Boozy independent ice cream slingers A Few Scoops have revealed exciting new plans to settle down in a permanent parlour in Sale next month, bringing their trademark treats to the Trafford town.
Epic cocktail-inspired sundaes, sorbets and milkshakes will be the order of the day when the artisans open inside Sale Foodhall next week on 3 February.
Flavours like espresso martini, pina colada, old fashioned and mojito, all lovingly made by the team, will be served in cones from the Antonelli Brothers in Eccles, or coupled with brownies, sugar waffles and cookies as part of more elaborate ice cream sundaes.
The new sundae menu has been put together especially for Sale, and the team are currently developing some new flavours too -including cocktail-inspired white Russian and cherry bourbon ice creams – ready to debut when they open the parlour next week.
These boozy ice creams will also be used to make indulgent shakes, or as 600ml tubs for ice cream lovers to enjoy at home.
It’s not all booze and cream, though. Non-drinkers and vegans will have something to enjoy too, with a range of straight-up alcohol-free ice creams, sorbets and shakes also on offer.
They will join the likes of Basilico Pizza and What’s Your Beef as residents at Sale Foodhall on Stanley Square in the town centre.
Image: Sale Food Hall
Having already built a large and loyal following touring Greater Manchester (and beyond) with their cocktail-inspired puds, all served out of their beloved baby pink tuk tuk (Jolene) and vintage bike (Dolly), the move to Sale marks an exciting new chapter.
Open Sunday – Thursday 12pm – 9pm, and Friday and Saturday 12pm – 10pm, .to celebrate their arrival on 3 February A Few Scoops will be giving away a free scoop of ice cream in a cone between 5 and 7pm.
They also plan to serve up ice cream for breakfast from 9am on Saturday 5 February to mark Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, which doesn’t sound like a real thing – but we’re absolutely here for it.
Speaking on the new opening, Alanna, founder of A Few Scoops, said: “We’re delighted to be joining the Foodhall family and to bring our scoops over to Sale.
Image: A Few Scoops
“Both Foodhalls and the General Stores have been so supportive of A Few Scoops since we launched in May last year and we can’t wait to call Sale Foodhall our home.”
Maisie Chow, a spokesperson for the Foodhalls, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome A Few Scoops to our Foodhall community.
“We have been looking for the right person to complete our wonderful independent street food family over here in Sale and the innovative, local and independent spirit of what Alanna and her team do fit perfectly with us. Get ready for some seriously good ice cream Sale.’”
Feature image – A Few Scoops
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There’s a World Gravy Wrestling Championship near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
Just on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, there’s a country pub set in a rural village that hosts a world gravy wrestling championship.
Leave it to us northerners to organise a world gravy wrestling championship because let’s face it, there’s nothing more northern than plummeting yourself into bucket loads of gravy.
At The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in the village of Stacksteads, it’s not just their meals they’re drenching in the brown nectar; they drench any willing guest in this beige saucy goodness too as part of the World Gravy Wrestling Championships.
Here’s a little taster from nearly a decade ago.
Participants are expected to wrestle in the gravy for two minutes, with the winner being judged not only on their play-fighting skills but also on their choice of fancy dress, comedy effect and entertainment.
Past wrestlers have rocked up as zebras, racehorse jockeys and famous TV characters like Ali G and Mickey Mouse.
Each wrestler is encouraged to raise money on behalf of a charity of their choice, but if you don’t have one, donations will be sent to East Lancashire Hospice, which has helped people countywide suffering from life-limiting illness for the past 30 years.
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships have been held outside this very pub for over a decade, with the first ever event taking place at a car park in Wigan before it found a permanent home outside The Rose ‘N’ Bowl.
And if swimming in a pool of gravy isn’t for you, don’t fret because there’s a handful of sauce-free activities you can get involved with spread throughout the pub’s car park.
Fret not, past events have included bouncy castles, cheerleading performances, craft beer stalls, cake and tombola stands and even a BB gun shooting range that are all completely gravy-free.
There will even be help from a local fire brigade who will be on hand to wash down wrestlers in between their gravy-filled tournament, so they can wander round all the stalls too.
The 2025 World Gravy Wrestling Championships are coming to The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in Stacksteads on 25 August, with tickets available in person only, but plenty of information about the event HERE.
If you’re after signing up to be one of the wrestlers at this event, applications are still open and you can get stuck in with all the details you need HERE.
And if that wasn’t enough Northern food competitive action, we’ll catch you at the World Black Pudding Hurling Championships, innabit.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a million-pound Victorian-style mansion that has 10 bedrooms and its own personal swimming pool just outside of Greater Manchester.
Just like the childhood nursery rhyme, “There were three in the bed and the little one said… there’s another seven beds, roll over!” or at least that’s how they remember it in this character property.
Located in Warrington, less than an hour away from Manchester city centre, this property is a semi-detached Victorian property built in 1860, with 10 bedrooms and its own private swimming pool, all spread across four floors.
As soon as you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn to the sleek silver chandelier before you notice the grand staircase, which feels like a piece of living history.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market)
The ground floor hosts two of a whopping 10 bedrooms alongside a teal-toned farmhouse-style kitchen and that extremely impressive swimming pool with its own built-in projector.
In the kitchen, the focal point is the large wrap-around kitchen unit, which is accompanied by a variety of hanging lights and a big central island.
On the way to the swimming pool, there are a handful of lockers identical to those found in a leisure and as you enter the room, your eyes are drawn to the island-inspired feature wall.
Venture upstairs to the first floor and you’re greeted by five spacious bedrooms with one having its own en-suite while the rest share a main bathroom.
Each of these bedrooms follows a completely different design style, with the largest following a muted grey palette with pops of yellow thanks to the artwork and bed accessories.
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
As you go upstairs again, you’ll find (you guessed it) even more bedrooms, three to be exact, with the standout
The stand-out of this second floor is the navy-walled bedroom with a vintage vanity unit, patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and a similarly dark-blue rug to match its four walls.
Another flight of stairs and you’ve finally reached the top of this property, and there’s an LED-lined ceiling and a neutral bedroom colour scheme of greys, whites and everything in between.
There are various amenities nearby, including three schools and three train stations… for if you get fed up of strolling around your four-floored ten-bed, swimming pool-owning mansion.
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
We know this property may not be in the price range and might not be affordable for a lot of readers, ourselves included, but we can dream, right?
You can check out this Victorian mansion and flick through even more pictures of this property – Snooping never hurt anybody? Official site HERE.
As always, make sure to check out The Manc‘s property page to check all the other stunning structures currently on sale/in progress across Greater Manchester and in the nearby North West.
Georgina Pellant -
27th January 2022 
