Manchester wine connoisseurs Le Social have revealed plans to open a new wine bar and tasting room in Ancoats, bringing its organic and biodynamic wines into a new permanent sit-down setting for the very first time.
Having found success during lockdown as an at-home wine delivery service, and collaborated on several pop-ups and supper clubs around Manchester, the team is now preparing to throw open the doors to its very own space this weekend, Saturday 29 January.
Here in its new trendy shipping container home, drinkers and diners can expect an ever-changing menu of natural wines, deli boards and continental plates, served on Saturdays between the hours of 2pm and 10pm.
Image: Le Social Wine
Designed for sharing amongst friends, dishes will utilise an array of authentic French, Spanish and Italian produce which, like the wine list, will all be created using responsibly sourced ingredients to help support independent farmers and producers.
You can either select a few plates from a list or create your own bespoke spread, choosing from nibbles including the likes of plump Spanish green olives and salted almonds.
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Elsewhere, you’ll find delights like Catalan sardines, Italian aubergine fillets, roasted artichoke halves, French duck rillettes and black humus, sourced straight from the Basque Country, to enjoy alongside your wine.
Image: Le Social Wine
There’ll also be a range of different cheeses, selected weekly by local suppliers the Butcher’s Quarter, and fresh bread from Ancoats’ community bakery Companio – perfect to mop up all that olive oil from the aubergine and sardines.
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Drinks-wise, the shelves are stacked with a diverse range of unique and quirky wines – all handpicked with excellent taste, individuality and character in mind. Guests are welcome to try any bottle they like for the usual retail price, plus a £5 corkage fee.
Bottles will be rotated regularly, including different options at various styles and price points to make sure Le Social’s incredible wines are accessible to everyone – no matter their budget.
Image: Le Social Wine
Due to the small nature of the space, bookings are mandatory – with tables reserved for two hours at a time.
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As well as opening up for drinkers on Saturdays, Le Social is also launching its new tasting room this week.
Designed for wine tastings, workshops and private functions, a full calendar of events is yet to be announced but will include educational tasting nights, art exhibitions, craft workshops with other Pollard Yard residents and more.
As much a lifestyle brand as a wine connoisseur, social consciousness flows throughout the entirety of Le Social with environmental and social impact factored into every element of the offering.
Beyond a passion for wine, Founder Jérôme’s wider mission is to advocate for a more inclusive and representative wine world by working with independent, sustainable and minority wine producers.
Inside the tasting room / Image: Le Social Wine
His appreciation of community and the environment translates into sourcing and pouring wines which make a positive social impact throughout the supply chain, from the people working in the vineyards to the friends and families who will live a special moment sharing them.
Speaking on the new opening, founder Jérôme Boullier said: “With Le Social I want to create an alternative wine-led space which is centred on experience and inclusivity.
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“The Wine Bar and Tasting Room will serve as cosy destinations where all are welcome to appreciate delicious wine with a purpose and food that will enhance the experience.
Image: Le Social Wine
“The intimate nature of the bar means customers will gain knowledge as well as try out something new and exciting and meet new people in doing so!
“Wine has always been part of my everyday life, as a child I was often sent to the wine cellar in my grandparents’ house to find a specific bottle for the occasion.
“Family rituals were always accompanied by wines appropriately matched, and I was invited to try from a pretty young age!
“I’m so happy that I now have the opportunity to pursue my passion in a meaningful way. I’m very excited to show the space off.”
Le Social Wine Bar will be open every Saturday from 29 January 2022 onwards. Reservations can be made directly through Le Social’s website here and bookings for the tasting room can also be found on the website.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s top property hotspots for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been revealed as one of the most-searched places to move to in the UK according to annual data.
Every year, leading property listing website, Rightmove, takes a look at all the cities, towns, and residential areas across the UK where people searched for homes to live in most, and puts together an interesting top 10 list.
From the suburban neighbourhoods and coastal escapes, to country communities, overseas destinations, and everything in betweeen, Rightmove has been digging into the numbers and trends to see where house-hunters dreamed of moving to the most last year, and found that this year’s trends tell ‘an interesting story’.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s property hotspots for 2026 / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash)
Property experts say this year’s ‘hotspot’ list is shaped by lifestyle changes, shifting priorities, and economic influences that are reshaping demand.
As was to be expected, major cities dominated UK property searches in 2025.
London continued to ‘lead the way’ as the country’s main urban hub, with close to 10 million people calling the English capital home currently, meaning it, unsurprisingly, claimed the top spot when it came to area searches – but Manchester wasn’t very close behind.
Top 10 most-searched UK cities on Rightmove 2025
London
Manchester
Glasgow
Bristol
Edinburgh
York
Bath
Cornwall
Liverpool
Sheffield
Our city claimed second place on the list, with several other major northern cities featuring in the top 10 too, including York, Sheffield, and Liverpool.
Glasgow is third on the list, while Bristol and Edinburgh rounded out the top five.
“Our review of the year spotlights some of the most popular trends from 2025,” explained Rightmove’s property expert, Colleen Babcock.
“With billions of minutes spent on Rightmove each year, we have a unique window into the nation’s passion for property.”
Featured Image – Mylo Kaye(via Unsplash)
Manchester
Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United
Danny Jones
Ruben Amorim has officially been sacked by Manchester United.
The Portuguese head coach managed more than a year in charge of the Red Devils, but following a bad record overall, not to mention a blockbuster interview over the weekend, they have now parted ways.
Now fully confirmed by the club itself, Amorim’s 14-month stint as Man United boss is over, and an interim manager has already been put in place.
Writing in an official statement, MUFC said: “Ruben Amorim has departed his role as Head Coach of Manchester United.
“Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May.
“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.
“The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.”
For many supporters, it was abundantly clear that an ultimatum was likely, if not already imminent, after his visibly frustrated post-match press conference following the 1-1 draw against Leeds.
There were already reports of growing friction between Amorim and the director of football, Jason Wilcox, and his bombshell quotes on Sunday, 4 December, only added fuel to the fire.
In case you haven’t seen it, you can see the clip in question down below.
United have also confirmed that former player Darren Fletcher will be leading out the squad (which includes his twin sons, Jack and Tyler) in their next game against Burnley this Wednesday, 7 January.
As for who could be installed next, the recently resigned Enzo Maresca has already been linked with the manager’s position, and plenty are already speculating as to which sidelined/loaned-out players could return to the club following his exit.
Regardless of a wealth of initial backing by the INEOS Sports board members, in the summer transfer window, as well as from the majority of players and countless fans, Amorim exits the club with one of the worst win percentages in their history and just 15 victories to his name in nearly half a century of games.
How would you sum up the 40-year-old’s time at Old Trafford, Reds?
Georgina Pellant -
24th January 2022 
