Provence, Spinningfields’ new all-day wine bar and coffee house has revealed its new one-of-a-kind festive tipple, spiced mulled orange wine, guaranteed to be the hottest trend (and drink on the menu) this winter.
The summer go to, has been reimagined and is now served piping hot, with an infusion of classic festive flavours like star anise, clove, cinnamon and orange zest, for £6 per glass.
Accompanying the new tipple is the launch of a brand-new bottomless festive wine brunch priced at £35 per person, available to book from 12pm – 3pm every Saturday throughout December and January.
With 90 minutes of unlimited wine (bonus: there’s a selection of up to eight wines to choose from), prosecco, beer and orange mulled wine, in addition to sharing charcuterie boards complete with a variety of cheese, meats and vegetarian options – as well as mince pies from local artisan bakery, The Flat Baker.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
If you fancy singing whilst sipping, the new wine bar, which launched with a fun approach to wine, is also offering private festive bottomless ‘wine-oke’ experiences for 6 to 11 people in the bar’s secret downstairs space, ‘The Cellar’, with the unlimited bottomless drinks offering and grazing boards for 90 minutes and you guessed it – karaoke for £35 per person.
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And for those who fancy a night in, from Wednesday 14 December, Provence, is launching ‘wine on wheels’ via Deliveroo, where you can select from 80 bottled wines and ‘store items’ including cocktails, beers, olives, crisps, chocolate and Northern Cure charcuterie, as well as festive wine hampers delivered straight to your door.
Equally, if Christmas gifting is on your mind, ‘top-up’ cards for Provence’s in-house ‘wine jukebox’ are available to purchase in-store, where you can gift loved ones the opportunity to sample eight rotational premium wines by the glass (normally available only by the bottle), in addition to digital vouchers which can be purchased online to spend on all Provence experiences.
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Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Anthony Ellis, founder of Provence said:“We have a slightly different approach to wine at Provence, we like to bring fun to what we do, through our no-nonsense style.
“Which is why we’ve created our one-of-a-kind orange mulled wine and taken a festive fun approach to reinvent Christmas classics.
“Our wine-oke experience which launch in October, has been extremely popular, and what’s not to love than wine and karaoke with good friends this Christmas.”
Waitress at Palace Theatre Manchester – a perfect recipe for a delicious night out | Review
Clementine Hall
Waitress has all the ingredients for what makes a brilliant musical, with Carrie Hope Fletcher’s astonishing vocals as the cherry on top.
It’s been a decade since Waitress first wowed audiences on Broadway, and to celebrate this milestone, the show is touring the UK – bringing Sara Bareilles’ beautiful score to life once again.
This time, West End superstar Carrie Hope Fletcher is dusting off Jenna’s apron, and it’s safe to say, the beloved show is in very, very safe hands.
Waitress follows Jenna, a talented pie-maker working in a small town diner who is trapped in an abusive relationship.
Image: Matt Crocket (Supplied)
She dreams of a better life, and this only becomes more apparent when she finds out she is pregnant and falls in love with the charming Dr Pomatter (and after watching it last night, I think the whole audience did too).
Fletcher’s portrayal of Jenna is heartfelt and warm, yet perfectly powerful. Her vocals are nothing short of flawless, singing Bareilles’ glorious yet challenging score with ease.
Her rendition of ‘She Used To Be Mine‘ had us all reaching for tissues, and the round of applause that followed was the longest I’ve ever seen for a solo performance within a show.
Image: Matt Crocket (Supplied)
The opening number ‘Opening Up’ plunged us into her world, inviting the entire cast (of which there is no weak link) onto the stage for a exceptionally well-choreographed slice of diner dancing.
At drama school, we were told to never work with food on stage, but this production proved my lecturers wrong as clouds of flour and showerings of sugar were perfectly timed to the lyrics of ‘What Baking Can Do’. Impressive to say the least.
Jenna’s best friends Becky and Dawn, played by Sandra Marvin and Evelyn Hoskins, provided welcomed comedic timing in a story that often has its dark moments.
Image: Matt Crocket (Supplied)
Meanwhile, Mark Anderson brought a surprisingly tender charm to Ogie, balancing the character’s eccentricities with genuine heart.
His chemistry with Hoskins was utterly endearing, and their performance of ‘Never Ever Getting Rid of Me’ was one of the evening’s standout moments, earning huge laughs from the audience.
Visually, the show is a real treat too. The diner set feels cosy and intimate, while the live band gives Bareilles’ score an added richness that fills the theatre beautifully.
Image: Matt Crocket (Supplied)
Overall, Waitress remains as sweet as ever – a heartfelt story topped with a huge dollop of charm and a sprinkling of comedy that’ll have you craving another slice as soon as you’ve finished the first.
Waitress is on at Manchester’s Palace Theatre until Saturday 30 May, and you can grab yourself some last-minute tickets here.
Featured Image – Matt Crocket (Supplied)
Manchester
Major ‘plan ahead’ travel warning issued for this weekend ahead of Great Manchester Run
Emily Sergeant
A major ‘plan ahead’ warning has been issued for Manchester this weekend.
Heading into the city centre this weekend? Yeah… you and everyone else by the sounds of it, as Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is encouraging people to plan their journeys ahead of time as tens of thousands of people take to the streets for the 2026 AJ Bell Great Manchester Run this Sunday (31 May), whether they are taking part in it or just cheering the runners on.
Runners will either take on a 10K route through Salford, Trafford, and Manchester city centre, or tackle a half marathon route – which stretches further east, while passing some of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks.
Both events start on Portland Street, near the junction with Oxford Street, and finish on Manchester’s main thoroughfare, Deansgate.
A major ‘plan ahead’ travel warning has been issued for this weekend / Credit: Supplied | Janus Boye
TfGM is advising anyone travelling on the day to allow extra time for their journeys and to check before they travel, as there will be a significant number of road closures and extensive bus diversions in place throughout race day.
Road users are being particularly encouraged to check the route and closures in advance, while bus passengers should check whether their services are impacted or diverted.
Trams are being billed as ‘the best way to travel on the day’.
Extra staff will be deployed across the Bee Network, particularly at the busiest stops, and more double-trams are set to be in service.
The 2026 AJ Bell Great Manchester Run is taking place this Sunday / Credit: Supplied
TfGM says it will be working alongside its partners – including Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the bus and tram operators – to monitor and respond to situations as they happen, and will also be working with local authority highways teams to get road restrictions lifted as soon as possible to help minimise any delays for the wider public.
“The Great Manchester Run is always one of the highlights of the city’s events calendar, bringing a fantastic festival atmosphere to the streets of Manchester, Trafford, and Salford,” commented Danny Vaughan, who is the Chief Network Officer.
“With tens of thousands of people expected to travel into the city region it will undoubtedly be a very busy day.
“We want to make sure everyone can take part in or enjoy the event, which is why we encourage people to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journey and check the latest travel information before setting off.”
For live travel updates on race day, head to the TfGM dedicated webpage here.
Georgina Pellant -
12th December 2022 
