Long-standing food and drink spot Cottonopolis may be coming to an end as we know but it has now been confirmed that the location will soon reopen as a brand new public house and grill concept known as The Lamb of Tartary.
Cottonopolis confirmed its closure at the start of 2024 after an eight-year stay as one of the Northern Quarter institution’s best-known restaurants but it has now been confirmed that a new bar and grill will take its place and is set to become an “unrecognisable space”.
Headed up by the award-winning team behind Edinburgh Castle over in Ancoats, named one of the best gastropubs anywhere in the UK, the reinvention will promise customers a place to sit and enjoy a pint with friends, watch the sports or dive into a delicious plate of food.
Executive Chef, Shaun Moffat has established his name across the country before settling first in Manchester at Edinburgh Castle, and his new vision is said to feature an all-day dining menu, exemplifying accessible British seasonal dishes spanning from brunch and small plates to Sunday roasts.
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Moffat, whose style focuses on ‘nose-to-tail’ eating absolutely epitomises the North’s food culture. Speaking on the imminent opening, he said: “It’s an exciting time for the team to be working on this new project at The Lamb of Tartary.
“We all loved Cottonopolis and will miss it dearly, however, we are looking forward to launching this new concept to fall in line with the success we’ve achieved at the Edinburgh Castle.
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“The Lamb of Tartary will be a slightly more casual affair whilst still championing the produce and suppliers we’ve spent the last year or so building up.”
The new logo.‘Head to tail’ is at the cornerstone of their cuisine.They aren’t giving much away about what this place is going to look like beyond a nod to their philosophy. (Credit: Supplied)
He went on to add that he and his team “will continue to utilise the best produce to create new favourite dishes and modern takes on classics, and as a result, allow us to offer an exciting food and drink concept.”
The Grade II listed former cotton warehouse will be totally transformed into a cosy, traditional space, boasting a massive selection of 24 tap beers and plans to show all the major sporting events throughout the year, including the likes of Six Nations, this summer’s Euro 2024, Wimbledon and more.
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Local favourites Manchester Union Lager and Cask Beer from Buxton Brewery and Mobberley Brewhouse will also form part of the bar’s lineup.
The vibe might be a fairly far cry away from its predecessor but there will still be plenty of continuation when it comes to local themes, as well as seemingly offering a more accessible dining and drinking experience, by the sounds of it.
A public house serving proper bistro food with a local focus. You won’t find any of us complaining about that combo.
Cottonopolis passes the torch in more ways than one too, with the new name continuing to pay homage to Manchester’s history of cotton, deriving from an old legend from the Middle Ages in which people believed that lambs came from the cotton plant.
In mythology, the Lamb of Tartary is believed to be both a true animal and a living plant. Imagine the lamb as if it is grown as a fruit, propped up above the ground and connected by the stem, almost like an umbilical cord.
The lamb would be able to graze the grass around the plant for food and when all accessible foliage was gone the pair would die. An interesting concept to build, we’ll give them that and we can’t wait to see how the place is reborn.
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It isn’t the only Greater Manchester hospitality news we’ll be keeping an eye on either as beloved Chorlton food spot The Thirsty Korean has revealed it will be closing its current restaurant and hopefully finding new premises sooner rather than later.
Former Lunya site to be taken over by kebab house, five years after closure
Daisy Jackson
The restaurant space that was previously home to Lunya will finally be brought back to life, with a new kebab restaurant moving in.
Lunya, which had a two-storey restaurant and deli on Deansgate in the beautiful Barton Arcade, shut down in 2020.
It was one of the earliest and most high-profile closures caused by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, with owner Peter Kinsella penning at the time a heartbreaking open letter to then-PM Boris Johnson.
The Lunya site has remained empty for the last five years despite its enviable location in the heart of Manchester – but finally, new signs have gone up and a new operator is swooping in.
The windows now tease the arrival of Great British Doner, touting itself to be ‘the ultimate doner experience’.
The new opening will be selling wraps and boxes stuffed with beef, chicken, halloumi and falafel.
In a statement supplied to Place North West, Andrew Hynes, director at Hynes Illingworth said: “Barton Arcade will be the first UK opening for British Doner with two additional locations also secured in Manchester city centre.
Great British Doner is moving into the old Lunya site on Deansgate
“The business has been established by experienced restaurateur, Mehmet Korkut, previous owner of Café Istanbul and UK franchise owner of heritage brand Sultanahmet Koftecisi.”
There’ve been a lot of changes down this end of Deansgate in the last couple of years, including the openings of Simmons, with the city’s ‘biggest happy hour’, and Mama Roux’s, as well as the departures of Classic Football Shirts within the Barton Arcade.
When it opens, Great British Doner will join the likes of award-winning coffee shop Pot Kettle Black, and independent menswear retailer The R Store in the landmark building.
The viral factory in Oldham that sells £2 Colin the Caterpillar cakes
Thomas Melia
A factory in Oldham has gone viral online after sweet fiends discover they sell ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cakes for less than half price.
There are some things that just go hand in hand: a brew and a biscuit, peanut butter and jelly and Brits and their crazy obsession with a character chocolate cake from M&S called Colin the Caterpillar.
Since hitting the shelves in 1990, more than 15 million Colin the Caterpillars have made their way from supermarket shop floor to our sweet-treat-awaiting plates.
Who would’ve ever guessed that the home to this cheeky chappy, who M&S have made their unofficial mascot (after Percy Pig, of course), has been crafted and created right here in Oldham?
The utterly delicious Colin the Caterpillar cake which you can get for £2 at Park Cakes.The shelves at Park Cakes are stacked with Colins and Connies.Credit: The Manc Eats
Established in 1937, The Park Cake Bakeries – or just Park Cakes, colloquially – has been serving up this critter-inspired cake for over 30 years, and savvy shoppers have flocked to their factory shop to get their hands on some very sweet savings.
There’s a whole range of cakes on offer at this Oldham dessert factory shop, including slabs, sponges, loaves and even sweet pies too.
Whether you’re a firm believer that the birthday person deserves all of Colin’s white-choc face or you precisely cut it up so everyone gets some, Park Cakes has the solution, selling bags of the character’s chocolatey face so you can have one all to yourself.
The cake isn’t the only thing that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as the prices will too. Colin the Caterpillar, who normally retails for just under a tenner, is sold for around £2 at this Oldham factory shop.
It’s always the ones that look unassuming, isn’t it?
Alongside producing one of the most adored cakes in the UK, they’re also responsible for lots more of your favourite supermarket sweet treats, and we’re definitely not complaining.
You can let your sweet tooth go wild in this factory shop as they sell everything from rainbow birthday cakes to sticky toffee puddings.
There’s so much on offer too, how about a giant bag packed to the brim with misshapen golden flapjacks that’ll last you over a week and cost you less than a fiver? Sounds like a plan to me.
If you haven’t had enough of your Easter chocolate fix, why not trek over to Oldham and stock up on even more chocolate and sweet treats? Trust us, there’s plenty to choose from.
Park Cakes factory shop can be found on Ashton Road in Oldham and is open from 10am-4pm, so go and grab yourself a seriously sweet deal before everyone else beats you to it.
Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.Credit: The Manc
Harry Quick -
12th January 2024 
