Just a couple of months on from Stretford’s beloved Foodhall suddenly shutting down, the space is now set to be replaced by local favourite pizza place, Bakehouse32.
Attached to the gradually regenerating Stretford Mall, the Foodhall – controlled by the General Stores group – looked to have been gaining momentum with the arrival of vendors like Egg & Co and Waffle Kart, but admitted that they could no longer sustain after a “tortuous few years“.
While it was no doubt a wound for Trafford natives as a whole, not to mention another gutting closure in the hospitality sector so early into 2024, there is somewhat of a silver lining with this new project.
Having operated from their restaurant further along Chester Road since 2021 (just opposite the old Longford Essoldo Cinema), Bakehouse32 will now be moving out of its current space and into the former Stretford Foodhall kitchen, bar and store area this summer.
Think stateside bagels, freshly baked focaccia and the same great crusts that Stretford residents know and love ❤️
Keep your eyes peeled for more updates on the latest foodie edition to the town centre 👀
📍Chester Rd, Stretford, Manchester M32 9BD #stretford
— Stretford Town Centre (@StretfordTown) April 9, 2024
Bakehouse32 is taking over Stretford Foodhall in just a couple of months’ time.
Having garnered a pretty good reputation for delivering all things New York-style, especially when it comes to freshly stonebaked, smoky and leopard-print-crusted pizzas, they had already started to outgrow their relatively small unit just down the street from their new location.
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Saying goodbye to the premises in a heartfelt farewell on Instagram prior to the confirmation of their new site, the team wrote: “The OG’s past and present, I’m too drained to make any sense of it tonight but I will say this, I love you all and thank you for the last three and a half years, I’m truly grateful for everyone that came through our doors.
“We’ll be back soon in a space that will be as much yours as ours, it’s all about community. Peace 🙏🏻 dedicated to Enid 1922-2015”.
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There was plenty of positivity in a previous post as well, as owner David Donovan-Brown revealed to Bakehouse fans back in December, “I can dip into my savings and spend a couple of old pounds on a BIGGER BOLDER and altogether more BEAUTIFUL BAKEHOUSE32.”
Bakehouse32 has been enjoying pop-ups across Greater Manchester over the last year or so, serving up their popular pizza pies at the likes of Bask, GRUB, Track Brewery and more, but are now looking to put down firmer and ambitious roots at the Mall.
Having promised “a proper kitchen and a few more seats, more dough, more tipple and a few other surprises served up in the afternoons”, the Stretford-born and bred brand has confirmed they will also be debuting at the former food hall with an all-new breakfast and lunch menu.
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Oh yes, more New York-style bagels are coming our way and we’re about to eat an obscene amount of that burnt Basque cheesecake no matter what time of day it is.
David went on to thank the loyal customer base for having “turned a little backyard venture in lockdown into something proper exciting”, adding, “I can’t wait to show you what else is possible.”
Look familiar?We’ve got a thing about pan pizza…Credit: Bakehouse32
As part of the reworked menu, in addition to the pizzas and cocktails which have arguably been their bread and butter ever since opening, the expanded Bakehouse32 menu will see modern takes on pasta classics, new side dishes as well as sandwiches made with freshly made focaccia baked in-house.
Our stomachs are grumbling already.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said of the announcement: “We’re delighted that Bakehouse32 is opening in the unit formerly occupied by Stretford Foodhall. This is a fabulous independent local brand and will be a great addition to the brands already operating in Stretford town centre.
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“Trafford Council is totally committed to improving the borough’s town centres and, with the opening of new retail and hospitality brands due to be announced, the future looks bright for Stretford.” The question is, will this level-up make them the next Manc pizza spot to make it onto our best-of list?
Chinatown restaurant issues CCTV appeal after customer literally RUNS away without paying
Daisy Jackson
Noodle Alley, a cosy restaurant in Chinatown, has shared CCTV footage of a customer literally running away with an unpaid bill.
The noodle bar is famed for its spicy dishes, hailing from co-owner Wendy Ren’s native Sichuan province.
