A local Manchester brewery is giving away free lager and pizza this week to celebrate the launch of its newest beer.
Created in collaboration with local clothing brand Hikerdelic, the new limited edition beer is called GORP, or Good Old Raisins & Peanuts, and is the latest release from the city’s only craft lager brewery.
The newest drop from Manchester Union Lager, if you time it right you can grab a can (and a slice of Nell’s pizza) for free at Common on Edge Street this Wednesday.
All you need to do to get your hands on a freebie is to sign up for a free ticket with Skiddle here, then make sure you’re one of the first fifty people in the queue at 6pm.
There’ll also be a host of merch available, created by Hikerdelic – a relatively young clothing company born out of the ‘sartorial seeds of Proper Magazine’.
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Hikerdelic has already had great success in limited edition collaborations with the likes of Barbour, Novesta, Holubar and Yogi, after transitioning from writing about clothes to making their own.
The new GORP can has been designed by local illustrator Daren Newman. / Image: Supplied
Image: Hikerdelic
Now, they’re teaming up a bit closer to home, combining a love for the outdoors lifestyle with high-quality, well-designed clothing made to last.
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Their motto is where the peak meets the precinct, unifying the two worlds of rambling and raving, and let’s be honest there’s not much that does that better than a beer.
Promising to be the ‘perfect refreshment after a post-trail hike’, in spite of the name the Pilsner-style beer is actually completely free of peanuts.
The can label has been illustrated by Daren Newman, a celebrated locally-based illustrator who also created all of the typography for Hikerdelic’s branding.
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Speaking on the new beer launch, Manchester Union’s Jamie Scahill said: ‘We floated the idea of a beer with Hikerdelic a few years ago when they hosted a party at the brewery so we’re delighted for the world to try it.
“This is the perfect partnership with one of my favourite clothing brands and Manchester’s only craft lager brewery.”
Mark Smith from Hikerdelic added: “After the last couple of years, the importance of real life things has definitely grown.
“With social media we can interact with our followers but a real product enjoyed in real life can’t really be beaten.
“Working with Jamie and Will has been great and we’re looking forward to getting something a little different to our clothing out there.”
Head down to the Hikerdelic and Manchester Union Brewery present GORP Lager Launch Party this Wednesday, 7 September, at Common in Manchester’s Northern Quarter from 6pm – 10pm.
Up to 7,000 new homes and a ‘major’ new urban park planned for Strangeways regeneration
Emily Sergeant
Up to 7,000 new homes and a major new urban park are just some of the things proposed for the Strangeways regeneration scheme.
Both Manchester City Council and Salford City Council will be working in collaboration on the ambitious long-term regeneration for the Strangeways and Cambridge areas of the region, and the draft proposals have now been unveiled, outlining the vision that will ‘guide wide-scale investment and development’ across the 130-hectare location over the coming decades.
The draft Strangeways and Cambridge proposals present a ‘high-level vision’ for the area, according to the two Councils.
The plans include up to 7,000 new homes across seven distinct ‘neighbourhood’ areas, many of which will be ‘affordable’, increased commercial floorspace of around 1.75m sqft creating 4,500 jobs, a major new urban park.
The proposals support Manchester’s target to become a zero-carbon city by 2038 and reacts to other environmental factors in the areas.
We are working closely with @SalfordCouncil around the ambitious long term vision for Strangeways and Cambridge.
A public consultation will open soon about the long-term plan for these neighbourhoods.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) March 6, 2025
Crucially, the Councils say the proposals also reflect how HM Prison Manchester – formerly Strangeways Prison – remains a ‘significant barrier to the regeneration ambitions in this part of the city and how they will work with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) around the ‘long-term future’ of the prison.
A ‘people first’ approach to the regeneration will be prioritised, while the existing architecture and heritage buildings in the area will be celebrated.
“We know this area has challenges, but we also know that there is energy and a community brimming with potential,” commented Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council.
“We will deliver huge change in Strangeways in the coming years, working alongside the people who live and work there, and as we move to consultation in the coming weeks, we want to speak to local people and businesses about how we can make this part of the city thrive.”
Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, added: “The proposals in the framework seek to identify the best possible options for this area, which include the exciting opportunity to create a new city park for all, with an option for appropriate levels of mixed-use development, to continue to drive sustainable growth.
“I’d urge everyone with a vested interest in this area, whether you’re a resident or business to engage with the consultation process and work with us help shape the future of this part of the city.”
In order to discuss the proposals, Salford Council’s Cabinet will meet on Tuesday 11 March and Manchester’s executives will meet on Friday 14 March.
Over the last decade-plus, Grind has expanded right across London with 14 cafes, coffee shops and coffee trucks, as well as its own coffee roastery, but hasn’t yet ventured up north.
It’s also known for its at-home sustainable coffee products, including pods, is a growing presence in retail spaces, and is served on board British Airway flights, stocking Soho House, and collaborating with the likes of Baileys and BrewDog.
They’ll bring their extensive menu of speciality-grade coffee, seasonal food and cocktails to town, for everything from takeaway coffees to bottomless brunches.
Grind was founded back in 2011 when David Abrahamovitch turned his father’s old mobile phone store in Shoreditch into the first Grind cafe.
David says he has family connections to Manchester and has long been looking for the right site for Grind to expand here – then along came St Michael’s.
David Abrahamovitch, Grind founder and CEO said: “We’ve always said that if we were to do a big site outside of London, the first place we would go would be Manchester.
“My wife is Mancunian and her whole family live in Manchester, so I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years and I’ve always thought that a Grind would work well.
Grind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: SuppliedGrind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: Supplied
“We’ve looked at various locations over the years, but thanks to Gary (Neville) and the team at Relentless we think we’ve finally found the perfect home for Grind in St Michaels, in the heart of Manchester. We cannot wait to get open in the summer!”
Gary Neville, Director at Relentless Developments said: “The ambition for St Michael’s was to create a landmark that will become an economic driver for Manchester and bring together major names in a world-class, sustainable development.
“Attracting brands like Grind who have yet to set foot outside the capital is a massive achievement and testament to how hard we’ve been working to deliver our vision for the scheme and city as a whole.”
Grind will open this summer at St Michael’s in Manchester.
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2022 
