Warburtons and Morrisons have teamed up to give away thousands of free crumpets to anyone who ‘asks for Ellen’ this summer.
After first introducing it to huge success back in July of last year during the school holidays, and then yet again for the Easter break back in March, Bolton-born bakery Warburtons has decided to join forces with supermarket chain Morrisons for a third this summer to relaunch the popular ‘Ask for Ellen’ initiative.
A whopping 100,000 portions crumpets are set to be served up to hungry families free of charge over the next couple of weeks.
The relaunching of the popular initiative means that anyone and everyone who ‘asks for Ellen’ at one of the 395 Morrisons cafes across the UK will be given toasted crumpets with a choice of topping, completely for free with “no questions asked”.
The offer will be available all day every day from 5-25 August, while stock lasts.
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Warburtons and Morrisons are giving 100,000 free crumpets across the UK this summer (Credit: Morrisons)
If you’re unfamiliar with the ‘Ask for Ellen’ initiative, it aims to help “alleviate holiday hunger” and works to ease the additional financial strain that is often put on parents, carers, and guardians when children are not at school.
400,000 portions of free crumpets have already been provided as part of the much-needed scheme since it first launched, and even more are set to be given away over these next couple of weeks.
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Chris Strong, who is the Morrisons Cafe Senior Buying Manager, says the supermarket retailer is “thrilled” to collaborating with Warburtons to “bring this fantastic campaign to life once again” over the next couple of weeks.
Anyone and everyone who ‘asks for Ellen’ will get free toasted crumpets with a topping / Credit: Morrisons
“As a family-run business, we have always fostered a strong sense of community,” added Warburtons’ Chairman, Jonathan Warburton, “and that’s why we are so proud to bring back ‘Ask for Ellen’ for a fourth time.
“Since launching last year, we will have served almost half a million portions of crumpets, including the 100,000 portions this summer holiday.”
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As well as running the ‘Ask for Ellen’ initiative, Morrisons is also continuing to provide its ‘Kids Eat Free’ promotion all day, every day, throughout the summer holidays too, meaning families can get a free kids meal when purchasing an adult meal that costs £5 or more.
To get your free Warburtons crumpets this summer, all you’ll need to do is head down to your nearest Morrisons Cafe and ‘ask for Ellen’.
Featured Image – Warburtons
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Claire’s is closing all stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
All-girl K-pop powerhouse aespa book MASSIVE Manchester arena show
Danny Jones
All-girl K-pop group, ‘aespa’, are coming to Manchester for some of their largest performances to date as part of a new global tour.
If you know anything about the K-pop scene, you’ll know that most acts are even bigger than you could ever imagine.
Manchester has gained a steady supply of gigs from artists within the genre over the past year or so, and now aespa are the latest to book the AO Arena for a headline show.
Rest assured, these tickets will fly…
aespa SYNK : COMPLæXITY
Catch the LIVE TOUR in Manchester at @AOArena on Thu 14th January 2027!
Register by [Wed 29 Apr at 6AM PT / 8PM CT / 9AM ET] for access to the artist presale: https://t.co/JuWFFMCE8Q
Dubbed the ‘SYNK : Complæxity World Tour’, this follows on from their last live iteration, ‘æXIS LINE’ shows, which began back in August 2025 and, technically, have only just ended this April.
As per an official press release, “Produced by Live Nation, the tour will bring aespa’s acclaimed live production and immersive performance experience to arenas across Asia, North America, Latin America, the UK, and Europe.”
There are actually just two shows in the entirety of Britain (the other being down in the capital), and Manchester has the good fortune of kicking off not only being the first of both, but the inaugural date of the entire European leg.
Consider us honoured.
Made up of a talented quartet – Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, the rising South Korean stars – this female-led phenomenon is arguably one of the fastest rising acts in the world of K-pop.
Having now been to a couple of these shows for ourselves, we’re starting to understand that these artists might have some of the most passionate followings on the planet.
Kicking off the latest run of performances back in their home country’s capital of Seoul, they’ll hit multiple continents before wrapping things up in Paris.
aespa EU tour dates 2027
14 January – AO Arena, Manchester
16 Jan – London
19 Jan – Amsterdam
22 Jan – Stockholm
24 Jan – Copenhagen
26 Jan – Berlin
29 Jan – Milan
31 Jan – Barcelona
2 February – Paris
If you’re a fan or are interested in throwing your hat in the ring for a first K-pop gig experience, you can register by signing up for their exclusive pre-sale window.
As for general admission, tickets to see aespa at the AO Arena in Manchester will go live at 3pm on Wednesday, 6 May; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
30th July 2024 
