Tom Kerridge and Gary Neville have agreed to part ways with their acclaimed restaurant, The Bull & Bear, here in Manchester.
The high-end restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the grand Stock Exchange Hotel on Norfolk Street, co-owned by Neville, Ryan Giggs and hotelier Winston Zahra.
Michelin-starred chef Kerridge insisted that ‘there is no falling out’ while giving the former Manchester United legend a friendly shake on the shoulders.
The duo aaid that the restaurant isn’t operating as a seven-day business, but the Stock Exchange Hotel is – and so The Bull & Bear will ‘be no more’.
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Gary Neville and Tom Kerridge were cheerful in a video statement released about The Bull & Bear. Credit: Supplied
In a statement, Kerridge said: “Gary and I have jointly agreed to end our partnership at The Bull & Bear within the Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester and will part ways on the 31st December 2022.
“It follows a three-year successful partnership with GG Hospitality which has seen the hotel go from strength to strength with consistently high occupancy rates.
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“We feel the need to concentrate on our Marlow and London sites and this allows us to look at further opportunities within these areas, therefore we have mutually decided to part ways.”
You can watch their full video statement below:
Kerridge’s written statement continued: “We would like to thank all our guests for the amazing support they have given us, and all staff have been offered roles elsewhere within the business and Head Chef Connor Black is returning to Australia where he worked for several years.
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“We wish GG Hospitality and The Stock Exchange all the success in the future.”
Gary Neville added in the video: “I’ve been able to wake up for the last three years every single day knowing that there’s world-class food being served in this restaurant by an incredible team with Tom and Warren coming up to make sure that everything’s being looked over.
“Tom, thanks very much for the last three years, it’s been one of the best experiences. I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it.”
To cut a long story short, we are going ot be announcing this week that the partnership we’ve got here with The Bull & Bear will end in January.
Kerridge added: “From our point of view, we’ve been made to feel incredibly welcome, loved and a huge part of the Manchester scene for the last three years.”
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He continued: “It’s ensuring the strengths of both businesses are looked after. There is no falling out.”
Kerridge and Neville said that The Bull & Bear would be ‘no more’, but didn’t reveal and more information about what will happen to the restaurant space.
Featured image: Supplied
Eats
A restaurant dedicated to all things truffle is opening in the Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
A new restaurant and takeaway with a menu dedicated to truffle-infused dishes is opening in the Northern Quarter.
Mother Truffler is set to open on Tib Street, taking over the former Kingfisher chippy (which we didn’t even know had shut down).
Signs have appeared in the windows of the corner unit, which will count venues like Siop Shop and Ad Maiora as neighbours.
Mother Truffler has been successfully operating as a dark kitchen with glowing reviews on delivery platforms, but is now venturing out into its first bricks and mortar site.
Based on their delivery menu, Mother Truffler will be serving a menu of different burgers, each one featuring a truffle-infused sauce.
And there’s a gap in the market for burgers in the Northern Quarter since the closure of Super Awesome Deluxe.
Founder Youssef Taha has been sharing updates of the renovation of the space, as work gets underway to transform the old chippy into a truffle restaurant.
The new website states: “Proudly crafting truffle-rich food in the heart of Manchester. Rooted in quality. Inspired by truffle.”
And menu items are set to include smash burgers with truffle mayo, chicken burgers with truffle ranch, truffle parmesan fries, and a range of other mouth-watering sides.
TGI Fridays to close even more UK locations as franchise falls further into administration
Danny Jones
Yes, American export and multinational TGI Fridays is closing even more locations across the UK following the previous batch of restaurant shutdowns.
This comes after Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, the parent company which oversees the global TGI Fridays franchise, filed a third notice to appoint administrators this week.
Founded way back in 1965 and opening in the UK by the 80s – 1990 here in Manchester, to be specific – the New York-born diner brand continues to struggle all over Great Britain.
The only city centre TGIs was hit by the first raft of closures in October 2024, and now another Greater Manchester branch is on the chopping block.
TGIs Preswitch and Royal Exchange have both been shut for some time (Credit: David Dixon/The Manc)
Announced on Wednesday, 14 January, a further 16 TGI Fridays restaurants are shutting down imminently amid administration.
Totalling just 33 transatlantic venues left, this also means the loss of around 450 jobs, though the company insists they believe it to be the best decision to help “reinvigorate” the brand.
In a statement, Global President of TGI Fridays, Phil Broad, said: “We’ve been working closely to explore all available options for securing the long-term future of TGI Fridays in the UK, and believe that this is the best outcome for the business, preserves jobs, and offers a strong platform for success and growth.
As per an official press release shared on Monday, TGI bosses are hoping to reassert their presence in the American bar and grill scene as well as casual dining culture with a “bold new 1-2-3 strategic vision.”
Meanwhile, you can see the full list of TGI Fridays sites closing in Great Britain down below:
It seems that the entities within the hospitality sector, no matter how big or small, are still being struck by rising business rates, inflation and the general cost of living crisis.
I suggest you speak to your team @RachelReevesMP … an emergency cut in VAT is the ONLY lever you have to save thousands of Hospitality businesses folding. Much of Europe has VAT rates 10-13% to support their Hospitality industry.
For now, at least, the now only remaining regional TGI Fridays in the Trafford Centre (which has been there since 1998) is set to stay open.
In the case of the site in Tameside, the 36-year-old spot has unfortunately closed with immediate effect.
As for those sadly now without a job, it’s absolutely gutting – sending love and support from everyone here at The Manc Group, and we hope other parties at Ashton Leisure Park will step in to help when and where they can.
This is far from the only recognisable name closing down local venues, either…
Daisy Jackson -
10th November 2022 
