Manchester

Tiny Didsbury bakery wins big award – and it already had people queueing for cakes

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 15th April 2022

A tiny bakery in Didsbury has just been named the best bakery at England’s Business Awards.

La Chouquette creates traditional French pastries, desserts and cakes using top-quality ingredients.

It first opened its doors on Wilmslow Road during lockdown, and quickly had people queueing down the street.

Its customers were so eager in the early days that La Chouquette had to expand into the unit next door so they could make even more sweet treats.

  • La Chouquette bakery in Didsbury. Credit: The Manc Group
  • La Chouquette bakery in Didsbury. Credit: The Manc Group

On their counters and in the baskets lining the windows, you’ll find everything from delicate viennoiseries to hearty savoury pies and tarts.

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La Chouquette’s almond croissants fly out of the doors, alongside freshly-baked baguettes and sourdough loaves.

The business was founded by Mairead Deignan and Florent Verove, both 26 and professional bakers.

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The pair say they’re ‘very excited’ to receive the accolade, and thanked their staff and customers for the unwavering support they’ve received.

Fresh bread at La Chouquette. Credit: The Manc Group

In a post on social media, they wrote: “We are very excited to announce that we won the GRAND FINAL at the England’s Business awards for Best Bakery!!

“After winning the regional awards in November 2021, we were entered into the final stage of the awards which were held last month in Manchester!

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“It has been such a journey since we opened in December 2020 and we could not have done any of this without our fabulous staff, our wholesale customers, our friends & family, and of course your support.

Read more: Where to find the best Easter foodie specials in Manchester 2022

“Thank you all our customers who have been absolutely amazing and so loyal to us since we first opened and for all your votes that helped us win the regional awards in November and now the final this year!

“Also a huge thank you to @urbanbakersmcr and @slabbakery for supplying us with their delicious vegan and gluten free cakes!!

“We are very excited for the future of La Chouquette! This means so much to us x.”

Featured image: The Manc Group

Manchester

Foldies – Popular Manchester pizza joint to open ‘the world’s greatest sandwich shop’

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The team behind Brewski are opening a sandwich shop called Foldies. Credit: Brewski

The team behind Manchester’s much-loved Brewski and American Pies have announced a brand-new concept.

They’re claiming that Foldies, which is opening in the city centre later this month, will be ‘the world’s greatest sandwich shop’.

The team are already the proud creators of Brewski, home of outrageous creations like the ‘batter platter‘ (which included chicken poutine butties, beef shin rag pudding and a katsu curry fondue) as well as their deep-dish pizzas over at American Pies.

They recently shifted American Pies from its spot on Mosley Street, right near the Manchester Art Gallery, to Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, leaving that prime site ready for a new concept.

Enter Foldies, where you’ll find stone-baked sandwiches filled with overnight slow-cooked or cured meats and sauces made in house daily.

These folded pizza-style butties will be ready in 60 seconds and they claim it’ll be ‘your first true sandwich love’.

Foldies sandwiches by Brewski
Foldies sandwiches by Brewski. Credit: Brewski
Foldies sandwiches by Brewski
Brewski claims Foldies will be ‘the world’s greatest sandwich shop’

The dough for the sandwiches will be made with double zero flour, proved for 12 hours before being folded and cooked on a stone at 400 degrees.

Foldies will also served breakfast sandwiches, with fillings including scrambled sage and cheddar egg, and bacon, nduja, egg and crumbled goat’s cheese.

At lunchtimes, there’ll be everything from mortadella and pistachio pesto to a ‘pizza dog’ with crispy onions, Korean BBQ and fries.

Foldies is set to open at 58 Mosley Street at the end of November, and will be open from 7.30am-11.30am for breakfast, and 11.30am-6pm for lunch.

They’re currently giving away a chance to win free sandwiches for a year too – you can see more on that HERE.

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Featured image: Brewski

Manchester

The Pop Up Club – pop-up shop for independent retailers to return to Manchester this weekend

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

The Pop Up Club is coming back to Manchester city centre this weekend, offering a prime retail space to independent businesses and small creators.

The initiative aims to transform unused public spaces and invite designers, makers and artists along to add cultural and commercial value to the local area.

Through providing this platform for these businesses, The Pop Up Club has managed to help its traders earn £1.5 million across all their previous events which run up and down the UK.

The brilliant pop-up retail space was previously on King Street in Manchester, but this time The Pop Up Club is moving into the Manchester Arndale.

Shoppers will be able to choose from the curated traders on offer, such as beautifully handpainted watercolour illustrations from By Tilly, celestial and nature inspired jewellery by Sian Mellor designs and beaded bracelets from That Wild Feeling.

It’s also helping to promote local talent as it shares the work of Manchester based unique printed homewares from Lydia Meiying.

Moonshine Prints, a trader who creates a variety of fascinating and eclectic wall art for everyone to buy and display in their homes, will also be at The Pop Up Club when it returns to Manchester.

The Pop Up Club will offer a chance to browse local traders who normally wouldn’t have a platform as big as this, while also supporting art and culture direct from the north.

Tillie Peel, creator and founder of The Pop Up Club.
Inside the incredible retail space providing opportunities for small businesses.
Peel, admiring works by small creators which are part of her small business initiative.
Credit: Publicity Pictures

The businesses The Pop Up Club uplifts and works with may be small but the amount of traders definitely isn’t – they’ve shone a spotlight on more than 500 independent retailers since setting up the social enterprise.

It’s also nice to hear that creatives who have worked with them in the past would more than likely consider working with The Pop Up Club again as according to the statistic on their website, ‘100% of traders said they would return’.

The venture was founded by Tillie Peel, who says: “Manchester has always welcomed us with open arms, and the friendly Northern spirit was calling us back once again.

“Utilising an empty space at the Manchester Arndale is a dream come true for us, as it puts us at the heart of shopping in the city and with events such as the Christmas Markets returning, the footfall of the city centre will be highly welcomed by us and all our traders in our Manchester store.

“With over 5 million small businesses in the UK*, there are so many that deserve attention and shopping small can bring huge benefits to the economy as well as supporting local income. This Christmas is the perfect time to shop from small businesses and independent traders, where a purchase can make a real difference to that brand.

“Our network of independent businesses have found being in our stores offers real value, as well as allowing them to speak to customers, see the reactions in real time to their items and to get a taste of what the high street has to offer.”

Shoppers who just can’t wait to get on down to The Pop Up Club can browse the shop in person on 16 November at Manchester Arndale.

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Featured Image: Publicity Picture

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