The threat of rain was barely dampening the studious preparation from the seven or eight stall holders in Ancoats on Saturday – several of whom were setting up for their first ever market day.
The business owners had all gathered for the latest edition of the ‘Ancoats Pop Up’ – which has become a word-of-mouth and social media hit in recent weeks.
Every weekend, queues snake up Radium Street to an array of high-quality food, drink, homeware and skincare stands set up by local people in the community.
Kat Brown, Ancoats Pop Up’s manager, told me over the phone that the focus is all on supporting local makers.
“I went to the market once and I loved it,” Kat said.
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“I had the idea of making this beautiful, community led, independent opportunity, a place where people could attempt to get their weekly shop without shopping in a big corporation or supermarket.”
The market itself is tiny – a former garage that just about fits four tables along each wall. But the close proximity of Ancoats Pop Up is also its greatest asset; making for an intimate atmosphere with conversation and interaction, as well as the chance for a real look at what’s on offer (making those freshly-baked brownies and sourdough breads appear particularly tempting).
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It’s growing all the time, too. On the market’s open day, there were only four stalls. Now, there are at least eight – with different stallholders pitching up every week.
Dominic runs Allons-y (“let’s go” in French), which sells speciality coffee and natural wine and has been a regular at Ancoats Pop Up since it started a couple of months ago.
“Because Ancoats is its own little village in a way, people have come back every week,” Dominic said.
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“People would come in to grab a coffee and their veg box. It’s that kind of tight-knit closeness, which has been really nice to see.”
There’s a real community among stallholders themselves, even if they’ve only met that morning.
Many of the makers live locally, and it was lovely to overhear the recognition of “Oh, you work there? But I live there!” echo between the tables as people set up their wares.
For several of the stallholders I chatted to, it was their first time not just at Ancoats Pop Up, but at any market.
The cost of a stall for the day at many markets can be well over £100, Kat told me. At Ancoats Pop Up, they charge £40 and don’t take any of the stallholders’ profits from the day’s trading.
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“There’s no agenda behind the market,” Kat said.
“We’re all just pretty chilled, we’re not trying to make a million pounds out of this, we’re just trying to make a nice thing. We’re passionate about all the things that people have made themselves. It’s not a market where you just churn things out.”
The market celebrates sustainability and is as eco-friendly as possible.
Alexa, who runs Alexa Weaves, makes macramé rainbows for nurseries out of recycled cotton, linen and sari silk from India. Studio Dawn, run by Chelsie, makes macramé home décor, including plant hangers, wall hangings and lamps. Both Alexa and Chelsie have the same supplier, which provides them with recycled material.
Local sourcing is also important. For cold press drinks company Fruition, all the fruit for their drinks is sourced from McCall’s organics on Church Street, with labels printed locally.
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There’s also the delicious-looking Batard – a microbakery that sells freshly-baked sourdough, croissants, steak bakes and other treats. Dorothy, one half of the business, said: “The vibe we’re going for is kind of like Gregg’s, but instead of mass production in factories, we’re taking it back and making it contemporary and fresh.”
As we come out of lockdown, Kat has plans to the develop the market into a true social space. “In the long run we want to be able to get some seats and maybe even a DJ to make it a more social event,” she said.
But the market isn’t exclusive to Ancoats residents or creatives, she emphasises. It’s for everyone.
“Manchester as a whole is quite a big community, and I feel like that’s the thing that I love about Manchester: even though it’s a big city, it does feel like everyone will go out of their way to help each other out.”
Ancoats Pop Up market is open from 11am-4pm every Saturday at 26 Radium Street.
Food & Drink
The Didsbury Dozen loses one of its best as The Dockyard confirms closure
Danny Jones
The Didsbury Dozen has lost one of its strongest stops as the much-loved Dockyard sadly closed for good this past weekend.
A favourite among those taking on the popular Greater Manchester pub crawl and a busy bar in its own right along the main Didsbury Village strip, The Dockyard has been a staple of South Manchester boozing for some time.
However, it’s time as part of the Dozen and in the heart of the community has come to an end, with the staff having completed their final service on Sunday, 19 January.
Sharing a short but heartfelt goodbye on social media, they welcomed customers to join them one last time “to raise a glass and say cheers!”.
