News

A new pasta restaurant is opening inside the old Vertigo site on Cross Street

When one vegan door closes, another one opens...

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 19th August 2022

A new restaurant selling freshly made pasta is tipped to open in the old Vertigo unit on Cross Street later this year, proving that when one vegan door closes another one opens.

Pastan, a plant-based pasta kitchen that first began life in London’s Covent Garden in April 2021, has submitted a planning application to take over the site from September.

If successful, it will see the new arrival take over 18 Cross Street, the original home of beloved Manchester vegan eatery Vertigo, which sadly closed its doors in March with bosses citing ‘significantly increased’ running costs.

Read more: Vertigo closes Manchester sites citing ‘significantly increased costs’

Co-founded by Dean Fawcett and Jerome Ibanez when the world of hospitality was just beginning to reopen after the second lockdown, Pastan has hosted a number of pop-ups across the country.

ADVERTISEMENT
Founders Dean and Jerome pictured with former Pastan team member Sienna at their Notting Hill pop-up. / Image: Pastan.UK
The duo says they ‘make no compromises’ when veganizing ‘such a classic’ as mac and cheese. / Image: Pastan.UK

It started off as a pop-up in Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, before heading to Bristol throughout the summer of 2021 for a second pop-up opened at the Nectar House, Gloucester Road.

Following that, the owners set up a third and final pop-up in Notting Hill from September to November 2021, before opening its first permanent restaurant just around the corner from the capital’s famous Smithfield Market.

ADVERTISEMENT

Now, it looks like they’re planning to expand into the north with a second restaurant here in Manchester

If successful, going by its London menus the new restaurant will focus on simple, fresh pasta dishes, serving up the likes of fried gnocchi loaded with a choice of sauces including BBQ jackfruit, cheese, pepper or pomodoro, alongside time-tested Italian classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara at lunch.

Image: Pastan.UK
Image: Pastan.UK

Elsewhere, you’ll find cavatelli mac and cheese topped with breadcrumbs and crispy onions, plantshakes loaded with donut skewers, Lotus Biscoff mini doughnuts and scoops of ice cream.

ADVERTISEMENT

Come to the evening things will then be taken up a notch, with a different menu served from 5pm featuring charcoal-activated taglioni served with dill hollandaise, salsa verde-dressed pea and shallot ravioli, and a beetroot hummus-topped cheesy tagliatelle with courgette spaghetti and crunchy veg.

Read more: The Ethiopian restaurant hidden above a takeaway in Manchester’s gay village

Pastan’s founders have over 20 years of hospitality experience between them but made the decision to set out on their own after struggling to find healthy, plant-based pasta.

With a cooking ethos that swerves away from any refined or unnatural ingredients, it’s sure to be a welcome addition to Manchester’s dining scene – particularly to city centre vegans missing their Vertigo lunch (or dinner) fix.

To find out more ahead of the new opening, head over to Pastan’s social media pages here.

Feature image – Google / Pastan.UK

News

342 arrests made in Piccadilly Gardens since start of GMP’s pledge to ‘improve’ public safety

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Piccadilly Gardens Arrests

More than 300 people have been arrested in Piccadilly Gardens since the police pledged to ‘improve’ the perception of the area.

A dedicated neighbourhood policing team that was set up by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) back in March to tackle issues and concerns in Piccadilly Gardens, and ultimately improve the public’s sense of safety, has seen a total of 342 arrests since its inception.

The City Centre Piccadilly Gardens neighbourhood policing team – which is led by Chief Inspector Michael Tachauer – works together with partners, including Manchester City Council, to tackle these problems with long-term solutions.

Following the team’s success since it started, GMP will now continue to build on the foundations of its problem-solving approach to address some of the most prevalent issues.

According to police, Piccadilly Gardens has seen ‘real progress’ being made in terms of safeguarding, enforcement, and GMP’s wider understanding of the issues and concerns communities are facing this past year.

Piccadilly Gardens Arrests
342 arrests have been made in Piccadilly Gardens since the start of GMP’s pledge to ‘improve’ public safety / Credit: GMP

Since March, GMP has seen a total of 342 arrests resulting in 279 charges / cautions, 511 stop searches, 37 weapons seized, and large amounts of Class A and Class B drugs seized too.

“We remain committed to improving both the perception of Piccadilly Gardens and the public’s sense of safety in the area,” commented Chief Superintendent David Meeney, who is the City of Manchester District Commander.

“However, this is not something we can achieve alone. We will continue to work closely with our partners and deploy additional police resources whenever intelligence or demand indicates a need for increased presence.

“We also rely heavily on information from our community, from those who work in the area to residents living nearby. Your reports are vital in helping us develop targeted plans that our neighbourhood officers can act on, so please continue to share any concerns or incidents with us.”

Read more:

Got any concerns about Piccadilly Gardens? You can continue to report those to GMP by calling 101 or online via gmp.uk.com. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Oh, mind if we leave this here?

Featured Image – GMP

News

Chorlton’s Horse and Jockey is reintroduced to the suburbs after stunning transformation

Danny Jones Danny Jones Horse and Jockey refurb Chorlton

The much-loved Horse and Jockey in Chorlton is back open for business following a major and marvellous refurb, which has seen the heart and soul of the pub restored to its former glory.

