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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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
A massive bowling, games and entertainment bar is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
A popular bowling and table games bar that has already proved a hit in Liverpool is coming to Manchester for the very first time next year.
If you’re from the North West, PINS Social Club may not be a new name to you; nevertheless, this will be its Manc debut, with the location not only their first beyond Merseyside but just their second site to date.
As the name would suggest, PINS is primarily about bowling and socialising, but there is plenty more going on at this social club as you’ll find out soon enough.
Scheduled to open in late spring 2026, Manchester and our nearby neighbours in Liverpool are about to strike up a firm party partnership.
CGIs of PINS Social Club Manchester (Credit: Supplied)
Selecting the shifting face of Sunlight House for the space – already home to the likes of Schofield’s Bar – the 25,000 sq ft unit will span three whole floors, offering a next-generation social and entertainment experience in one of Manchester’s most stunning buildings.
A Grade II-listed, Art Deco structure, Sunlight House is undergoing a major £35 million refurbishment, with ‘grade A’ offices set to take up a significant chunk, but it’s soon set to house the latest PINS venue.
Sitting on Quay Street, just off the main Deansgate strip, the busy Peter St corner, and adjacent to Spinningfields, PINS Manchester is springing up right in the midst of arguably the city’s busiest stretches for nightlife.
Promising not only bowling, darts, and table games like pool, shuffleboard and beer pong, but karaoke, live music and all the biggest sporting events on the box, PINS Social Club really does aim to be a one-stop shop for all your needs on a night out.
For instance, their food offerings will run all the way from breakfast through to the late evening, and PINS Manchester is also set to feature a main stage on the ground floor for “electric half-time shows”, with the gaming mezzanine looming just above.
Not only is this going to be PINS’ biggest venue yet, but it’s well and truly on track to be one of the biggest hospitality openings coming in the next 12 months.
Headed up by MD Daniel Kelly, who has also been helping run the resurrected Almost Famous brand here in Manchester, the team knows all about this city. Speaking on the announcement, Kelly said: “Manchester is a city that thrives on energy, culture, and community – everything that PINS is about.
“This new venue will be our biggest yet, offering a bold and exciting social space that’s purpose-built for entertainment, competition, and ultimately, having a great time. We can’t wait to bring our concept to Manchester’s incredible social scene. Keep an eye out for more details coming soon.”
Julien Buronfosse, Managing Director at Karrev (the estate company who have leased the building to the business) added: “The PINS offering is diverse, dynamic and will provide tenants and the local community with an unparalleled leisure experience.
“We wanted to work with an operator that understood our vision of breathing new life into a historic building, contributing to the new era that Sunlight House is entering. The building has ambitions to be much more than Grade A office space, with a specific emphasis on community building. The addition of PINS to Sunlight House will contribute greatly to that.”
Consider us here at The Manc GroupVERY excited for this one.
As you can see, they’ve got plenty of room to work with. (Credit: Calmafftaylor via Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Images — CGIs (supplied)/Wikimedia Commons
Food & Drink
Didsbury favourite Rustik adjust plans to close after overwhelming support
Danny Jones
Didsbury favourite Rustik recently announced that they would soon be closing, seemingly for good, after more than a decade, but after a fortunate twist of fate, there looks to be a sliver of hope, and like they could be staying open after all.
The beloved neighbourhood cafe and bar has been a staple of the tight-knit foodie neighbourhood since 2015, but the independent Irish eatery confirmed that they were due to shut down permanently by the end of last month.
Confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, 17 September, the casual Manc restaurant and hangout informed their loyal followers of the unfortunate news.
To no surprise whatsoever, their social media has been awash with condolences, collective sadness and support for the local institution, which has also helped lead to a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
Updating their followers via social media on Monday, 13 October, Rustik wrote: “We Need You More Than Ever […] We know it’s been quiet since we closed our doors — and honestly, it’s been a tough time behind the scenes.
“So many of you reached out, checked in, sent kind words, and we’ve felt every bit of that love. Thank you. Truly. When we said goodbye, we weren’t sure what the future looked like. But due to unexpected changes and plans falling through, things have come back around… and now, we’re reopening.
“It’s not easy to say this, but like so many in hospitality right now, it’s tough. We know we’re not alone in this — many small businesses are facing incredibly difficult decisions. But instead of closing the chapter, we’ve decided to give it one more shot. With everything we have.
“So, we’re reopening this Wednesday, 15 October, with a brand new brunch menu and the same Rustik heart you’ve always known. For now, we won’t be open in the evenings — but that might change. What matters most is that our doors will be open again, and we can welcome you back.”
Not only is this obviously brilliant news, but Burton Road favourite is also offering guests a 20% discount off the menu until Halloween (31 Oct) – their way of not only encouraging new customers to come through their doors, but also as a thank you to all their loyal patrons over the years.
Again, the return of late dining and their usual full programme of nighttime events still looks uncertain, but for now, they’ll be “serving coffee and brunch Wednesday to Sunday, 9am–4pm, and hoping to see as many familiar (and new) faces as possible.”
They signed off by adding: “This is a fresh start, but we can’t do it without you. If you’ve ever loved what we do, now is the time we need you most. Your support, your presence, even just sharing this with someone who might pop in – it means everything. With love, gratitude, and a little bit of hope — The Rustik Team.”
This positive turn of events comes just a few weeks after what fans thought was the endgame for the West Dids community cornerstone.
Posting across all of their accounts on 17 September, Rustik wrote: “After an unforgettable 10 years on Burton Road, the time has come to close our doors. It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come — never in a million years did we imagine Rustik would grow into what it became.
Expressing their gratitude after the best part of a decade in the south Manchester suburb, they touched upon the post-COVID recovery period, rising business rates, supply chain costs and many of the same challenges that other hospitality venues have cited as reasons for the initial decision.
“From the chaotic, beautiful brunch shifts to late nights dancing on tables to ‘Wagon Wheel’, pushing through the challenges of COVID and helping our community with meals during hard times— we’ve done it all, together.
We sincerely hope the talk of closing proves to be merely a blip and that this next chapter signals the start of an incredible new era for Rustik, and as for you local foodies, we urge you to meet the further call for support and visit them during this crunch period.