There’s no denying it, times are tough for small businesses right now. You might want to close your eyes and pretend it’s not happening, and we wouldn’t blame you. It’s all getting a bit, well, depressing.
To be only halfway through January and already have a host of Manchester businesses, some of which have been fixtures in the city for decades, closing their doors for good is an emotional thing.
Between rising energy bills and ingredients costs, staff shortages, and a lack of government support, not to mention a rapid squeeze on the consumer’s purse, frankly, we’re amazed how many are still hanging on in there.
For now, though, we’re taking a moment to look back at what Manchester has lost this year – and pray that we don’t have to see too many more closures in 2023.
Cafe Metro
Probably the biggest shock of them all so far this year is the news that family-run institution Cafe Metro has shut its doors for good after 40 years of feeding the people of Manchester.
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Despite the fact that the cafe has been a part of the fabric of the city centre for decades, owners explained in a heartfelt goodbye message that their hands had been forced to close due to pressure from developers.
Writing that it was with ‘regret and great sadness’ that they were closing their much-loved cafe, they went on to explain that they had come to the end of their lease and ‘the landlord’s plans to redevelop means that we can’t stay’.
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The post also added that they had looked to relocate but had not been able to ‘find premises that come close to enabling us to offer our customers the same service and pricing.’
Sharing the news in a post on social media, co-owners Yaw Djang and Nicola revealed they will instead run Oklahoma as an online-only shop.
Writing that the last three years ‘have been ones of upheaval and change’, the announcement said that Covid brought both ‘problems and opportunities’ – giving the team time to focus on expanding Oklahoma’s online offering and to explore ‘new creative focus and ideas.’
It added that, as a result of improving their online offering during lockdown, they were able to ‘reach lots of new customers all over the UK and abroad’ and ever since have been ‘juggling two businesses’.
Flourish
One of Manchester’s most tempting plant stalls, Flourish, revealed that it would be shutting up shop on Tib Street for good this January – meaning there’ll be no more lunchtime trips to gaze at satin pothos, fiddle leaf figs, and bushy monsteras.
Shutting up shop for good with its final trading day on Saturday 21 January, the store will close for good after eight years of trading in this particular part of town.
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The store has closed because its current home the Rylands Building is about to be redeveloped and building work is due to start soon.
Explaining that “the Eight years we have been on Tib street have been amazing and it has without doubt been the foundation to where we are today,” owners reassured fans that their Deansgate Square stall will continue as usual and a new online-ordering concept will launch in the near future.
Roti
As Manchester’s first (and, as far as we know, only) Scottish-Indian fusion restaurant concept, Roti is nothing but a trailblazer: introducing us to haggis pakoras, masala fish and Indian-spiced Scotch Eggs.
Its cheese and onion bhajis, mince and tatties, and curried aloo and chickpea-filled roti ‘chip butty all made it so popular with Chorltonites during lockdown that it opened a second site over in Sale’s burgeoning foodie neighbourhood at Stanley Square.
But this month, owners revealed that they would be closing the doors to their original site – stepping down from two restaurants to just one.
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Adding that Chorlton is a ‘special place’, they hinted that they could be back in the future: writing they will be focusing on their Sale restaurant for now and hope to open a new site ‘when the time is right.’
No. 1 Canal Street was named Manchester’s best restaurant at the 2019 British Restaurant Awards, but even an accolade such as that couldn’t save it from shutting its doors this year.
Owners of No. 1 Canal Street Lisa Kettle and Danielle Condron, who also run a pub called The Bridge in Sale, revealed they would be closing both venues in a heartfelt message shared on social media at the beginning of January.
The pair said it was a ‘very hard decision’ and implied that it was ‘difficult times’ that had spurred them to make the call to close both businesses.
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Font
Manchester institution Font, home of the £1 cocktail and responsible for many a student hangover, was another legendary spot to announce its closure in 2023.
It all came about very suddenly, with the announcement made only the day before the venue shut its doors for good. That didn’t stop fans flocking down for one last hurrah in its honour, though.
Initially, Font had two bars in Manchester: one in Fallowfield and a second in the city centre. Having already closed its Fallowfield site some years ago, its New Wakefield St site was the last man standing – and now even that has gone. A very sad state of affairs indeed.
Any Manchester street food stans will be familiar with Yakumama, the Latin American concept that first began its life on Manchester’s street food scene before upping sticks to open its first restaurant over the border in Calderdale in 2019.
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This month, owners broke the news that their time at the old Co-Op building would be coming to a close at the end of January – leading the restaurant to be overwhelmed with bookings, receiving more than 100 in just 10 minutes.
Championed by the Manchester tastemakers like GRUB and Pollen from the start, the all-vegan and veggie concept made quite a mark on the city’s street food scene between 2015 and 2019 – popping up at locations across the city, as well as selling spicy-sweet homemade Aleppo hot sauce at a number of different independents.
Now owners are planning on taking some time out to regroup,saying they’d ‘worked hard to get over the hurdles’ but the ’emotional and financial input […] just isn’t in us right now, and we need to prioritise our health and a more balanced life.’
