Not the news we wanted to go into the weekend writing but, sadly, we have word of yet another loss to Manchester hospitality as The Hip Hop Chip Shop have announced they will soon be closing.
Rated not just one of the top-rated chippies in Greater Manchester but having been named the second beast in the UK back in 2023, Hip Hop Chip Shop‘s success story is one we’ve loved watching.
First opened back in 2014 (how time flies), the chippy started out as nothing more than another street food stall serving out of a converted trailer designed to look like a boombox; it was cool, great value for money and absolutely delicious.
However, now over a decade later and having opened their brick-and-mortar site in Ancoats, the present financial pressures of the sector have taken their toll just like they have so many others and Hip Hop Chip Shop confirmed they will be early closing next month.
Bidding an emotional goodbye on social media, they wrote: “After 11 years, we’re unfortunately joining the chorus of independent businesses in Manchester and beyond, calling it a day.
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Although Ancoats was an amazing area for us to embark on our bricks-and-mortar dream, the cost increases from Brexit, Covid, energy, VAT (halving it would save a lot in the industry), BB Loans etc. has meant it’s unviable in its current form – we would’ve had to increase prices much more than we’d be comfortable with to get the margins we need to keep going.
“It’s an extremely tough decision given it’s 15 years since the idea was born in my early 20s – then three mates whilst working other jobs began building it from scratch every weekend, to then quitting our jobs and taking a leap of full-time faith. Ultimately, we need to listen to the head, not the heart.”
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Founder Jonathan ‘Ozzie’ Oswald goes on to add, “We wanted to give enough notice to support our amazing team in finding new jobs, making sure all our suppliers are paid up and provide our supportive customers with the last chance to eat/drink/party with us.”
Although they started they are exploring the possibility of keeping their trailer (which made its Christmas Markets debut just this past year) going at regular locations like the Etihad Stadium, the rest of the business as we know will be shutting down in a matter of weeks.
How it all started.The food’s been unbelievable since the start.Credit: The Manc Eats
Sharing a lengthy farewell message in honour of their fellow contemporaries and competitors, equally lauded Chips @ No.8 in Prestwich said: “We honour those who dared to do it differently. The Hip Hop Chip Shop in Manchester city centre were inspirational to us when we were setting out.
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“They turned fish and chips on its head and did it how no one else thought possible. Centred on community with a high-quality product that championed sustainability and the alternative, we deemed them Gods of the fish and chip world and untouchable…
“Yet another independent food-based business to succumb to the economic crisis that has enveloped us and to date, the one that has hit us hardest. This latest closure most certainly won’t be the last. The government need to wake up fast and support small independent businesses before there are no more…
“If you haven’t been before then you really should, before it’s too late.”
You can find their remaining opening hours in the full Instagram post and the staff have assured all they’ll be open as normal in Manchester and at the Carlton Club in Whalley Range until their closing party on Saturday, 2 March, where guests can come along and have one last bite – and more than a few beers.
Responding underneath the post, one person commented: “The doors might be closing, but what you’ve done for us will never ever be forgotten. It’s impossible to talk about Manchester Hip Hop without talking about the Chippy.
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“From Manchester to Vegas, tales of a Chippy that supported a culture, community and served dam good food will be told with smiles on our faces and heavy hearts.”
As for the Hip Hop gang, they signed off simply by saying: “It’s been a privilege to be able to feed you all whether it’s been at a music festival, kitchen takeover, wedding, corporate party and also put on some top events in a chippy! HUGE thanks for your support!
RIP to HOP, you were the modern Manchester chippy OGs and we sincerely hope it’s not forever.
Nothing short of a perfect plate – you will be missed x
A brand-new beer bar has opened in Manchester’s legendary ‘Beermuda Triangle’
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Yes, you heard us right, there’s a brand new edition under the arches on Sheffield Street, in Manchester’s Piccadilly East neighborhood.
This new venue is fully equipped for summer with an outdoor terrace, a screen for the footy, pizza from Nell’s – AND they’re giving away 1,000 free pints.
Now I’ve got your attention, let me introduce you to Pigeon Beer Wanderer, a specialist beer parlour and bottle shop boasting ‘Europe’s finest beers,’ which has opened this week.
