This week the Salford Rum Company has opened its very first distillery, bar and rum school just off Chapel Street in Salford.
Aptly named The Dirty Old Town Distillery after The Pogues hit track from their 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash, it’s located in an appropriately industrial setting – a former railway arch on Viaduct Street.
Inside, a bar and seating area put the focus on the rum that started it all – serving a range of simple (but delicious) rum cocktails and spirit mixers, alongside regularly changing beers from local breweries like Shindigger.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The brand’s iconic bottles, covered in hand-drawn historic maps of industrial Salford by local artist Dave Draws, line shelves behind the bar and on the walls as you enter, with a magnificent column still in pride of place on a stage at the back of the bar.
The walls are covered in more hand-drawn artwork from Dave Draws, this time depicting Salford in 2022 – with landmarks like Peel Park, Salford Cinema, the Ship Canal and Salford Lad’s Club all proudly nodding towards the area’s local history.
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Elsewhere, chunky wooden tables and black and white photographs pulled from Salford’s historical archives line the walls.
Image: The Manc Eats
Here, for the first time since the brand launched in 2018, locals have a place to sit down and enjoy the sweet spirit – be that on its own, as a sipping rum, or in simple but elegant mixers like rum and coke ice cream floats, or a classic rum and ginger beer, elevated by the addition of clementine puree and fresh ginger.
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It’s a big step up for the brand, which has come a long way from its early days on the Manchester Maker’s markets.
Created three years ago by two rugby-league-playing high school friends, James Harrison and Tommy Gaughan, Salford Rum has created two core expressions since its launch in 2018; a golden Salford Spiced Rum and Salford Dark Spice.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The pair learned about premium rum making on top of their day jobs, and with a small self-funded start up investment of just £8,000, created their first premium golden spiced spirit as a passionate celebration of the history, heritage and people of the Salford Docks
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Inspired by an era whereby the city’s Salford Docks grew to be the third-largest port in the UK, Salford Rum takes its flavour inspiration from the rums, fruits and spices from the Caribbean which were landing on British shores for the first time in that bygone time
Today, inside the brand new distillery and bar, the pair plan to innovate and experiment with new expressions to complement their core range – as well as host rum school experiences where guests can enjoy guided tastings and experiment with making their own rums too.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Speaking on the new opening Tommy Gaughan, one half of the duo responsible for launching Salford Rum, said: “The support we’ve had locally for Salford Rum is nothing short of incredible. When looking for somewhere to take the brand to the next level, it was always going to be in Salford, and always going to be a place whereby our supporters can come and feel like they’re part of the Salford family.”
Salford Rum co-founder James Harrison added: “It’s been quite a ride and our first step into hospitality feels surreal. It’s time for us to grow in Greater Manchester’s vibrant drinks scene and for the brand to have somewhere to develop and – of course – serve awesome drinks.
“We’re grounded in Salford and are wholly dedicated to bringing to life what the city has to offer – be it local talent, drinks and team members.
“We trialled a lot of offering over Christmas and have some brilliant ideas in the pipeline to truly bring to life how special Salford’s place on the Greater Manchester map is. The city has so much to offer, and where we can we’ll be championing it
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Food & Drink
V.Goode Pies – Michelin-recommended Manchester restaurant launches new pie shop
Daisy Jackson
A new pie shop has opened in Manchester today – and it comes from the same team behind a Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Chefs Shaun Moffat (of Winsome fame) and Sam Grainger (Madre, Belzan, Doug’s and loads more) have joined forces for V.Goode Pies.
The Oxford Road pie shop promises to serve ‘the kind of pies Manchester’s been waiting for’ that won’t cost the earth.
Shaun and Sam dreamed up the idea following the success of the pie offering at Winsome, which are a highlight of its proudly British menu.
Now open on Oxford Road, you’ll find four core individual pies as well as breakfast pies.
Expect classic flavours like cheese and onion, and meat and potato, but also less common creations like a lasagne pie and a breakfast pie too.
There’ll be the option to have your pie served in a barm, Wigan kebab-style, or have it as it comes after a hefty dunk in a vat of gravy.
Pie dinner trays at V.Goode PiesInside the breakfast pie and the lasagne pie at V.Goode PiesA pie barm at V.Goode PiesShaun Moffat and Sam GraingerTraditional British piesThe full spreadInside V.Goode PiesCredit: The Manc Group
You can also have it served on a classic dinner tray, with mash and mushy peas on the side.
As well as traditional fillings, V. Goode Pies will have more out-there bakes like a lasagne pie, where layers of pasta are packed into a pie crust.
You can also expect rotating specials and collaborations.
V.Goode Pies – or, to use its government name, Valerie Goode’s Pies – is inspired by co-founder Tom Fastiggi’s dinner lady grandmother and pie connoisseur.
V.Goode Pies will take over the old Loaf store on Oxford Road and is set to open on 18 November, with a pop-up also planned at Freight Island this winter.
The pie shop will be open Monday to Saturday, from 8am until they sell out.
Tesco unveils Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deal – is yours on here?
Thomas Melia
Supermarket giant Tesco has announced brand-new data revealing Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deals.
But has yours made the cut?
Of course, Christmas is famed for its food, especially the Christmas dinner, but nowadays, the days leading up to the big day have also become filled with foodie feasts, and nothing proves this more than the popularity of the Christmas meal deal – something which Tesco, arguably, knows how to do better than anyone else.
Tesco has been actively tracking the nation’s everyday eating trends all year long, and now that the festive season’s here, shoppers favourite Christmas meal deals have been announced.
It seems meal deal lovers are eager to get into the Christmas spirit, with the best-selling main being the Tesco Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich.
Tesco has unveiled Britain’s favourite festive meal deal / Credit: Tesco plc | The Manc Group
This roast dinner-inspiredbutty has been purchased over 2.5 million times between October and December 2024, and it was so popular, in fact, that it was chosen almost three times as often as this year’s runner up – Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich.
To pair with this much-loved sandwich is the classic Mccoy’s Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, which are championing the snack category overtaking last year’s champion, Egg Protein Pot, which finished third this year.
And if you’re wondering what beverage Brits are pairing with their lunchtime combinations, it’s none other than Coca-Cola 500ml.
This will come as no surprise to any avid meal deal fans, as this drink has worn the crown as the nation’s favourite drink, not just during Christmas but the whole of 2024 itself.
Tesco top 10 festive meal deal mains (October – December 2024)
1.
Tesco Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich
2.
Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich
3.
Tesco Yuletide Half ‘N’ Half Sandwich
4.
Tesco Christmas Wrapped Up
5.
Tesco Festive Chicken & Trimmings Sub
6.
Tesco Ho-Ho-Hog Wrap
7.
The Gym Kitchen Chicken Bacon & Stuffing Sandwich
8.
Tesco Cracking Currywurst Sub
9.
Tesco Finest Festive Chicken & Bacon with Gravy Mayonnaise Dip
“Turkey isn’t just for the big day, our customers love bringing festive flavours to their lunchtimes even as early as October,” commented Sarah Bryer, who is the Product Development Manager for Tesco Meal Deal.
“With the crowd-pleasing Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich back again, this year’s line-up of Meal Deal mains has something to suit both traditionalists and those looking for something new with the addition of our Honey Ham, Red Leicester and Festive Chutney Sandwich, Finest Brie and Bacon Brioche Bagel, and Tesco Plant Chef Festive Feast Wrap.“
Georgina Pellant -
16th June 2022 