Alvarium
Northern Quarter bar Alvarium made a lot of noise over the summer when its application for more outside seating was denied by Manchester Council, and even went so far as to launch its own Crowdfunder to save it from closure last year.
It has now shut its doors, but it appears this won’t be the last we see of the bar. Writing that it was only ‘bye for now’, the team explained on its Instagram page that Alvarium ‘will be shutting its doors for January and February to have a little refurb and carry out some essential maintenance in the upcoming quieter months.’
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The post continued: “We just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past year, we’re excited for you to see the concept we return with. See you soon!”
The Moorcock
Award-winning gastro pub The Moorcock isn’t technically in Greater Manchester, but it’s close enough (and esteemed enough) to be worth a mention here.
Despite huge acclaim from critics, the team announced last year that they wouldn’t be renewing their lease – and now that final service deadline is quickly approaching.
In a heartbreaking announcement revealed to newsletter subscribers in 2022, owners wrote: “In honesty, we have barely caught our breath from the last two years, and now costs in every area spiral, recession looms, there is the prospect of supply issues, the world is an unstable place right now.
“Frankly, it’s just no time to be running a small business like ours.”
In November, Tom Kerridge and Gary Neville agreed to part ways with their acclaimed restaurant, The Bull & Bear, situated for the past three years on the ground floor of the grand Stock Exchange Hotel on Norfolk Street.
Michelin-starred chef Kerridge insisted that ‘there is no falling out’ while giving the former Manchester United legend a friendly shake on the shoulders in a video released to social media.
The duo aaid that the restaurant isn’t operating as a seven-day business, but the Stock Exchange Hotel is – and so The Bull & Bear will ‘be no more’, closing the site for good on New Year’s Day 2023.
Following the announcement, the pair were ‘blown away’ with kind messages of support from those who’d visited the restaurant over the years. It has since been announced that the Schofield brothers will take over the restaurant space this spring.
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Atkinsons Coffee
A part of Mackie Mayor’s fabric ever since it first opened its doors in 2017, Atkinson’s Coffee revealed that it would no longer be trading there – instead, owners will be returning to their hometown of Lancaster.
Sharing the news in a post on Instagram, the Atkinsons Coffee team said: “Today we bring you the sad news that we have made the tough decision to close our Manchester café at the Mackie Mayor.
“We would like to thank all our customers who have supported us over the years and amazing baristas who have all done us proud in what has been Atkinsons first venture outside of Lancaster in 180 years.”
Feature image – Flourish
Food & Drink
10 food and drink highlights from the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Christmas markets are back and… the same as ever! There are wooden huts everywhere and hoards of slow-moving people all over town.
But one thing we’re glad is still the same is the amount of brilliant food and drink all over the city centre.
For the last couple of years, the Manchester Christmas Markets have made a real effort to introduce plenty of local food and drink traders.
You’ll spot more than a few familiar faces as you weave among all the stalls of ornaments and cheese truckles – and we’ve rounded up 10 of the best.
From a festive twist on fish and chips to Asian fusion street food to a couple of returning viral sweet treats, there’s loads to go at.
Happy holidays – and happy eating!
10 of the best food and drink traders at the Manchester Christmas Markets
One of the very best chippies in Manchester is making it markets debut and we’re very happy about it. Hip Hop Chip Shop is serving up their perfectly fried, flaky fish and chips from £12 or £15 for a large but, to be honest, even the kids portion at £8 is well worth your money.
The only thing better than the ‘proper chippy chips’ here are the mustard and onion and a lovely chunky curry sauce. Having said that, we’ve now tired battered brussel sprouts (£6) for the very first time and we were very surprised about how much we liked them.
A vegan battered sausage and chips tray can always be snapped up at the same price point as the superb fish supper and they’ve even for beers starting at £5 and costing you no more than £7 for a posh pale ale.
The Flat Baker, Piccadilly Gardens
At its main site in Ancoats, The Flat Baker always pulls in the queues, and its spot at the Manchester Christmas Markets is no different.
After last year’s runaway success, they’ve got a bigger unit and a proper queue system, bringing back hits like croissants served with warm dipping sauce (pistachio, dulce de leche, Nutella and Oreo, and Kinder) which are £7.50 each.
There’s also new items like a Brazilian mince roll ice cream (£6.50), and an indulgent hot chocolate served in a cookie cup (£7.90).
Oi Dumplings, Piccadilly Gardens
Oi Dumplings are back with a disco ball shed at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
One of our favourite restaurants and street food traders ever, the lovely Oi Dumplings are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Head here for delicious, handmade steamed dumplings (£8 snack size, £12 meal size, £13 with rice) and the friendliest faces in town.
Fillings include pork cabbage and ginger, Chinese chicken curry, and vegan peanut, with sauces to go on top.
El Gato Negro, King Street
Meatball sandwich at El Gato NegroTapas and spanish sandwiches at the Christmas Markets
El Gato Negro has always found itself in the midst of the Manchester Christmas Markets, thanks to the fact its award-winning restaurant is slap-bang in the middle of King Street. So it was only a matter of time before they joined in with their own stall.
