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
Manchester dessert hatch receives two-star review for ‘smiling too much’
Daisy Jackson
A dessert hatch in Manchester city centre has spoken out after receiving a two-star review – in which the main criticism was that they ‘smiled too much’.
Layr, a tiny tiramisu spot in Ancoats, has publicly addressed the review, which said the staff’s friendliness was ‘almost creepy’.
The reviewer wrote: “Came today, had alright tiramisu but the staff were smiling too much it was almost creepy. Also felt interrogated, just wanted to get my tiramisu and leave, don’t think ill be back.”
Layr – which was also the victim of ‘hostile hate messages’ earlier this year – has now shared a response to the new two-star review.
They’ve said that while they will always take feedback on board, they refuse to change ‘the warmth & smiles you’re greeted with’.
Layr posted: “We absolutely recognise, and know that every customer experience matters. We never want anyone to feel uncomfortable visiting us, and always take every bit of feedback on board.
“Smiling is just who we are. Layr was built to feel warm, welcoming, and to be a memorable part of your day, week or month. We all need that little pick-me-up no matter what.
“Our amazing team all work incredibly hard, GENUINELY enjoy meeting so many of you and hearing about your day.
“If being too friendly gets us two stars, we can live with that.
“We’ll always choose warmth, no matter what. Great tiramisu matters, so does good people and amazing energy.
“A message to our team. Please don’t stop smiling. Ever.”
Huge beer hall in ‘up-and-coming’ Manchester neighbourhood announces shock closure after two years
Daisy Jackson
A huge beer hall and rotisserie chicken restaurant that opened just two years ago in Manchester has announced its shock closure.
Trading Route was a joint venture between some of the city’s most established hospitality figures, including Trof, Manchester Union, and Wandering Palate.
The brilliant local business has described how difficult it has been to operate as the only independent business in St John’s, ‘an area that is still described as ‘up-and-coming”.
They said that not enough footfall has not come to the area to support what they were building, which – combined with rising costs in the industry – has made it too difficult to continue operating.
They added: “We’re proud of what we created at Trading Route and incredibly grateful to our customers and everyone who supported us over the past two years.
“To our team, we’re deeply sorry we couldn’t make it work for you. The friendships made over the past two years mean so much to us, and knowing the impact this closure has on you is especially hard.”
They then urged people to sign the petition to reduce VAT for hospitality, saying it could help to save your favourite places.
The Trading Route in Manchester has closed with immediate effectThe bar served great local beers and rotisserie chicken
Trading Route will close in Manchester with immediate effect.
Their full statement reads: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Trading Route with immediate effect.
“Rising costs and stagnant footfall have made the business increasingly difficult to sustain, with trading conditions particularly challenging over the previous three months.
“We spent our first 12 months operating amid ongoing construction in an area that is still described as “up-and-coming”. As the only independent business in the area, we needed footfall to grow to support what we were building. Unfortunately, that growth hasn’t materialised quickly enough.
“We’re proud of what we created at Trading Route and incredibly grateful to our customers and everyone who supported us over the past two years.
“To our team, we’re deeply sorry we couldn’t make it work for you. The friendships made over the past two years mean so much to us, and knowing the impact this closure has on you is especially hard.
“It’s too late for us, but you could help save your favourite places by signing the petition to reduce VAT for hospitality to 10%. Independent bars, restaurants and pubs need your support to keep their doors open.
Daisy Jackson -
10th November 2022 
