Manchester

Manchester bar pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II with heartfelt message

In its tribute, the bar described Queen Elizabeth II as "a leader, a lady, elegant and true"

The Manc The Manc - 9th September 2022

As tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II spring up around the city, one bar in Manchester has paid its own respects with a heartfelt message emblazoned above its door for everyone to see.

Impossible Bar on Peter Street is known for its tongue-in-cheek comments about current affairs, typically using its prominently-placed sign to comment on the latest Love Island or Kanye West scandal.

But in light of the Queen’s sudden passing, bosses have instead used it to share an ardent message about the late Monarch, writing “The best to ever do it. HRH Elizabeth II.”

Sharing the tribute on its social media channels, the bar described Queen Elizabeth II as “a leader, a lady, elegant and true… A role model for us all, our queen through and through… Queen Elizabeth ll 1926-2022.”

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It follows the appearance of a number of tributes across the city, as locals and businesses begin to come together to mourn the death of Her Majesty.

Manchester City Council has already announced St Ann’s Square as the dedicated space for anyone wishing to lay flowers in tribute, whilst the flag at Manchester Central Library has been lowered to half-mast and will remain so until 8am on the day following the State Funeral. 

Read more: Premier League football matches postponed as a mark of respect for HM Queen Elizabeth II

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The Queen’s Books of Condolence has also opened at the library this morning, with locals invited to visit between 9am and 6pm from now until the day after the funeral.

Elsewhere, billboards across the city have been changed to show tributes to the Queen with numerous pictures of her now on display.

Read more: Rail and postal workers postpone strike action in ‘mark of respect’ for Queen

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A number of voices from the wider nightlife industry have also joined in sharing tributes and condolences, with the Night Time Industries Association writing: “Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen has been an amazing ambassador and servant for this country over the last 70 years. Thank you for your service x”

Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord also shared his condolences, tweeting “A terribly sad day. My condolences are with the Queen’s family and with all who knew and loved her.”

Local brewery Joseph Holt has tweeted: “Joseph Holt Brewery and all of our Pubs share the sorrow of the nation following the announcement on the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. Thank you for 70 Years of service and dedication. Rest in Peace Your Majesty.”

And J W Lees has added its condolences, writing: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Everyone at JW Lees extends their sincere condolences to His Majesty the King and the entire Royal Family.”

The crown now passes to King Charles III, who will now rule as Monarch with his wife Camilla becoming Queen Consort.

Feature image – Impossible

Manchester

Chorlton neighbourhood favourite The Creameries has permanently closed

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Chorlton neighbourhood favourite The Creameries has permanently closed, it has been confirmed.

According to chef-owner Mary-Ellen McTague, the business had been doing well at the end of 2019 but has been “f*cked” ever since the pandemic.

Two years of not bringing in enough money, coupled with fewer people eating out, a backlog of loans and then a rise in VAT combined to leave her with little option but to sell – yet whilst there were a few interested buyers, none made it over the finish line.

As a result, after trying a number of different formats to keep the business going, she has made the decision to close up shop for good.

Speaking on closure, Mary-Ellen told the Manchester Evening News: “The whole thing has been awful, but it has been like that since the beginning of the pandemic.

Image: The Creameries
Image: The Creameries

“There was still a chance we were going to make a sale. We had three consecutive buyers who were very close, and then backed away,” she continued.

“The longer the economic instability has gone on, the more and more nervous [buyers] have been. 

“In September 2019, we started operating just as a restaurant, doing tasting menus, and it was working so well,” she said. “We had a brilliant Jay Rayner review, it was packed, we were making money, not just keeping afloat. Then the pandemic hit, and we’ve been f**ked since then.”

Read more: Eat Well: The restaurant-backed charity feeding hidden homeless families in Manchester

The former Edwardian Dairy was first opened in 2018 by the esteemed Manchester chef Mary-Ellen McTague as a bakery and natural wine bar serving a selection of pickles and small plates.

It later switched to operating as a restaurant, serving tasting menus that proved very popular with punters, before – like the rest of hospitality – it was forced to close in early 2020 as the country went into lockdown.

Image: The Creameries
Image: The Creameries

When it reopened, it tried a few different things before introducing Campagna, an affordable Italian menu that, whilst popular, didn’t manage to keep bringing in the footfall in the long term.

It appears that a new tenant has secured the site, although further details surrounding the operator are currently being kept under wraps.

“We tried so hard. To adapt and survive, and it just didn’t work,” Mary-Ellen added.

Read more: The Manchester Food and Drink Festival award winners 2022

“Pre-pandemic it was really, really, really hard to get to the point where more money was going in than coming out. Restaurants don’t talk about it a lot, but if you ask people off the record, most will say that getting to the point where you’ve done slightly better than break even, that’s a strong month.

“Things went from challenging to just completely impossible.”

Read more: One of Manchester’s first vegan restaurants has closed its doors for good

Going forward, Mary-Ellen will focus her efforts on her restaurant-backed community project Eat Well MCR, which feeds hidden homeless families in Manchester and has to date delivered over 70,000 meals to people in need.

She will also continue to work on the new Treehouse Hotel opening, which is expected to open in Manchester city centre in early 2023.

Feature image – The Creameries

Manchester

Massive queue forms FOUR HOURS ahead of Wagamama katsu curry giveaway

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Wagamama is giving away free katsu curries today – and a massive queue has already formed.

The popular restaurant’s site on St Peter’s Square in Manchester city centre has a long line of people eagerly hoping to snap up a free lunch.

The giveaway has been launched in celebration of National Katsu Curry Day, with restaurants right across England, Scotland and Wales taking part.

In Manchester city centre alone, there are Wagamama restaurants at St Peter’s Square, Spinningfields and Printworks – not to mention the six more scattered across Greater Manchester boroughs.

The free curry dishes won’t be given out until 3pm on Tuesday 27 September – but already by 11am there were dozens standing in line in town.

Niko Omilana with a katsu curry. Credit: Wagamama
The huge queue outside Wagamama in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

With only 50 katsu dishes per Wagamama restaurant up for grabs, handed out on a first-come first-serve basis, it’s looking like the early queueing will be totally necessary.

The freebies are also only available to students who have registered with the new Wagamama Noodle Union, a new student society, which is being fronted by YouTuber Niko Omilana.

Read more: The Manchester Food and Drink Festival award winners 2022

Niko said: “As one of my first acts as noodle union president, I’m proud to announce free katsu to mark National Katsu Curry Day – a day to celebrate across the nation as we come together in honour of all things katsu.

“Make sure to sign up to the noodle union so that you don’t miss out on a free katsu curry and other epic prizes throughout the year!”

Wagamama will give away 50 free katsu dishes per restaurant for dine-in, and diners can choose from chicken, yasai, vegatsu or hot.

Featured image: The Manc Group

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