It’s become a firm favourite in Manchester’s Chinatown since launching in 2023 – but the team have been left stung by a customer dine-and-dash this week.
And it’s the most literal case of a dine-and-dash we’ve ever seen, with CCTV footage shared by Noodle Alley showing the moment the customer sprints out the door, with impressive speed for a man in sliders.
The video also shows the staff chasing the runaway customer, to no avail.
In a heartfelt statement shared online, Noodle Alley said that ‘every meal matters’ when small businesses like theirs are struggling with rising costs.
They also said that the CCTV has been sent to the police in the hopes of catching the man.
In their full statement, Noodle Alley wrote: “Today, someone ran away from our restaurant without paying.
“This isn’t just about the money. Small independent businesses are already struggling with rising costs, and dealing with people who deliberately run away without paying makes it even harder.
“Every meal, every member of staff, and every genuine customer matters.
“Our team reacted immediately and tried to catch him, but he disappeared within seconds.
“We have a very clear CCTV image of the individual, and all the evidence has been passed to the relevant authorities.
“To everyone who chooses to support small independent businesses like ours, thank you. Your kindness and support help keep businesses like ours going.”
Massive rock, paper, scissors tournament with BIG pizza prizes takes over Trafford Centre this week
Emily Sergeant
A thousand free pizzas will be up for grabs to celebrate one of Greater Manchester’s newest restaurant openings this week.
That’s right – award-winning Neapolitan pizzeria Forbici is officially opening at the Trafford Centre.
From 11am until 12:30pm this Wednesday (5 August), Forbici will be giving away up to 1,000 full-sized pizzas, so visitors to the shopping centre will have the chance to taste what has recently been declared one of the best pizzas in the world without needing to spend a penny.
Following the opening of its first site on Cross Street in the city centre last year, before expanding over to Sheffield, this new 7,000-capacity Trafford Centre space at The Orient will be Forbici’s third restaurant in the UK and the second in Greater Manchester.
Crafted with signature three-generation ‘biga dough’, slow fermented to create a light, airy crust, alongside carefully sourced Italian ingredients, it’s no secret that Forbici offers some of the finest pizza in town.
Forbici is opening at the Trafford Centre this week / Credit: The Manc Group
And staying true to its name, every pizza is cut with scissors before being served.
The celebrations will then continue on Friday (August) as Forbici’s newest restaurant transforms into the home of Europe’s biggest Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament hosted by Manchester’s viral foodie content creator, Zack Hipps.
Across four sessions, you’ll have the chance to test your luck, speed, and strategy in a bid to be crowned champion – with tournaments taking place every hour from 11:30am.
Inspired by the pizzeria’s name, Forbici – which is, of course, the Italian word for ‘scissors’ – competitors will go head-to-head in fast paced knockout battles throughout the afternoon, with prizes up for grabs at every session and the winner of each game getting to take home a year’s supply of Forbici pizza.
There’ll also be a couple of exclusive local-themed pizza specials to celebrate the new opening too, including Forbici’s indulgent Manchester Tart pizza, and the Lancashire Hotpot pizza, which combines Fior di Latte, slow-cooked Lamb Ragù, and cracked black pepper on Forbici’s signature Biga base.
The Manchester special pizzas are also available at Forbici’s city centre restaurant as well, so you can feast wherever you find yourself.
Toni Dennan at Forbici said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring our innovative pizza craft to the Trafford Centre. To celebrate, we’re giving away 1,000 pizzas, inviting guests to experience Forbici on us.”
“Forbici is all about pushing pizza craft to new heights,” commented Forbici’s Toni Dennan. “Opening at Trafford Centre gives us the opportunity to share our passion for proper pizza with even more people.”
Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Forbici to Trafford Centre, offering an innovative pizza concept to shoppers and leisure seekers alike. With a huge giveaway and exciting Rock, Paper Scissors tournament, Forbici’s opening week is not one to be missed and we look forward to welcoming customers down to the centre to celebrate its arrival.”
Forbici Trafford Centre is opening this Wednesday 5 August, and bookings are now live online here.
Danny Jones -
9th April 2024 
