
One of the world’s silliest and most-loved experiences is returning to Manchester this year, offering people the chance to step inside the world of Fawlty Towers.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience sees immersive theatre blend with a three-course dinner, bringing Britain’s most infamous hotel to life.
Fans of the hit 1970s comedy will enjoy two hours of mayhem led by Basil, Sybil and Manuel, all while tucking into a delicious era-appropriate meal.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has become an immersive dining phenomenon, scooping awards and selling out venues across the globe since launching almost 30 years ago.
In the years since, it’s welcomed more than one million guests, celebrated 13 years of its West End residency in London, and hosted celebrations for 50 years of the original BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
And now it’s Manchester’s turn, with the event returning to our city between 3 and 15 February.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to ManchesterThe event is hosted by actors playing Basil, Sybil and ManuelAround 70% of the action is improvisedGuests are served a three-course 70s-inspired meal during the Faulty Towers experienceCredit: Rosie Powell
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will be taking over the Voco hotel on Portland Street for a limited run, starring Aaron Millard as ‘Basil’, Rebecca Norris as ‘Sybil’, and Simon Hourihan as ‘Manuel’.
You can definitely expect two hours of theatre, chaos, and a 70s-inspired three-course meal, but with around 70% of the performances completely improvised, we can’t tell you much more than that…
Producer Jared Harford said: “It’s such a joy to be bringing Basil and the team back to Manchester. After such an incredible 2025 celebrating 50 years of Fawlty Towers, we can’t wait to continue sharing the laughter, chaos and community spirit that make this show so special.”
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in Manchester:
Tuesday 3 February to Sunday 15 February
Tuesday to Saturday – doors open 6.45pm, seating and show starts 7.30pm
Saturday and Sunday – doors open 12.45pm, seating and show starts 1.30pm
Ticket prices, all including three-course meal and two hour immersive experience:
Tuesday to Thursday dinner, and Saturday or Sunday lunch – £67.50 pp (including fees) Friday or Saturday dinner £71.50 pp (including fees). Bookings can be made via the box office on (+44) 020 3700 3138 or online at www.faultytowersdining.com
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
