Hatch has invited the team behind the successful Stretford Market to bring their sustainable market to the city centre next month.
The team will be bringing their ethical, diverse and food-focused vendors to Hatch for one day only on Saturday 6 November.
Those heading down will find stalls offering cold brew coffee, jewellery, vegan pork pies, hand-fired pottery and homemade hummus.
And that’s not all either.
There’ll also be more from West African superfood stall SACO, handmade macrame plant hangers by Knotty, homemade halloumi from Yorkshire producer Razan who moved to the UK from Syria in 2012, hand-picked vintage finds from MrsMVintage and a range of vegan, organic skincare from Latina trio Esperanza.
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The team behind the successful Stretford Market are bringing their sustainable market to the city centre / Credit: Hatch
All businesses involved are local and passionate about their craft and the creation of a product that gives back to the living world.
The market aims to champion some of the most environmentally friendly and ethical artisans and producers that are local to the Greater Manchester area.
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Aiming to be an ‘every day’ market, more than 50% of the traders will be selling food, from farm-fresh to small-batch artisan produce, whether it’s sourdough, hot sauce, cakes and bakes, or even microgreens, every product traded will be sold to you by the hand that made it.
Carefully considered artisan products produced by skilled small businesses sounds like a perfect Christmas shopping opportunity to us.
All businesses involved are local and passionate about the creation of a product that gives back to the living world / Credit: Hatch
The sustainable market at Hatch doesn’t stop at ethically sourced food, the market aims to promote businesses whose goals include halting mass waste production.
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Incredible vintage clothing will be on offer at the event, as well as one-of-a-kind products transformed from upcycled wood, vinyl, and fabric.
Market organisers Heather Garlick and Annika Edge said: “We hope people experience something very different at our markets which we carefully curate to be food-led, sustainable and diverse.
“We work hard to find the best craftsmanship Manchester has to offer and we’re both passionate about Manchester’s top farmers and food producers who we’ve been working with since 2015.”
The free to attend market will run from 11am – 6pm on Saturday 6 November.
Featured Image – Hatch
Manchester
Only two arrested after day of ‘peaceful’ protests in Manchester city centre over the weekend
Emily Sergeant
Only two arrests were made following a day of far-right protests and counter demonstrations in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the day passed ‘peacefully’, with smaller numbers of people arriving than expected.
‘Significant’ police resources were in place throughout the day (Saturday 31 October) in order to safely facilitate the demonstrations – which saw an estimated 400 protestors and counter protestors gather around the Albert Square area of the city centre.
The police say they ‘attempted’ to work closely with organisers to ensure people could protest safely, all while wider disruption was kept to a minimum.
Increased ‘stop and search’ powers under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 were put in place in the city centre to help keep the public safe, but the vast majority of people both sides caused no issues for officers.
Only two people were arrested, but they were later released without charge.
One man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, and one male counter-protester was arrested on suspicion of robbery following an incident unrelated to the events.
“Our policing operation was designed to balance the right to peaceful protest with the need to keep the city centre safe and moving for everyone else,” commented Assistant Chief Constable, Mark Dexter.
“We also have had to ensure our plans were flexible and resilient so that any ‘flash protests’ in other areas of the city could be dealt with quickly, to minimise disruption and risks to safety in our communities. This plan continues into the remainder of the evening.
“As a result of extensive preparation and the work of officers and partner agencies throughout the day, both groups of demonstrators were able to exercise their rights safely, and we saw no significant disorder.”
Featured Image – GMP
Manchester
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd October 2021 