This welcome addition to Manchester’s beer scene is situated within the ever-growing ‘Beermuda Triangle,’ a corner of the city where craft beer is king, amongst some of our favourite independents including Track, Cloudwater, Balance and Sureshot.
Founder and Northern beer specialist, Joshua Lightfoot, has one clear aim – ‘to celebrate beer with the same care, craft, provenance and ceremony traditionally associated with wine.’
Pigeon aims to provide a nest/welcome space for beer enthusiasts and newbies alike, to land and come together in a venue that facilitates the discovery of the world-class brewing culture on offer here in Manchester.
He says: “Every beer has its own provenance, its own character and its own ideal way of being served. Pigeon is about celebrating that in a way that feels exciting, welcoming and social.
“We want people to discover styles, breweries and serving traditions they may never have experienced before.”
Pigeon beer bar in ManchesterIt’s joined the many taprooms in the ‘Beermuda Triangle’The bar at Pigeon Beer Wanderer
The team at Pigeon pride themselves on their carefully curated and constantly rotating selection of craft beers, that push boundaries and reward exploration, from some very well-known breweries including Weihenstephan, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, Fürstenberg and Kasteel.
Pigeon is home to a variety of rare fermentations and small-batch independent releases, from heritage pilsners, weisse beers and saisons to aged wild ales and lambics – so there’s always something new to try. Not to mention they also supply a great range of natural wines from Vibeyard, if that’s more your thing.
What’s more is that guests can click and collect some top-notch, New York inspired, pizza from the well-known and loved Nell’s Pizza, located only a few doors down.
The menu will supply all of our favourites including ‘Double Down Pepperoni,’ Do You ‘Roni Honey?’ and ‘Little Caesar,’ available by the slice or as a whole, accompanied by their sauces all made in house and all carefully selected to pair perfectly with the world-class pints available at Pigeon.
We can’t think of a better combination, can you?
This venue is kicking off its opening with a summer long festival atmosphere, screening FIFA World Cup games on their big screen, creating the perfect destination for footy fans on the hunt for a great atmosphere, without having to compromise on the quality of food and drink.
There really is no time like the present – Pigeon are set to give out 250 free pints a day, between Thursday 4 June until Sunday 7 June.
Simply give @pigeon_beer_wanderer a follow on Instagram and head on down to celebrate the launch this week, to get your hands on your complimentary crisp pints. Don’t hesitate – visit the venue while stocks last or you could miss out.
40-year-old Chinatown restaurant warns ‘we won’t last another decade’ in defiant statement
Daisy Jackson
There are some businesses that feel so much a part of the fabric of Manchester, it’s hard to imagine the city without them.
But a defiant statement from Happy Seasons, a decades-old family-run restaurant in Chinatown, has said that it’s ‘not sure how businesses like ours will survive in this new world’.
They wrote that is ‘feels like everything is stacked against small businesses’ and said ‘we won’t last another 5-10 years’.
Happy Seasons has been a cornerstone of Chinatown for more than 40 years, famed for its roast meats (proudly hung in the windows) and traditional Cantonese dishes.
Everyone who works in the restaurant has been in the trade for more than 20 years, they wrote, adding ‘it’s all they’ve ever known’.
Happy Seasons has said that their type of business – where everything is made fresh, from scratch, daily – is ‘slowly fading’.
They wrote: “Younger generations are slowly stepping away from hospitality. The government continues to increase costs on our industry, while bills, rent, and even basic stock keep rising. Sometimes it feels like everything is stacked against small businesses.”
Roast meats in the windows of Happy SeasonsHappy Seasons has been in Chinatown for more than 40 years
The restaurant added: “We don’t think places like ours will last another decade if things continue the way they are.”
But in their defiant video shared to customers, the Chinese restaurant said: “We’re not going to let that stop us.
“We’re still going to put the hours in. We’re still going to make everything fresh. We’re still not going to cut corners.
“From our sauces and roasted meats to our soy sauce and sweet and sour sauce, so much of what we serve is made from scratch. The time, effort, and cost that go into these everyday dishes are much higher than they used to be.
“Even though it’s costing us more and more to operate, we’re going to do our best to stick around for as long as we can. Because there may come a day when traditional Chinese food, made the old fashioned way, becomes much harder to find here in the UK.
“So let’s make this one hell of a decade. Thank you for all the support over the years. It truly means the world to us.”
Danny Jones -
7th February 2025 