Now back for a second year, they have small tapas-style plates like chorizo in cider, lamb meatballs, and patatas bravas (all £6).
There are also fully loaded bravas topped with chorizo, cheese, sriracha mayo, crispy onions and aioli (£8), and meatball sandwiches (£8).
This legendary Spanish spot is even doing a mulled margarita (£6)
We ran faster than a Manchester run club the second this gorgeous food stall dedicated to all things crumble opened at the Christmas Markets because honestly is there anything more warming to the soul than a pot of home made crumble?
Choose your base – apple and cinnamon, winter berries, or chocolate caramel brownie, plus classic crumble or granola, then add on vanilla custard or whipped cream.
It’s £7, then for an extra quid you can add in toppings like toasted marshmallows, salted caramel, and pistachio sauce.
We couldn’t think of a better way to keep your hands warm as you browse the festive wooden huts.
Waffle Kart, King Street
Waffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Stop what you’re doing right now and look at the above food p*rn. Just look at it.
‘What if KFC and a Chinese restaurant made a baby?’, they ask on their blackboard above the door – if this is the result, we’re all for it.
Tender buttermilk chicken with an outrageously crunchy batter is served alongside fluffy waffles, with pickles and maple syrup for drizzling (£13.95); or you could get the prawn toast waffles (12.50), an unconventional twist on a family recipe. It’s all great.
Cheezy Bandits, King Street
There is never a season I don’t want to eat a big pot of melted cheese and carbs – and if you whack a bit of cranberry sauce on top too I’ll be there faster than Santa down a chimney.
Cheezy Bandits has a full menu of mac n cheese (£8), with toppings including Buffalo fried chicken and blue cheese sauce; bourbon BBQ pulled pork; and a ‘Festive Pig’ with maple glazed pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing and cranberry sauce (all £11).
You’ll find them tucked in amongst the festive scenes on King Street.
La Bavette, New Cathedral Street
You just can’t go wrong with steak, can you? Treat yourself to a seasonal steak sandwich stuffed with rocket, mustard mayo and topped with crispy onions for a a tenner – or, go one even better like we did and get a helping of freshly carved, melted Raclette cheese on top for an extra £4.
They do healthily portioned plates of steak frites too, which we topped with peppercorn sauce for an extra couple quid and it definitely levelled up the already well-seasoned carbs and the protein too.
Steaks are served medium rare as standard but you can ask for less/more cooking time if you like.
Yard & Coop, St Ann’s Square
Yard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc GroupYard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
If you don’t yet know of Yard & Coop – where the hell have you been, loca?
This Northern Quarter institution is back at the Manchester Christmas Markets with a menu full of its usual comfort food with a festive twist.
There are huge trays of loaded fries, like the salt n pepper tray or the Dirty Santa (£11), plus chicken in a waffle cone (£7) and the Buff Daddy burger (13).
BangGa BangGa, Piccadilly Gardens
Another insanely viral hit from a couple of years ago, and familiar face from the Piccadilly Street Food Markets, here you’ll find Korean hot dogs with so much mozzarella stretch you need two people to reach breaking point.
There are a few combinations of hot dog, potato, and cheese, with the option to roll them in a delicious salt and sugar blend before topping them with gochujang and mayo or whatever sauces you fancy (between £5.50 and £10.20).
There are also super spicy ‘Tteokbokki’ rice cakes (£5).
Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 prices – how much is food and drink this year?
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Christmas Markets are back for 2024 and I know the question on all your lips is about prices – ‘how much is this all going to cost me’?
The huge festive celebration is one of the city’s biggest visitor attractions, luring in around nine million visitors each year.
Manchester city centre is filled to bursting with pretty wooden huts, twinkling lights, and cosy bars, serving and selling gifts, bratwurst, mulled wine and loads more.
There are plenty of familiar independent traders from around town joining in with the event, including Flat Baker, Oi Dumplings, and The Hip Hop Chip Shop, as well as more traditional European stalls.
With 240 stalls to explore across nine different locations, it’s a huge endeavour to get round it all.
But – as with everything these days – prices at the Manchester Christmas Markets have steadily crept up in recent years, so what is everything going to cost you in 2024?
We have the answers.
Average food and drink prices at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Mulled wine – £5.50 (plus £3 for a shot of spirits)
Lager – £6
Prosecco – £6.50
Bratwurst – £8
Yorkshire pudding wrap – £10
Hot chocolate – £3.50
How much is a mug deposit at the Manchester Christmas Markets this year?
To have a drink at the Manchester Christmas Markets you first need to purchase a special mug.
Every year the council releases a special design for your markets bevvies – this year’s features festive cartoon characters.
These cost £3.50, which you can have refunded when you take them back to a bar – or you can keep it as a souvenir.
That means that when you get a mulled wine (£5.50) with a shot of rum or brandy (£3), plus the mug itself (£3.50), you’ll be dropping £12 on the spot. But you can get a bit of that back later.
Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 prices by area
The Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester Christmas Markers 2024 – Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens