Greater Manchester has dominated the North West category in the list of finalists for this year’s British Takeaway Awards.
We’ve arguably relied on takeaway services more than ever over this past year, and now thousands of takeaways from right across the country have been narrowed down to just five independent businesses in each of the 12 regional categories.
And when it comes to the North West category, three food businesses in the borough of Stockport have been named as fan-favourites following a public vote.
Takeaways in Liverpool and Warrington have also been shortlisted.
Who’s made the cut then?
ADVERTISEMENT
Sitting proudly on the list of finalists at the 2021 edition of “the Oscars of the takeaway world” – which aims to celebrate Britain’s best local takeaways and the people behind them – is Gatley- based restaurant The Spinn, which is headed up by Emmerdale Star Adam Thomas, and is loved by the region’s foodies thanks to its extensive menu of burgers, wraps, small plates and brunch offering.
You may remember that the restaurant hit headlines late last year when it poked fun the government with a three-tier ‘Boris Burger’ and paid to have it advertised on local billboards.
ADVERTISEMENT
Stockport takeaways have dominated the list of North West finalists / Credit: The Spinn | LAPD Food
Also listed as a North West finalist is LAPD Food – a delivery-only joint that sells burgers, pizzas and fried chicken, and delivers it to hungry residents across Stockport in a head turning American-style police car.
Rounding out the top three Stockport takeaways in the North West section of the finals is the Bun & Bones Club in Hazel Grove, which specialises in everything from burgers and wings, to loaded fries, a wide range of sides, and even the stand-out foodie favourite ‘Mancake’ – which is two beef patties, American cheese, smoked streaky bacon and maple syrup on top of two fluffy American pancakes.
Bun & Bones Club in Hazel Grove has also made the list of finalists / Credit: Bun & Bones Club
Speaking on the shortlist of finalists for this year’s British Takeaway Awards, Andrew Kenny – Managing Director of Just Eat – said: “We’re thrilled to be back with the British Takeaway Awards for the sixth year running.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Each year we’re amazed by the standard of entries and this year is no different, with a huge range of restaurants up for the awards, from family run takeaways to small chains.
“Celebrating the fantastic takeaways across the UK is particularly important this year after many turned to their local restaurants for a lift throughout the lockdowns [so] the UK has been voting in force to give back to their local takeaway heroes and we can’t wait to honour the winners at the awards ceremony in September.”
___
The British Takeaway Awards 2021 will take place in September, with a £1,000 prize for each regional winner, and a whopping £5,000 for the business crowned the ‘Best Takeaway in Britain’.
Free Glastonbury-themed festivals with pizza, tequila, and big screens to take place in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Glastonbury weekend is upon us, and to celebrate the UK’s biggest music festival in all its glory, Nell’s is hosting its own festivals instead.
Hundreds of thousands of people will be making the trek to the fields of Worthy Farm next weekend, as Glastonbury 2025 headliners Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young, and The 1975 bring the tunes, alongside a list of other talented names too big to even begin starting to reel off – as is always the case with Glastonbury, there’s something for everyone.
But for those of us not lucky enough to have bagged tickets to what is undeniably the biggest event in the British music calendar, not to worry, as Nell’s is where it’s at here in Greater Manchester.
The beloved New York-style pizza specialists – which now has four sites across the region – is turning two of its most popular restaurants into festival hubs next weekend, bringing all the spirit of Glastonbury to Kampus and Altrincham.
Manchester‘s thriving canalside neighbourhood Kampus will become home to the aptly-named Kampus Fest, while over in the Trafford town of Altrincham, Alty Fest will be in full force.
Nell’s is hosting its own FREE Glastonbury-themed festivals at Kampus and in Altrincham / Credit: Supplied
At Kampus, the gardens will be transformed into a city centre festival site for a free three-day party featuring big screens live streaming the full Glastonbury festival throughout, plus a pop-up market, face painting and hair tinsel stations, an outdoor tequila and margarita bar, happy hours, and of course, lots and lots of Nell’s pizza.
Altrincham is bringing you much of the same – the same big screens, the same tasty pizza slices, and the same happy hours, only over two days instead of three.
Family fun is also at the heart of both Kampus Fest and Alty Fest, so you can expect lots of crafting workshops and bunting making, accessory customisation stations, as well as all-day colouring sessions by Born to be Wild Child and Søstrene Grene.
Kampus Fest will take over the gardens at Kampus from Friday 27 – Sunday 29 June, while Alty Fest will take place at Nell’s Altrincham on both Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June.
Both are FREE to attend, so get yourselves down there quick.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
Viral Manchester bakery The Flat Baker to open its very first cafe
Daisy Jackson
Hugely popular Manchester bakery The Flat Baker has announced plans to open its very first cafe.
The Brazilian-French bakery has become legendary in the city for its flaky croissants and pistachio-based treats.
For the last few years, it’s been operating out of a hatch in Ancoats, with queues often snaking down Radium Street from early in the morning on weekends.
And now The Flat Baker has announced an exciting next chapter in their journey in Manchester – their very first bakery and cafe.
The team will be taking over a unit on the same street, which will have space to house their baking operations as well as a sitting area to serve brunch and hot food.
They’ve announced that they’ll be retaining their much-loved hatch but expanding to a second site in the heart of Ancoats.
They hope this will drastically reduce any waiting and queue times and allow even more people to sample these incredible bakes.
In a statement shared on Instagram, they wrote: “We have been keeping a secret from you. This corner of Ancoats will never be the same, because it will be our new bakery, cafe and brunch!
“We have been dreaming of it for years – we almost closed a deal with another two locations in the past few years, but it didn’t work out.
“We were about to leave the plan of the new shop aside, we were very frustrated of how things were not working the way we planned it to…
“But everything happens for a reason! Who knew the building next door was just waiting for us…
“The two-storey building has just the right space for our baking operations, plus a sitting area and a space to serve brunch and hot food.
“Don’t worry, we won’t let our tiny hatch go, we will keep both locations. This will allow us a faster service, avoid the waiting times and long queues.
“For now we just want to share this great achievement. Growing a small business when you see many other places shutting is such a challenge. But if you never stop dreaming and work hard for it, the sky is the limit! We can’t wait for the next chapter to come. Matt and Deb x”
The Flat Baker Cafe is expected to open in Ancoats this summer.
Emily Sergeant -
28th May 2021 
