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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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,”
ADVERTISEMENT
“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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
Manchester’s favourite Irish pub Mulligans is giving away hundreds of FREE pints next week
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s oldest and most iconic Irish pub has announced that it’s giving away hundreds of free pints next week.
Mulligans is finally adding the beloved Irish stout Murphy’s to its already-exceptional draught beer lineup, and to celebrate the launch of Guinness’ slightly lesser-known cousin, the first 1,989 people through the doors will get a pint of the good stuff for free on one day only next week.
Originating from Cork, Murphy’s is known for its smooth, mellow profile with subtle notes of caramel and malt.
The much-loved stout was first introduced on draught in the UK all the way back in 1989, hence the number of free pints being given away next week.
The unmissable giveaway will be taking place for one day only next Thursday (8 May) from 11am right through to 1am, and open to all punters on a first-come, first-served basis, with one free pint per person… but you’ll need to be quick if you want a freebie, because once those 1,989 pints are gone, they’re gone for good.
Mulligans is giving away hundreds of free pints of Murphy’s next week / Credit: Supplied
Murphy’s joins Guinness as the second stout on draught at Mulligans, and with the Deansgate institution already famed for pouring what many call ‘the best Guinness outside of Ireland’, you can expect that every pint of Murphy’s will be just as expertly poured.
Those heading to Mulligans for their free pint next Thursday can also look forward to the venue’s famously-lively entertainment being in full swing all day long.
“Murphy’s has been a long time coming and we’re excited to finally be serving it on draught,” commented Pádraig Brady, who is the owner of Mulligans, ahead of next week’s highly-anticipated giveaway.
“The idea behind this giveaway isn’t just to introduce the stout and celebrate its history, but to give people another reason to enjoy a proper Thursday day and night at Mulligans with our extensive live entertainment offering.”
In case you missed it, Mulligans recently had a bit of makeover, which most-notably included the renovation of its upstairs space complete with vaulted timber-beamed ceilings, a mezzanine-level stage, and two new bars with even more room for dancing and drinking.
So if you haven’t had a chance to check out the new space yet, then what could be better than sipping on a free pint while you’re at it?
The Murphy’s giveaway will take place on Thursday 8 May from 11am, and guests are encouraged to arrive early to claim their freebie.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
Popular Thai street food restaurant Zaap Thai is finally coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A Thai street food restaurant with sites all over the North has finally announced plans to come to Manchester for the first time.
Zaap Thai is famed for its authentic and affordable street food-inspired menu, served up in restaurants designed to mimic the bustling street food markets of Bangkok.
Expect colourful fairy lights, illuminated signs, graffiti art, enamel crockery and even seating booths built into tuk tuks.
Zaap Thai already has locations in cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Durham, but hasn’t made it into the North West before now.
It’s now set to open on Lincoln Square – where you’ll already find Maray – this June.
This new Zaap Thai location is set to be one its biggest venues to date, with 160 covers.
The expansive menu features 80 dishes from across Thailand, from street food small plates to big bowls of noodles and fiery curries.
Their menu highlights include chicken satay, crispy pork belly, stir-fries like Pad Ga Prao, and sweet dishes such as mango sticky rice and pandan custard pancakes.
That’s alongside Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails, plus Thai lagers like Singha.
Zaap Thai is coming to ManchesterFood at Zaap Thai
Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester.
“This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community.
“Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny South East Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time.
“Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to bring the Zaap experience to Manchester!”
Zaap Thai Manchester will open on Lincoln Square in June 2025.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