Opening just in time for the bulk of cosy boozer season, we’re about to spend A LOT of time in here.

As announced this past summer, the south Manchester favourite has been taken over by the impressive hospitality team behind the similarly revived Black Friar in Salford.

With an impressive culinary pedigree to boot, the ‘new and improved’ Horse and Jockey was always bound to be a hit with critics and natives alike, we just weren’t expecting them to knock it quite so far out of the park – or, in this case, Chorlton Green.

Giving the already gorgeous 200-year-old structure a new lick of paint and then some, the new Horse and Jockey looks set to reassert itself as one of the prettiest, cosiest and tastiest pubs you’ll find in central Manchester.

Benefitting from sitting just outside the city centre, you’ve still got plenty of footfall from those who have seen Chorlton become a foodie destination all of its own, and those who have lived there all their lives.

Yes, you’ll still find plenty of old boys sipping their well-deserved pints and dogs curling up on the carpets here.

Now boasting up to 82 covers outside in the familiar evergreen beer garden, with table service in the summer, you can see this being a go-to spot for grub and a reliable watering hole for all year-round.

It’s also worth noting that it’s a pretty roomy venue inside as well, with an entirely refurbished upstairs seating area and a dedicated private dining space now, too.

horse and jockey refurb
The Horse and Jockey is glistening once again ahead of reopening this month. (Credit: The Manc Group)

Other touches we especially liked are bringing Chorlton Pale Ale – which used to be brewed right here in the Jockey itself prior to Covid – back on draught. It may be made elsewhere nowadays, but we’re glad to see it being shipped back to and served out of its ancestral home.

And it just gets better.

As well as supporting the local art scene by sourcing works from Greater Manchester creatives, they really are aiming to make this a community cornerstone.

They’ve taken the holistic idea of a public house right back to its roots, providing not only a place to meet, eat and drink for regulars, but also a real social outlet right in the middle of the suburb.

It’s also about supporting and celebrating traditional British pubs and the Northern working-class culture that goes along with it.

There’s still a recognisable style and familiar feel to the Horse and Jockey refurb. (Credit: The Manc)

The majority of the furniture is even salvaged from the pubs we sadly lost up and down the country, not to mention other businesses that have unfortunately closed post-pandemic and the continuing struggles facing the industry.

We’re lucky to have people like this putting drinks in our hands and keeping our bellies full, so we’re glad that they’re doing what they can to pay homage to those who have come before them as well.

Perhaps most heartwarming is that not only have they kept pre-existing staff in post during the switch-over, but they’re all welcoming back familiar faces from the past. Once again, this is about championing the beauty of British pub culture in all of its facets.

This is a proper foodie pub at its core, boasting cosy vibes just in time for the colder months; they even restored three of the five original fires that used to burn through the autumn and winter back in the day.

Bookings are live already, and if you’ve tried the Sunday roast at The Black Friar, you expect this place to fill up just as quickly – we’d reserve our tables early if we were you…

The food offering is substantial, filling and full of flavour. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

This may be a big rebrand and transformation, but there are also still the same old Joseph Holt favourites on the taps for those who love the classic lineup, and they’ve even used their ‘Trailblazer’ stout glaze on one of their cheesecakes. Safe to say, they have our undivided attention with that one.

ADVERTISEMENT

Owner Neil Burke, who formally acquired The Black Friar two years ago and now heads up the revamped Horse and Jockey, said of the reopening: “I have a personal history with the Horse & Jockey and it’s always held a special place in my heart.

“It’s such a beautiful building, but it hasn’t been shining the way it should in recent years. As a local myself, I felt Chorlton deserved a proper foodie pub – somewhere that delivers brilliant food in a setting that does justice to the building’s history.”

To top things off, they’ve got Michelin-trained head chef Paolo Bianchi leading things in the kitchen.

Read more:

“The Horse & Jockey is an iconic part of Chorlton’s history and I’m proud to be leading its kitchen with the brilliant Black Friar team”, says Bianchi. “After gaining years of experience in Paris, Dubai and London, it feels great to be rooted in Manchester, a city I’ve really fallen in love with.”

“My vision is simple, to serve British classics that people know and love, elevated with seasonal local ingredients, touches from my Italian heritage and international experience. The menu will be ever-changing, so guests can expect something fresh every time they visit.”

ADVERTISEMENT

As for your job, it’s simple: expect great, hearty pub grub classics elevated to a gourmet level, with all the welcoming warmth of a traditional English pub.

This isn’t just a metropolitan boozer trying to be a country-style pub; the Horse and Jockey is a Chorlton gem reborn. It opens on Monday, 20 October, and you can guarantee you’ll be seeing us there.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

More News

The RSPCA has issued an urgent 'Adoptober' plea with a record 1,700 cats needing homes

News

The RSPCA has issued an urgent ‘Adoptober’ plea with a record 1,700 cats needing homes

Business

Manchester Airport is hosting a big jobs fair with more than 500 roles on offer

Manchester Pride’s statement in full after performers say they’ve still not been paid

News

Manchester Pride’s statement in full after performers say they’ve still not been paid

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches