Eats

Archie’s will open on Christmas Day to feed the homeless in Manchester

The takeaway will be performing a noble service - opening the doors of its city centre store on 25 December to provide food for people in need.

The Manc The Manc - 23rd December 2020

Manchester’s wildly popular burger and shakes diner Archie’s has revealed it will be opening its doors on Christmas Day to help feed homeless people in the city.

A distinctive presence in the city for its head-turning, bright-pink branding, the takeaway has become a real cult favourite among locals and celebs alike over the past few years.

Many famous faces have been known to mingle among the packed seating areas from time to time – including Floyd Mayweather, Kevin Hart and The Game.

Despite the restrictions imposed on the hospitality sector in 2020, Archie’s has continued to enjoy a strong year – adding new branches in Piccadilly and the Trafford Centre to its existing restaurants on Oxford Road.

But this Christmas, the diner will be performing a noble service – opening the doors of its city centre store on 25 December to provide food for people in need.

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Archie’s will be serving grub from its 72 Oxford Road venue between 1pm and 4pm – including burgers, fries and drinks.

Imran Rafiq, a director at Archie’s, said: “After the hard year we’ve had, we wanted to give back by opening our doors on Christmas day for people who may not be able to have a meal.

“In past, we’ve worked with homeless charities before through the Archie’s foundation.”

Eats

A tiny new train station pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The team behind Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap have applied to open a new pub at Manchester Oxford Road

A tiny craft beer pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road, making all those inevitable train cancellations a little sweeter.

The new boozer will come from the same team behind some of the UK’s best train station pubs, who already have bars at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria.

A licensing application has now been submitted by Bloomsbury Leisure Holdings Limited to take over the former cycle hub at Manchester Oxford Road.

The small building is directly opposite the entrance to the busy train station on the southern side of the city centre.

If approved, it will be the third site for the pub group in Manchester.

They already operate the Piccadilly Tap, that two-storey beer bar on Piccadilly Approach with a heated rooftop space and outdoor patio.

The team are also responsible for the more recently-opened Victoria Tap, which took over the former bin store at Manchester Victoria.

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That particular pub has a heated beer garden constructed just inches away from where the trams tootle past and has a departures board where time is measured by pints (got 10 mins til your train leaves? That’s one pint, sir!)

As for the Oxford Road Tap, a new account on X appeared a few weeks ago that appears to confirm the imminent arrival of a new pub.

The Oxford Road Tap have applied to have opening hours through to half-past-midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

They teased a mocked-up photo of posters outside the station with the new pub logo, plus a slogan of ‘Great beer is just a few steps away…’

They later shared ‘Triple threat incoming’ with all three pub brands lined up as a deck of cards.

Very exciting times ahead.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pie and Ale Manchester closed down

Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.

Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.

Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.

Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.

Credit: The Manc Eats

While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”

The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.

Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.

Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.

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While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.

A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.

We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.

RIP to an NQ icon.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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