Manchester City Council has announced it will extend free school meals throughout the 2022 Christmas holidays to make sure that no children go hungry this winter.
Council bosses said they were responding “to the lack of action being taken by the central government” in order to address the “desperate situation thousands of people could soon face”.
The move was announced on Wednesday 5 October as part of an £8m package of local support designed to help Manchester residents deal with spiralling bills and soaring food costs caused by runaway inflation.
It is hoped that the move will pull a large number of children out of food poverty this winter, as it is is estimated that the cost-of-living crisis could adversely affect up to 100,000 households in Manchester this winter.
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As well as extending free school meals through the winter break, council bosses are also setting up a support line to connect people with local foodbanks, pantry services, and dedicated meal providers.
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Inspiration is being taken from the Council’s previous work supporting people throughout the Covid pandemic, where emergency hubs were established to provide people with essentials.
A new Cost of Living Advice Line has just gone live this week, through which residents can contact the Council via phone, or online, to get advice on how to access support this winter. between Monday and Friday, 9am–4pm.
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The number for the hub is 0800 023 2692 and will function in a similar way to the Covid emergency response seen during the pandemic, putting residents in touch with local support and advice services.
Elsewhere, the Council’s Welfare Provision Scheme is being expanded to provide emergency hardship support, and a new website has been set up to help make it easy for residents who are in financial difficulty or crisis to apply for grants and support.
Additionally, the Council and its health partners will be getting in touch with residents about Winter wellbeing information, including Flu and Covid-19 vaccination details set within help around food, heating and household bills linked to the Cost-of-Living crisis.
However, bosses recognise that far more needs to be done to avert the “impending disaster.”
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “As we head into the winter months many residents in Manchester are staring down the barrel of true hardship.
“We are proud of the work the Council has already done in recent years to alleviate poverty and create an economy in Manchester which works for everyone, but it is clear that in these dire times greater action is needed.
“The steps taken by the government have not gone nearly far enough and much more has to be done if we are to prevent our residents from slipping below the poverty line.
“A lot has been said about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis but we believe that in the absence of leadership from the centre, we need to take action with the powers we have at our disposal.
“By declaring a Cost of Living emergency the Council is laying out just how seriously we are taking this situation. We are not prepared to stand idle as more and more of our residents are exposed to hardship.”
Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development reveals plans for FOUR new food and drink openings
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville’s landmark St Michael’s development has revealed a major new food and drink arrival – actually, FOUR new arrivals.
The huge site in the city centre has announced that acclaimed restaurant group Pasture will be opening four different food and drink destinations here, including a new era for the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub.
Pasture will also have a flagship restaurant on the ground floor of the 43-storey St Michael’s tower, operate the W Lounge hotel bar, and breathe new life into the much-loved historic pub that has stood here long before the development began taking shape.
Pasture has partnered with Relentless Developments and Salboy to bring its food and drink offering to the huge city centre scheme.
The group will take over the much-loved historic Abercromby pub, which is being sensitively restored as part of the development, as well as Terrace, an outdoor dining destination serving a Mediterranean-inspired, all-day menu.
Together, the four concepts will bring a varied hospitality offering to St Michael’s, adding to the restaurants and bars already operating at No.1 St Michael’s such as Circolo Popolare and Chotto Matte.
Founded in 2018 by chef-owner Sam Elliott, Pasture began in Bristol and has since expanded into Cardiff and Birmingham, becoming known for its expertly prepared meat, lively atmosphere and commitment to provenance.
St Michael’s will welcome Pasture to ManchesterSt Michael’s new food and drink offering will also feature an outdoor terracePasture is coming to Manchester
Speaking about the announcement, Sam Elliott said: “Manchester is a city with a huge personality, a strong independent spirit and a real passion for great food, so bringing Pasture here is incredibly exciting.
“St Michael’s gives us the opportunity to create something that goes beyond a restaurant, with four distinct destinations that each have their own identity while sharing the same values around quality, provenance and memorable experiences.
“From our signature open-fire cooking at Pasture Manchester and Mediterranean-inspired all-day dining at Terrace, to the atmosphere of W Lounge and the much-loved character of the Abercromby, we’re looking forward to becoming part of the city’s dynamic hospitality scene.”
Gary Neville, director of Relentless Developments, said the restaurant group was exactly the kind of operator the team wanted to attract to St Michael’s.
“When we started St Michael’s, our ambition was to create a destination in the heart of Manchester that genuinely reflects the energy, confidence and character of the city.
“Pasture is exactly the kind of operator we want to attract. Sam and his team have built something special, and bringing four distinct concepts into the scheme will add another layer of quality and personality to what we’re creating here.”
The announcement forms part of the second phase of St Michael’s, which also includes 75,000 sq ft of premium office space, a 162-room W Hotel and 217 W Residences within the 43-storey tower.
No opening dates for the four Pasture venues have been confirmed yet.
Inside Counter, Manchester city centre’s newest restaurant with beef croissants and Vimto trifle
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has a brand-new restaurant right in the city centre, where modern British cooking shines.
Counter comes from acclaimed chef Andrew Sheridan, who just weeks ago launched Arcadian over in Didsbury – and now he’s continuing to put his stamp on Manchester with this newest launch.
Taking a spot in a new building off South King Street, the space itself is dominated by huge elm trees that line the restaurant as a centrepiece, as well as a looming metal face sculpture.
And at the top of it all is an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work, creating meat- and fish-forward plates.
Expect stand-out dishes like a flattened croissant topped with beef tartare, loaded flatbreads, and huge sharing dishes like a roasted duck sharing platter, and wagyu ribeye.
There are also not-so-subtle nods to Manchester on the dessert menu, with a Vimto 1908 trifle that’s bringing together Vimto jelly, baked yoghurt, vanilla sponge, blackcurrant, raspberry and custard; plus The Manchester Glory that layers vanilla custard, raspberry, coconut ice cream, banana, toasted coconut, whipped mascarpone and cherry.
The beef tartare croissant and carrot flatbreadA huge duck sharer from Counter restaurant in ManchesterGrilled lamb chops
The new restaurant, which comes from Open Restaurant Group, will officially open its doors on Monday 9 November, with 60 covers.
The best seat in the house is at the chef’s counter, where diners can look directly out onto the pass at the kitchen in action.
And the best section on the menu has to be the grill, with plates like the satay spatchcock chicken, turbot steak, and sides such as gravy fries with beef dripping, and mac and cheese brulee.
Andrew Sheridan, chef and co-founder at Open Restaurant Group, said: “For us, great cooking isn’t about sticking to rules or defining food by where it comes from. It’s about taking the best flavours, textures and ingredients from around the world and bringing them together in ways that surprise people.
“We start with great produce, take inspiration from different food cultures and have fun with it, creating dishes that are bold, playful and full of flavour.
“Manchester is creative, loud and full of character, and we wanted Counter to reflect exactly that. It’s a place where great food meets a sense of occasion, without ever taking itself too seriously.
“Whether you’re joining us for lunch or dinner, we want Counter to feel like a natural part of the city, somewhere you come back to time and time again.”
Georgina Pellant -
5th October 2022 