The post begins: “Right Didsbury… Thank you so much for your welcome and custom when we arrived here in the village, but the time has now come to say goodbye. We have had a blast over the last four years and we hope you have too!”
Although many relatively new to the area or at least its drinking scene will only know it as The Dockyard, the venue has actually been under a lot of names over the years.
Originally known as Times Square, it was then refurbished into a branch of O’Neills in 1996 before going on to re-open as The Stokers Arms in 2014.
Nevertheless, it maintained a regular and loyal following as The Dockyard and many will be “sorry to see it go”; one person commented: “Oh no! We had a fab time in here over Christmas and [were] hoping to return soon. Sorry to see you go and I will be visiting your other sites.
Thankfully, they did go on to confirm that the remaining pubs in Salford Quays and Northwich will remain open – as is the Left Bank location in Spinningfields overlooking the River Irwell. Better still, the building itself will still remain a pub and we already know what’s taking its place:
Although there is still no news on when we can expect to see The Salmon’s second venture launch, if it’s anything like the success the Northern Quarter one has seen then we’re in for a treat.
So don’t worry, The Didsbury Dozen may have taken a hit but it’s still intact and there are plenty of other pubs you can work into the crawl in the meantime.
For now, though, all we can say is rest in peace to The Dockyard Didsbury, you were a real one – we’ll always have the memories.
Michelin guide Prestwich restaurant Osma announces heartbreaking closure
Daisy Jackson
Osma, a beautiful, Michelin-recommended restaurant in Prestwich, has announced its closure next month.
The Scandi-esque restaurant has been a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020.
Fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
Osma has been a favourite among Prestwich locals over the last five years, famed for its inventive small plates and delicious Sunday roasts – but now its time in the suburb has come to an end.
In a statement shared online, Osma said that they have ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
The restaurant has teased a move into the city centre, where it’s hoped the business will be more sustainable and ready to grow.
“This is by no means the end of Osma,” they wrote.
Their kitchen at Exhibition in the city centre will remain open even after Osma in Prestwich closes on Sunday 9 February.
Osma in Prestwich has announced its closure. Credit: Instagram, @osmakitchenbar
Other food and drink businesses in the village have all been sharing farewell messages, with The Pearl commenting: “Prestwich’s foodie foundations will be very wobbly without the OG cornerstone that welcomed the ‘foodie neighbourhood’ accolades. Good luck in town both, we’ll definitely come and visit the new place.”
Whole Bunch Wines, formerly known as Grape to Grain, said: “Absolutely devastating news for Prestwich. A HUGE loss but a sign of their quality that they’re forced to move.”
Osma’s full statement reads: “Neighbours & Friends. We’ve spoken with some of you already, but it’s time to make it official. It’s with a heavy heart, but excitement for the future, that we have decided to close our Prestwich restaurant ahead of a move to the city centre.
“Being fully transparent – we’ve struggled to find experienced staff, leaving us with little to no personal life. We have made the decision to move on to what we hope will be a more sustainable business that can grow, and allow us more time to follow our dreams. This is by no means the end of OSMA.
“We’re optimistic, but it’s bittersweet. After (almost!) five years we have met so many amazing and incredible people, who we’re proud to call our friends and OSMA family. So many of you have kept coming back week after week – we feel honoured and so grateful for your company. There have been hard days over the years and your kindness, patience and good moods have made such an impact on us to keep pushing forward. Thank you! 🙏🏼
“Of course, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our one-of-a-kind staff. Your efforts make OSMA what it is. Even when so understaffed, you all keep moving and help each other get through the day as a team. There’s not many of you, but what you guys can achieve is incredible!
“Lastly, we want to thank our landlord, Tony Freeman, for taking a risk on two 26-year-old girls wanting to open a restaurant. OSMA wouldn’t be here today without him believing in us. You will live on in our memory forever.
“Our last day of service will be Sunday, 9th February. Bookings are open now and we’d love to see as many of you as possible before we go. Stay tuned on our socials as we’ll be throwing a leaving party, too.
“A little housekeeping… gift cards bought after the 9th of Feb 2024 may be refunded to the original payment method, or extended to use at our new site (to be valid for one year after the opening date). Our Kitchen at Exhibition on Peter Street will also remain open as usual, so please don’t be a stranger.
“We appreciate every single one of you… and we’ll be back before you know it! Love Dani & Fie x”