A new Mexican restaurant specialising in tacos, ceviche, mezcal and tequila cocktails is opening in Manchester.
Called Madre, it’s born out of a collaboration between the founders of London’s popular Breddos Tacos and the team behind Liverpool favourites Belzan and Filter + Fox, with a menu that features birria-style tacos dunked in gravy (well consomme, but this is Manchester so we’re calling it gravy).
Foodies who’ve spent any time at Escape To Freight Island will likely already know the brand and its excellent tacos from its residency there. Those who don’t are in for a treat.
Image: Madre
Now, owners are moving on up – taking on bigger premises of their own as they venture out to open their first full bar and restaurant in Manchester for the first time.
A proper mezcaleria and taqueria, it’s not going to be all hangover gravy tacos here – there will be some fresher, zesty dishes to get stuck into too.
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Diners can expect to find more classic tacos loaded with the likes of Baja fish, fried chicken, halloumi and BBQ Yucatan pork, alongside small plates such as blistered peppers, salt-baked beetroot, nachos and roasted bone marrow.
Image: Madre
Image: Madre
As for drinks, think a solid margarita menu, mezcal cocktails like palomas and mezcal coladas, alongside red and rose sangria, a full wine list, bottled and draught beers and a decent selection of softs.
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Inspired by the foodie culture of Mexico City, the new restaurant will also put a focus on ceviche – offering a selection of super fresh, zesty plates of the Peruvian raw citrus-cured fish favourite when Madre opens its doors later this year.
Foodies who’ve spent any time at Escape To Freight Island will likely already know the brand and its excellent tacos from its residency there. The new Manchester restaurant follows on from the success of the first Madre joint, opened in 2019 at Liverpool’s Albert Dock.
Now, owners are moving on up – taking on bigger premises of their own as they venture out to open their first full bar and restaurant in Manchester.
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Located at garden rental neighbourhood Kampus, which borders the city’s famous Canal Street, the restaurant is pipped to open sometime this spring.
Madre at Kampus will open daily from 11am til late, evolving from a lunch spot and family-friendly destination to a buzzing bar with Mexican party vibes as the sun goes down.
Visitors can expect an interior inspired by the adobe houses of South America, with earthy, organic tones promising to create an intimate and warm space.
Image: Madre
Taking over a space in Minshull House, the restored Victorian warehouse, Madre will count brands including Cloudwater Brewery, Pollen bakery and Nell’s pizzeria amongst its neighbours.
Speaking on the new opening Chris Edwards, co-founder of Madre, said: “Madre is perfect for a party city like Manchester. Taquerias can be pretty raucous, social spaces but at the same time have a family feel, where people come together to share amazing food.
“We’ll be bringing that vibe to Kampus, with iconic favourites alongside a drinks menu stacked with margaritas, natural wine and local beer. Madre de-mystifies traditional Mexican food, serving up new plates made with top quality local produce and a love for authentic flavours.
“We knew we had to be part of Kampus, we love the heritage building and we’ll be in top company with the other independents signed up.”
Image: MadreImage: Madre
Manchester will be treated to a packed spring and summer as the neighbourhood comes to life, with pop-up events, exhibitions and operators opening their doors this year.
Adam Brady, of HBD, said: “Madre’s whole ethos is about social dining, an inviting space where friends and families can share stories as well as delicious food. They’re a perfect match for our growing family of independents.
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“With more people calling Kampus home and a stacked summer of events and openings, 2022 is already looking like an epic year for the neighbourhood.”
Feature image – Madre
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New endometriosis pill helping hundreds of women with ‘debilitating’ condition to be made available on NHS
Emily Sergeant
A groundbreaking new pill to help women with a ‘debilitating’ condition is set to be made available on the NHS.
The new daily pill for endometriosis – which has been approved for use on the NHS in England by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – is called linzagolix, and will be available for those who have had previous treatment for endometriosis, working to manage any symptoms they may be experiencing.
Around 1.5 million women in the UK are thought to be currently living with endometriosis.
Endometriosis can cause chronic pain, heavy periods, and extreme tiredness when tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body.
A new daily pill for endometriosis has been approved for use on the NHS, and could help over a thousand women in England every year manage the symptoms of the debilitating condition.
As mentioned, linzagolix will be available specifically for patients whose previous medical or surgical treatments for endometriosis have been unsuccessful, and will be given alongside ‘add-back’ hormone therapy – which involves using low-dose hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent menopause-like symptoms and bone loss.
This is the second take-at-home treatment to be approved to treat endometriosis on the NHS, and it’s thought that more than 1,000 women will benefit.
In clinical trials, linzagolix was shown to be successful in reducing painful periods and non-menstrual pelvic pain, compared with placebo, hence why it has been approved on the NHS by NICE.
“This is welcome news for women with endometriosis who haven’t found relief from previous therapies or surgery,” commented Dr Sue Mann, who is the National Clinical Director in Women’s Health for NHS England.
“It’s another treatment option which will help women take control of their health and better manage the symptoms of this often painful and debilitating condition.
“This is a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving treatment, care and quality of life for women.”
Featured Image – Heute
News
Wigan woman jailed after hitting pedestrian in Fiat 500 while driving high on nitrous oxide ‘balloons’
Emily Sergeant
A young woman from Wigan has been handed jail time after hitting a pedestrian while driving high on nitrous oxide.
Louisa Tunstall was driving a white Fiat 500 towards the East Lancashire Road in Wigan at around 7pm on Friday 24 May 2024 – a time when traffic conditions were said to be ‘quiet’ – but Tunstall was under the influence of a now-banned drug, nitrous oxide, at the time of the incident, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed.
While driving under the influence, 19-year-old Tunstall veered to the left onto the pavement and collided with a 51-year-old woman pedestrian.
After striking the woman, the car then overturned and, in the process, caused serious life-changing injuries.
When questioned by police, Tunstall stated that she ‘took her eyes off the road’ to retrieve something in the footwell before knowing the car had flipped, but she also confirmed that she had just been out to purchase nitrous oxide to use that evening.
After obtaining witness accounts, investigating officers were able to track down nearby CCTV footable which showed Tunstall inhaling nitrous oxide through a balloon whilst driving, seconds before the collision occurred.
#JAILED | It's not a laughing matter when you get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs.
Now Louisa Tunstall has to spend over a year behind bars after inhaling nitrous oxide and causing serious injury in #Wigan last year.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) May 14, 2025
Further investigation by GMP’s Forensic Vehicle Examination Unit examined the Fiat 500 and confirmed that no defects were found on the car to contribute towards the collision.
Still to this day, the victim says she is trying to recover from the injuries sustained to her leg that will prevent her from continuing life as she did before.
“The incident is still very raw when I think about it,” the victim explained in her impact statement released by GMP. “I become upset when I think at everything which has been taken away from me and the ongoing affect it has had and continues to have on my daily life.”
GMP says it’s seeing the use of nitrous oxide being a factor in incidents they attend increasing year on year.
Nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, is reported to produce euphoria, relaxation, dizziness, giggling or laughing fits, impaired judgement, and occasionally dissociation and hallucinations – which GMP says affects reaction time and and is ‘likely lead to impairment’ in driving performance, particularly when faced with an unexpected or hazardous situation.
Tunstall appeared at Bolton Crown Court this week, and has been sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment for having possession of a Class C drug, driving under the influence of drugs, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Alongside being jailed, she was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months, and has been ordered to take an extended test when she is released.
Georgina Pellant -
15th March 2022 
