Food & Drink

Gail’s Bakery confirms opening date for Altrincham, with Manchester cafe up next

Gail's Bakery is coming to Trafford this month

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 15th March 2023

Famous bakery Gail’s has confirmed the opening date for its new cafe in Altrincham as it prepares to open its second bakery in the north of England.

Set to open in the Trafford market town this month, bosses have revealed the new bakery and cafe – famed for its artisan sourdough breads, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes – will open its doors on Shaw’s Road on Monday 27 March.

Already well known and loved by its customers in the south of England, the bakery recently opened its first northern site in nearby Wilmslow. Now, it’s gearing up to open in Altrincham with a third site planned for Manchester later this year.

The Altrincham bakery will open on Shaw’s Road, trading from 7am-7pm daily, followed by an opening on King Street in Manchester city centre later this year.

Image: Gail’s Bakery
Image: Gail’s Bakery

The bakery group already has strong ties with Manchester, having run its sister wholesale bakery The Bread Factory – which supplies bread to some of Manchester’s premium restaurants, cafes and bars – in Openshaw since 2017.

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First formed in the early 1990s as a wholesale-only operation, Gail’s opened its first cafe on Hampstead High Street in 2005.

Today the brand has over 70 sites spread across London, Oxford, Brighton and further afield, and is known more as a customer-facing cafe and bakery whilst The Bread Factory continues the company’s original wholesale legacy.

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Gail’s CEO Tom Molnar told The Manc: “What an amazing city Manchester is, I mean it’s so creative – I’d love London to be as creative as Manchester is.

Image: Gail’s Bakery
Image: Gail’s Bakery

“We’re really excited about opening up [cafes] in Manchester, we’ve been there for about six years now.”

Gail’s believes in supporting local charities in their neighbourhoods. Their bakery in Openshaw has been supporting FareShare as well as local schools, presenting and teaching students about the benefit of healthier craft bread.

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Read more: Karen’s Diner hit with zero food hygiene rating following inspection

A newly established partnership with Manchester-based EatWellMCR will allow the distribution of any surplus food to those in the region who need it most in Altrincham and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Featured image – Gail’s Bakery

Food & Drink

Legendary Thirsty Scholar closes to make way for new Manchester’s latest Irish pub

Danny Jones Danny Jones Guinness at O'Connell's

It’s the end of an era: the iconic little boozer tucked underway the Oxford Road archways, Thirsty Scholar, is officially no more – but while this chapter has closed, a new one is set to begin very soon.

Set to take its place this month, a brand new Irish pub set to open in its place, joining the recent run of contemporaries opening across Greater Manchester.

The name of the new spot is O’Connell’s Irish Pub and not only is it opening up before the end of February, but its first visitors will be getting a taste of that familiar Gaelic charm as early as Tuesday ahead of the official public launch this Friday, 28 February.

Once known as ‘The Attic’ and famed for small gigs and Northern Soul nights down the years, it’s not the first time Thirsty Scholar has changed faces but we’re eager to see what its latest iteration turns out like.

thirsty scholar closed
Before…
thirsty scholar reopening under new name and owners
Soon to be…
Thirsty Scholar may have closed but a new kid on the block is taking on the mantle. (Credit: The Manc Group)

Following a major renovation courtesy of its new owner, the once poky but ever-pleasant little pub has been transformed into a fresh space that feels authentic and fitting of the history it’s steeped in.

The main bar front was sourced from an early 20th-century bank at Colledge Green in Dublin, and the ‘bunk’ seating arrived from locations such as a cathedral in Tralee, with some items even being moved over from Manchester Cathedral.

The upstairs – the aforementioned ‘Attic’ which overlapped with neighbouring live music venue and drinking sport, Zombie Shack – has also been completely transformed into a cosy, welcoming extension, complete with its own bar and snug area.

With wooden panelling enveloping the interior; original stained glass features sourced from back home in the Emerald Isle, not to mention an impressive wall-to-wall whisky cabinet displaying a vast collection, O’Connell’s is set to become a fast favourite amongst city centre pubgoers.

Not only do we love a drink around here but Manchester famously has some of the best Irish bars outside of, well, Ireland, so we have every faith that O’Connell’s is going to prove an equally popular replacement – and believe us, it was well-loved:

But the list of new additions doesn’t end there…

The newly designed outdoor terrace underneath the arch seats 80 and will play host to events throughout summer, with murals from Guinness and Teeling Whisky due to cover the arch in time for warmer days.

