A brand new cafe concept intercepting food that would otherwise go to waste is set to open up in Manchester city centre in just a few months time.
People’s History Museum (PHM) has announced that it is partnering with Manchester’s leading food conscious company, Open Kitchen, to bring a “sustainable food revolution” to its Spinningfields site in May.
Open Kitchen at People’s History Museum will be the first museum cafe and bar in the country to utilise food waste.
Alongside working with a range of food businesses to source perfectly-edible food that would otherwise go to waste, Open Kitchen also purchases ingredients from a sustainable food chain – local, seasonal, organic, independent, short supply chains and Fairtrade – and supports other ethical businesses and social enterprises.
This also makes it the first of its kind in the UK to take this combined approach.
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So, as a place where “ideas worth fighting for” are shared, explored and championed, People’s History Museum appears to be the perfect place for Open Kitchen to call home.
Leading the food revolution: Open Kitchen to partner with People’s History Museum
Open Kitchen @PHMMcr will be a fresh and modern cafe and bar. We will celebrate sustainable & ethical produce with an all-day menu that caters for all.
With a launch date all set to coincide with the reopening of People’s History Museum on Wednesday 19th May, Open Kitchen will be a “fresh and modern cafe and bar” overlooking the River Irwell, and it will “celebrate sustainable and ethical produce” with an all-day menu that caters to everyone, from museum visitors, to after work socialisers, families and more.
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In the evening, the scene will switch to offer table service drinks and small plates too.
Although the full menu is yet to be revealed, you can expect to see a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options, alongside a smaller selection of meat dishes using locally-reared and sourced meat, that all changes with the season.
Open Kitchen will be working directly with farms to highlight the sustainably-produced fruit and veg that is already grown in the North West.
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Sustainability also “feeds into every element” of the cafe, as the cafe’s interior will be kit out using up-cycled, recycled and reclaimed materials, as well as staff uniforms being Fairtrade, organic and locally made, and all of its takeaway packaging set to be 100% compostable.
Open Kitchen at People’s History Museum
“We are a values-driven organisation and we’re very excited for Open Kitchen to be taking its place within the national museum of democracy.” Katy Ashton – Director of People’s History Museum – said.
“We share Open Kitchen’s passion, belief and dedication for access to good food for all and look forward to their brilliant food and drink offer being part of PHM”.
Corin Bell – Founder and Director at Open Kitchen – added: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with People’s History Museum on this exciting new venture [as] affordable good food for all has always been something that we’re really passionate advocates for [and] to site our new cafe within the museum of democracy, equality, and rights, especially as the debate about the Right to Food rages, just feels like a perfect fit”.
“When you work in a huge environmental problem like food waste, you’re always sort of trying to put yourself out of a job by pushing to fix the broken system, hopefully to the point where food waste stops happening in the first place.” Corin continues.
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“It felt important for us to start to demonstrate how we can change our food system to design out food waste.
“We hope that by demonstrating how short supply chains, working directly with producers, buying local and seasonal, etc can reduce food waste, we can inspire people to change their habits around food”.
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Open Kitchen at People’s History Museum will open to the public on 19th May 2021.
Don’t forget to follow @OpenKitchenMCR on all social media platforms too.
Food & Drink
Award-winning cocktail bar in Manchester announces shock closure
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, a Manchester cocktail bar that’s been named as one of the best in the UK, has announced its shock closure.
The beautiful bar on the cobbled Little David Street has said that ‘this Pride will be our last’, with the doors set to close for good on Sunday.
Red Light opened its doors at Kampus in 2023, an inclusive space with great drinks, events, and DJs.
The bar was the brainchild of Deana Ferguson, an adopted Manc originally hailing from Belfast, who created a cosy, welcoming space with a fantastic martini.
But now, the Red Light team have announced that they have just days remaining in their home.
They wrote that ‘sustained financial headwinds’ are partly to blame, along with the challenges presented by operating a late-night venue in a residential area.
Red Light in Manchester has announced its closureThe beautiful bar is on Little David Street at Kampus in Manchester
In a heartbreaking statement, Red Light wrote: “For so many years, this bar has been more than a place to drink. It has been a home, a dance floor, a refuge, and a place where people could find friendship, freedom, love, and themselves.
“We are immensely proud of the community that has grown within these walls, and grateful to every person who has been part of it.”
The statement went on to thank the DJs, performers, neighbours and friends who ‘made this bar what it was’.
Red Light added: “We want our final Pride to celebrate everything we have created together. Come raise a glass, fill the dance floor, and help us give this place the joyful, unapologetically queer farewell it deserves.
“We hope to see you over the weekend, for one last Pride together.”
Viral Manchester doughnut window serving ‘spaghetti ice cream’ to close down
Daisy Jackson
Baby Mayhem, a dessert hatch in Ancoats serving fluffy filled doughnuts, has announced it’s closed for good.
The brand shot to fame with its baked-fresh-daily treats, which customers could have topped with ‘spaghetti ice cream’ and cheesecake filling.
For a year and a half, they’ve had consistent queues for their doughnut ice cream sandwiches and coffees, and become one of the most viral traders in Greater Manchester.
But now Baby Mayhem’s doughnut window in Ancoats is closing for good, with its founder James Turner citing a rise in rent and ongoing building works among the reasons for its closure.
He said that it’s become ‘increasingly difficult’ to operate the site, with the wider building undergoing construction work, telling followers that he’s only been able to open seven days out of the last eight weeks.
He’s also said that there is a ‘proposed increased rent’ looming, forcing him to close the Ancoats hatch for good.
But it’s not the end of Baby Mayhem as a brand, with a unit outside the Etihad Stadium, pop-ups planned at the Joie stadium, another term at Manchester Metropolitan university, and more appearances around town.
He also dropped a hint at a certain Christmas Market…
James will close the Baby Mayhem doughnut window in AncoatsBaby Mayhem’s fluffy doughnutsCredit: The Manc Group
In a statement, James said: “After an incredible year and a half, we’ve made the really difficult decision to close the Baby Mayhem hatch – for now.
“Over the past few months, ongoing building works have left much of the site under construction, making it increasingly difficult for us to operate consistently. We’ve only managed to open seven days in the last 8 weeks.
“The works have also had a huge impact on our kitchen, making it impossible to create our desserts to the standard we expect from Baby Mayhem. Alongside the disruption and proposed increased rent, continuing to operate from the hatch simply isn’t sustainable right now.
“But one thing is certain – this is not the end of Baby Mayhem.
“Over the last 18 months, we’ve been lucky enough to build a wonderful relationship with Manchester City FC and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of. That relationship continues to grow, with our unit outside the stadium, we will have pop ups at the Joie stadium for all the WSL home games, and also popping up at Kids Fanzone at every Manchester City home game.
“We’ll also be back at Man Met for another term of Baby Mayhem Burger, with more pop-ups around the city, a few festivals still to come and of course, we love a Christmas market.
“Sometimes in business you have to take one step back to take two steps forward.
“For now, the hatch is closing – but Baby Mayhem isn’t. To everyone who has supported us over the last year and a half, thank you.
Emily Sergeant -
30th March 2021 
