Thursday was always going to be an important day for Peveril of the Peak.The doors to the famous pub had been locked for months – and this was the date when the pints would finally start pouring again.
But the arrival of a very special guest at the Great Bridgewater St boozer on April 22 turned reopening day from a big occasion into an unforgettable one.
As the barrels were prepped and the tables were propped up outdoors, the first visitor pictured at ‘The Pev’ turned out to be none other than Manchester United legend Eric Cantona.
The former striker – who scored 82 goals during five years at Old Trafford – was seen stood behind the bar on Thursday afternoon.
Posting on social media, The Pev revealed that some filming was being completed at the venue during the daytime and they planned to reopen to the public around 5pm.
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Cantona has been spotted shooting in other locations around the city this week – with another photo showing him in conversation with current United star Bruno Fernandes.
We’ve had a special visitor today to mark our first day of re-opening. We’ll be opening up later on, around 5pm 🍻 pic.twitter.com/RNBcghVlav
Peveril of the Peak is not just one of the most beloved old boozers in Manchester but also one of the most visually distinct for its iconic green tiled Victorian architecture.
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It is operated by one of the longest-serving landladies in the region – with 89-year-old Nancy Swanick celebrating 50 years behind the pumps in January 2021.
The Pev had originally planned to reopen on May 17 following the national lockdown, but owners brought the date forward “due to much popular demand and nice weather.”
Serving recommences outdoors from around 5pm tonight (April 22).
Manchester
I went on a walking wine tour around Manchester and it might be the perfect afternoon out
Daisy Jackson
If you love wine, and you love Manchester, and you’d quite like to do something with your afternoon that celebrates both of those things, can I put you onto the Manchester Wine Tours?
This genius little event sees small groups of people heading across the city on, essentially, an organised and very sophisticated bar crawl.
Imagine Carnage, but instead of drawing on a t-shirt and slamming neon green alcopops, you’re dressed up nicely and visiting some of Manchester’s top food and drink businesses.
Manchester Wine Tours is owned and operated by Kel Bishop, a local food and drink writer and wine teacher.
Each tour is different, taking in different bars, different wines, and different people.
But as a general rule of thumb you can expect to meet up with Kel somewhere centrally, and follow her to around four different bars, sampling one or two wines in each.
You end up drinking roughly two-thirds of a bottle of wine, unless you get lucky with a small group like ours, where we definitely got a little more than that.
And each tour factors in a few points of interest, in classic walking tour style and for even more of a Manchester flavour.
On the Manchester Wine Tour I joined, our route included a few of the city centre’s newest wine hotspots, starting at Kallos, the fantastic greek restaurant in Salford that’s striving to have the largest collection of greek wines in the UK.
Here we tucked into their divine, puffed-up flatbreads and dips, as well as tinned octopus, all paired with a crisp sparkling Domaine Karanika Brut Cuvee Speciale.
Stop one on our Manchester Wine Tours – Kallos
Then it was on with the big coats for a walk back into the city centre to Sterling.
On a personal note, I’ve been working as a food and drink journalist in Manchester for a decade. I did not expect to have any surprises along the way.
But then Kel led us into the wine room at Sterling – not usually open to the public – and proved me wrong.
Tucked away from the main bar, surrounded by wooden shelves glinting with different wines, we sampled a dry Chenin a New Zealand Lethbridge Chardonnay, and all realised we had been judging Chardonnay far too harshly.
Inside Sterling
It’s at this stop that Kel really breaks down the art of wine tasting, and how to build your understanding of a wine from sight to smell to sip.
Suitably warmed up, it was time for a dash across to Winsome, the new British restaurant that’s already been added to the Michelin guide, where we crammed around a centrepiece of wine bottle candles dripping in wax to discover the delights of the Greek Alkemi Xenomavro rose – my favourite wine from the night that I bought an extra bottle of to take home.
Each stop of the wine tour offers snacks as well as the wines, and for Winsome it was a delicate squash dish picked by the chef to compliment our drinks.
Manchester Wine Tours in Winsome
We also sampled a lethally good Terre de Zeus Xinomavro here – it was a good day for Greek wine.
By this point of the tour we’re like a slightly wobbly gaggle of baby birds, scurrying after Kel towards our final spot for the night – Beeswing.
The Kampus bar provided an Austrian Funkstille Zweigelt (ordered an extra glass of this, it was so good) and a The Good Luck Club Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley, plus boards of charcuterie and cheese.
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My brain is like a sieve for wine facts (I’ve written up most of this by looking at the labels), but I guess that just means the Manchester Wine Tour will have a repeat customer.
Kel is an expert at reading the room and deftly tailors her tastings to suit each person’s wine experience. For some it’s just the pleasure of drinking a nice wine (here, have a top-up), for others it’s digging into the history and politics of the drink. Some just wanted to uncover a new bar or restaurant, playing tourist in their own city.
It felt as though all seven of us on our tour took something different away from the exact same experience – and is that not the beauty of good hospitality?
It’s all completely accessible, approachable and very, very fun.
The Stone Roses’ Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield has died aged 63
Daisy Jackson
Tributes are pouring in for Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, after it was announced that the Stone Roses legend has died at the age of 63.
The bassist, who was also part of Primal Scream, was born in Crumpsall and has been one of Manchester’s most beloved musical figures ever since finding fame in the 1980s.
Mani’s brother Greg broke the news this afternoon, writing on Facebook: “IT IS WITH THE HEAVIEST OF HEARTS THAT I HAVE TO ANNOUNCE THE SAD PASSING OF MY BROTHER GARY MANI MOUNFIELD. RIP RKID.”
Mani’s wife Imelda also passed away in late 2023 after a battle with bowel cancer, for which the pair had raised money and awareness since her diagnosis.
That included a huge star-studded fundraising party where Mani and Imelda raised more than £100k for The Christie and local NHS charities.
Mani and Imelda shared twin sons, who were born in 2012.
Tributes are now flooding in for Mani, especially from those who have also been a part of the Manchester music scene.
Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown posted on X: “REST IN PEACE MANi X”
Rowetta shared a photo with Mani and Imelda and wrote: “Back with your Imelda, Mani. Going to miss you so much. All my love to the boys, the family & all those who knew & loved him.”
Tim Burgess of The Charlatans fame said: “I shared this photo a week or so ago on Mani’s birthday. It never failed to bring a smile to my face – and that was exactly the same for the man himself.
“One of the absolute best in every way – such a beautiful friend. Love you Mani x x. Never to be forgotten”
Shaun Ryder wrote: “RIP Mani – my heartfelt condolences to his twin boys and all of his family X”
Reverend and the Makers shared: “My heart is broken. Found out this morning and just felt low as it gets all day.
“Mani was my musical hero and just a lovely genuine human. When my Dad died , he offered me the warmest and best advice. No fuss, privately, straight up and always available to everyone.
“I’m a bit ill myself at the minute and not ashamed to say I shed at tear at the news. See on the next one mate.
“A true legend of the game. RIP”
Echo and the Bunnymen wrote: “I’m absolutely gutted to hear the news about Mani, who I have always loved and always will love, deeply and forever. Like a brother.
“I am in shock to be honest. Please tell me I’m just having a bad, bad dream. My thoughts and feelings and Mani, love to all of his family from me. Mac Bunnyman Xxx”
The Manc -
22nd April 2021 
