One of Manchester’s best-loved independent cafes has been ordered to close its popular takeaway coffee cart in Prestwich by the council.
Federal Cafe Bar – known for bringing “Antipodean happiness to Manchester” – has developed a loyal following of customers since opening its first city centre branch in the Northern Quarter in 2014 and its second site on Deansgate in 2019, but due to several lockdowns and ongoing restrictions amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, both sites have been restricted to takeaway-only services.
So, in an attempt to boost trade and bring some staff back from furlough, owner Claudio Ribeiro decided to open a coffee cart in Altrincham Market back in January – and it proved to be a massive hit.
Acting on the popularity of the Altrincham endeavour, Mr Ribero said he wanted to the do the same in his hometown of Prestwich to try and “bring something different” to the area, so he struck a deal with brewers to set up outside local pub The White Horse two weeks ago.
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In the two days the cart was there, it went down a treat with locals and walkers alike.
But sadly, Bury Council has since ordered Federal to move on as it says the the coffee cart was operating in a ‘legally prohibited trading zone’, which covers the area between Bury New Road, Fairfax Road and Rectory Lane in Prestwich town centre.
Speaking to the MEN on the short-lived success of the Prestwich cart, Claudio Ribiero said: “The two days we were there, we did really well.
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“We sold about 200 coffees each day.
“I was on private land, so I thought it would be fine if I paid a little bit to the pub [but] obviously that was incorrect and I needed to apply for a licence.”
Although Mr Ribero has admitted that he “should have checked” with the council first, he believes they could have done more to work with him and claims that when he asked whether he could apply for a licence to trade in the area, he was told not to bother by council officials.
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He also suspects another business may have complained to the council about the coffee cart too.
“It’s a shame because I would like to go back there,” Mr Ribeiro continued.
“I’m not trying to interfere with anybody else, we are just trying to get back to normal and trade in some way [and] I live in Prestwich and pay my council tax to Bury Council.
“We should have checked, but the council could also have tried to understand that things are a little difficult right now.
“If the [Manchester City Council] had the same view, we would never have been able to open last summer [so] why can’t Bury Council do something like that and allow [Prestwich town centre] to be a little more alive?
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“I think they need to be a little more open-minded.”
Federal Cafe Bar
In response to Mr Ribero’s comments, a spokesperson for Bury Council said: “We have every sympathy for businesses who have suffered during the coronavirus lockdowns, and will do everything we can to help them through these difficult times.
“This person, however, had unknowingly set up in a legally prohibited trading zone.
“This has covered the central shopping district of Prestwich village since 1997, and is there to protect the interests of local businesses. He can, though, trade outside this zone, as long as he applies for a street trading permit, which would also allow our environmental health officers to ensure that his premises (van) meet food safety standards.
“We have sent him the relevant application forms and have been assisting him with the process.”
Food & Drink
Siam Smiles, the authentic Thai cafe on a Manchester backstreet
Georgina Pellant
When Siam Smiles was still a little cafe in a Chinatown supermarket it received serious rave reviews. Since moving up to Deansgate Mews, however, it seems to have been forgotten about a little.
Most famously described as “the most exciting thing to happen since the days of the Hacienda” by Marina O’Loughlin in a 2014 review for The Guardian, owner May also made headlines for teaching herself to cook on Youtube after her chef left the business one month after opening.
National critics, like O’Loughin and others, were seemingly drawn in by the cafe’s novelty – not one review missed the opportunity to mention the supermarket, or tell you how the ingredients in the dishes were often the same as the ones on the shelves.
But since it has moved over to The Mews, an oft-forgotten back street within the Great Northern Warehouse complex, the reviews have gone suspiciously quiet – so we thought we’d pop in to see if it’s all still up to scratch.
Spoiler alert, it definitely is.
Stir fried chicken Pad Ka Paow with jasmine rice and a fried egg. / Image: The Manc Eats
Inside SIam Smiles on Deansgate Mews. / Image: The Manc Eats
Two years after that rave review from O’Loughlin, rising bills forced the cafe to close – but with a little help, May reopened in 2016 at the Great Northern Warehouse. It’s here that you’ll still find her cooking up a storm today.
With bills firmly on the rise once again, we thought we’d pop in to shine a light on this longstanding Mancunian gem and are happy to report her food hasn’t faltered one iota.
We went for stir fried chicken Pad Ka Paow with jasmine rice and a fried egg, and a steaming bowl of KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok with fresh egg noodles and roasted duck breast, with two glasses of Singha on the side.
A hearty portion of green papaya salad with dried shrimps. / Image: The Manc Eats
A steaming bowl of KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok with fresh egg noodles and roasted duck breast. / Image: The Manc Eats
We also couldn’t help but opt for a hearty portion of green papaya salad with dried shrimps, a dish that’s hard to find but something of a speciality here, as well as a second glass noodle salad with plump prawns and minced pork.
The dressings, always made by May herself, completely hit the spot with their balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet.
We strongly recommend you pop in and show Siam Smiles some love. It’s not all just about the shiny new restaurants, after all. We need to treasure the veterans too – and this is one we need to protect at all costs.
Find the cafe on Deansgate Mews Unit G Upper Level ,Great Northern, 253, Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Food & Drink
There’s a huge burger food fair happening in Manchester next weekend
Emily Sergeant
Burger lovers in Manchester should probably get themselves down to the city’s largest street food hub next weekend for a feast like no other.
That’s because GRUB is hosting its very-own burger food fair.
Perhaps it’s not the first city you’d think of when it comes to burgers, but Manchester is absolutely chocked full of an endless list of eateries and food traders serving up some of the most impressive patties you’ll quite possibly ever see in your life.
Whether you’re a meat lover, chicken fanatic, veggie or vegan/plant-based, there truly is something for everyone to tuck into in our city.
And a handful of those finest food traders are coming together all under one roof for the GRUB Burger Food Fair – which is taking over Manchester’s biggest street food venue and events space next weekend from Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October, and is promising to bring “wall to wall burgers” to the hungry masses.
The Cheetham Hill-based venues’s annual celebration of all things burgers returns for 2022, with traders bringing a special menu inspired by their own take on the humble burger, as well as a whole range of different sides, snacks, and all-American desserts to go along with it.
BON Street Food, Spicy Baby, Thief Street Grill & Waffle, Charlie Mac’s, and The Cookie Smith are some of the traders you can expect on Friday and Saturday.
And then, as is the tradition at GRUB, everything that is served up on the Sunday of the three-day event will be completely “plant-powered”.
GRUB Burger Food Fair is taking over from Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October / Credit: Thief Street Grill & Waffle | BON Street Food
Vegan vendors Boneless Brigade, and Dohlightful just some of the names lined-up to take part.
GRUB Burger Food Fair is free to attend, and will kick-off from 4pm each day of the three-day event, with no need to book any tickets in advance.
It has to be said though, that GRUB’s themed food fairs are always very well attended, so for that reason, the venue recommends that any large groups planning on heading down next weekend should book a table here.
Emily Sergeant -
9th March 2021 