Following on from its predecessor, O’Connell’s will have a jam-packed lineup of live music and performers every week on their dedicated stage, plus sports will now be shown all year round. Put simply, it’ll have a bit of everything.

There are a few keepsakes from the Thirsty Scholar too that you’ll spot around the building, plus new owner, Dom, has employed many of the former team, so it’s safe to say you’ll be in good hands.

With Dom and his team keen to get going, he said of the exciting new project: “I’ve worked in the industry all my life and always wanted an Irish pub, with the recent trend even more so. When the opportunity came up with the Thirsty Scholar being for sale I jumped on it.

o'connell's irish pub manchester city centre
Nice new planters instead of metal rails
small gig venues manchester
As long as there’s still gig we’re happy
o'connell's irish bar manchester
The old Zombie Shack/Attic corner
Credit: The Manc Group

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“My aim is to let the fit out do the talking, I’ve sourced fixtures from all over Ireland, and the rest of the work fits around these pieces to give it a proper Irish pub feel. Plenty of nooks and crannies, space for big groups or for couples after a quiet pint.”

O’Connell’s Irish Pub will be open from 11:30am until midnight Sunday-Thursday, with Fridays and Saturdays extended until 1am.

If you were hoping for one last pint in the Thirsty Scholar as you once knew it, we’re afraid to see you’ve missed you’re window as it closed some time ago, but don’t worry, punters at the new venue will be entitled to a free whisky with their first drink on opening night (28 Feb) from 5-7pm.

See you there, by a very colourful gas works wall!

In pictures: O’Connell’s Irish bar opens in Manchester

The bar itself has been reclaimed from an old bank in Dublin
The bar itself has been reclaimed from an old bank in Dublin
The main bar at O'Connell's
The main bar at O’Connell’s
The O'Connell's snug
The O’Connell’s snug
Relics of The Thirsty Scholar
Relics of The Thirsty Scholar
Upstairs in the new O'Connell's bar
Upstairs in the new O’Connell’s bar
Upstairs in the new O'Connell's bar
Upstairs in the new O’Connell’s bar
Guinness at O'Connell's
Guinness at O’Connell’s
Pints of Guinness
Pints of Guinness
Under the arches is O'Connell's terrace
Under the arches is O’Connell’s terrace

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied

Food & Drink

Lively Irish pub Nancy Spains set to open in Manchester for the first time

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Lively Irish pub Nancy Spains set to open in Manchester for the first time

An Irish bar famed for its live music is heading up to Manchester for the first time, and is promising £2.50 pints to lure us in.

Nancy Spains will be venturing out of London for the first time promising to bring the ‘ultimate traditional Irish pub experience’ to the Northern Quarter.

If you were to ask what the hottest trend in hospitality is right now the answer would, apparently, be Guinness. We’re drowning in the stuff.

In the last year alone we’ve had Mother Mary’s, the Salmon of Knowledge, and O’Connell’s open in the city centre, plus that huge expansion for the legendary Mulligans.

This latest opening is more about Murphy’s, another Irish stout, than Guinness (they actually won’t serve Guinness at all) but the craic will be much the same.

Nancy Spains is actually set to open almost directly opposite the aforementioned Salmon of Knowledge, taking over the former Corner Boy unit on Stevenson Square in the heart of Manchester.

To celebrate its opening, the pub will be serving its first 5000 pints of Murphy’s for just £2.50, so that it can show off the atmosphere that’s established it as ‘one of London’s favourite pubs’.

@nancyspains

Live music all day Shoreditch Saturdays are amazing, but can you imagine then once we get Manchester going? #murphys #nancys #irishpub #fyp

♬ original sound – Nancy Spains

They’re promising an array of Irish whiskeys behind the bar, live music performances, and a lively late-night setting.

Nancy Spains was set up by three brothers who travelled all over their home county of rural Kerry researching Irish pubs, before launching two venues down in London.

They want it to balance a traditional pub with the vibrancy of the city.

Peter O’Halloran, co-founder of Nancy Spains commented, “We’re so excited to be launching in Manchester, bringing Nancy Spains to the heart of the Northern Quarter.

“After the success of our two venues in London, it was only right to bring Nancy Spains’ infectious spirit and Irish pride to Manchester. Slainte!”

Nancy Spains will open its first Manchester pub on Saturday 15 March at 21 Hilton Street.

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Featured image: Supplied

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