Trove has broken its silence on the shock closure of its Ancoats bakery, and confirmed that its original Levenshulme site is also closing.
The bakery and cafe was first founded all the way back in 2011 and has always been a big name in Manchester’s food and drink scene.
Fans of the brand were shocked this week when its Ancoats location – which had already abandoned its cafe operation in favour of being a bakery – suddenly closed, with a forfeiture notice plastered in the windows.
And now Trove has confirmed that all of its locations around the north west, including its brand-new site in Wilmslow and its original cafe in Levenshulme, are to close.
In a statement shared this afternoon and signed by husband-and-wife co-founder team Marcus and Katy, they wrote that the business has been struggling ever since Covid.
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They wrote: “We have been struggling mentally, physically and financially for a while.”
Their statement also said: “Our failure has been trying to keep something going that we were emotionally attached to, when we should have ended it.”
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Trove also apologised to customers and employees ‘who have felt let down’, adding that they always had ‘good intentions’.
Trove had already shut its Stockport bakery, moving operations into its Ancoats location, and shuttered its unit inside the Bloc building in the city centre.
Companies House documents for Trove’s parent company Two Hexagons Ltd show that the business is in more than £1.6m of debt, including owing HMRC approximately £885,000.
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Trove’s full statement says: “We wanted to leave a note here for everyone we have worked with over the years and the customers who supported us. Today we have sadly decided to close all Trove sites.
“We have been struggling mentally, physically and financially for a while, especially after covid.
“Our failure has been trying to keep something going that we were emotionally attached to, when we should have ended it.
“We are so sorry to any of our customers and employees who have felt let down. We have only ever had kindness in our hearts and good intentions.
“We have enjoyed being part of the Manchester food scene, the many people we have known and loved.
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“Thank you to all who have worked for us. Thank you to the people who continued to support us through hard times. Thank you also to everyone who has contacted us with words of kindness recently. Your words have meant a lot.
“It is a very difficult world at the moment. Especially for small businesses and food producers. Please be kind to others, neighbours, friends, strangers. You never know who needs it.
“Our hearts are broken. So much love to you all, Marcus & Katy.”
Inside Voyeur, a mysterious new post-punk 80s-inspired cocktail bar
Daisy Jackson
A brand new cocktail bar is set to open in Manchester this week, with dark and mysterious interiors, 80s inspiration, and a raunchy theme.
Voyeur is opening in the heart of the Northern Quarter, and here it’s all about modern drinks in a post-punk 80s setting.
The walls are decorated with beautiful voyeurism photography from the 80s, including artists like David Hockney, Nick Taggart, and Malerie Marder.
Even the menus celebrate the artistic side of voyeurism, with drinks presented within a book of photography.
Those drinks include creative twists on drinks dating back more than a century, from the Kaleidescope of Lies (a two-in one cocktail inspired by a pina colada, with a strawberry daiquiri foam top) to The Voyeur (made with coriander-infused tequila for a savoury punch).
There’ll be monthly themed specials, kicking off with The Breakfast Club, where seasonal drinks take inspiration from Lucky Charms cereal, chai latte and an acai bowl.
Cocktails inspired by The Breakfast Club at VoyeurCocktails at Voyeur in the Northern QuarterInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barVoyeur on Oldham StreetThe cocktail menu is presented as a photography book
The dark space is lit by marble table lamps and a glittering green disco ball (and not much else), perfect for an evening spent sipping cocktails into the early hours.
Between Thursdays and Sundays, Voyeur will have DJs spinning vinyls.
Voyeur is opening this week on Oldham Street and will be open from 5pm to 2am between Tuesday and Sunday.
A brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop in a former Manc food spot
Thomas Melia
Sweet lovers and dessert connoisseurs alike, a brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop is opening in Manchester city centre this month.
Titled ‘Baby Mayhem’, this sweet-filled shop has been teasing its arrival for the past month with videos showcasing everything from new instalments to their graffiti-style logo.
This brand-new opening will be located on Radium Street, not too far away from Chinese superstar Wing Yip and fellow sweet treat specialists, Flat Baker, right in the heart of Ancoats.
The interior has been given a very nice and bright facelift too, going from an all white four-walled site to a bold and distinctive baby pink-covered site.
Manchester seems to have quite the sweet tooth at the moment, as it was only last month that our Northern Quarter was christened by cake gods, Get Baked.
As for this new dessert shop, they’re starting from scratch, with a temporary wooden window frame with their branding spray-painted onto it fitted ahead of their soft launch later this week.
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the much-loved Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria shop, and it really is out with the old, in with the new, as the familiar neon ‘No Lasagne’ sign has been traded for a sweeter read of ‘Fresh Donuts’.
It may be Yank spelling, but this still feels Manc through and through.
Case and point: all their signage, stamps and stencils have been done by local laser cutting service and neighbours, Drawn By The Light – also on Radium Street.
Enough salt, let’s have a serious amount of sugar. (Credit: Baby Mayhem via Instagram)
Baby Mayhem are taking sweet treats to the complete extreme, serving up everyone’s beloved combo of coffees and cakes, while also creating our soon-to-be-favourite indulgence: doughnut sandwiches. 10/10, no notes – genius.
There really are no complaints here; what’s not to love?
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the former Lazy Tony’s site, 23 Radium Street in Ancoats, and will be serving up their sweet treats for all to try from this Saturday, 26 April.
Daisy Jackson -
5th June 2024 
