Any self-respecting fan of a good portion of salt and pepper chips should know that we have our neighbours in Liverpool to thank.
First originating there in the 90s, the Chinese-Scouse chippy hybrid has become something of a northern takeaway staple and most places in Manchester offer it as par for the course.
But now, this week, a group of Scouse cooks has moved into the Sadler’s Cat pub to show us how it’s really done – with a menu that offers up salt and pepper chickn dumplings, salt and pepper hash browns, and, naturally, huge trays of salt and pepper chips.
Did we mention that it’s all vegan? Because it is.
Image: Desert Island Dumplins
Specialising in fusion dumplings, Desert Island Dumplings has previously popped up at the likes of Grub so eager street food fans may already have them on their radar.
ADVERTISEMENT
The menu at The Sadler’s Cat pub, served from 4pm in the week and 12pm on the weekend, offers a selection of different dumplings along with sides like drunk Teriyaki noodles, salt and pepper hash browns or chips, as well as chips, cheeze, and gravy.
Dumpling flavours are far from traditional, with choices spanning the likes of smoky cheez pizza, hoisin mock duck, cheezeburger, lobster and salt and pepper chickn.
The menu also includes a regularly-changing dumpling ‘flavour of the week’, as well as two sweet pudding options in lemon drizzle and Lotus banoffee, both served with a sweet dip.
Prices start at £7.50 for 5 of one flavour, or £8.50 for 5 mix and match dumplings. Sides, meanwhile, start from just £3 for a portion of chips up to £5 for a portion of drunken noodles.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alternatively, if you’re in a big group you can opt for a sharer box, priced from £22 for 10 dumplings, salt and pepper chips and drunk Teriyaki noodles, or £32 for 25 dumplings, salt and pepper chips, noodles and hash browns.
Image: The Sadler’s Cat
Formerly known as The Pilcrow, The Sadler’s Cat changed hands last year after it was sold by the Common Group to Manchester’s Cloudwater Brewery.
It is the first proper pub for the brewery, which also has a taproom at the Piccadilly Trading Estate and is planning to open a new beer hall in the city centre waterside neighbourhood Kampus later this year.
Head down for your alternative dumpling fix and wash it all down with a range of locally-sourced beers from Cloudwater and other Manchester breweries, or if that doesn’t do it for you, choose from the pub’s selection of natural wine, spirits and softs.
This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024
Thomas Melia
An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.
The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.
But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Credit: The Manc Group
The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.
With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.
There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.
Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.
If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.
You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.
Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.
That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.
Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.
Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.
A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.
That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.
NEWS: Greater Manchester on track with plan for first new rail station in over 20 years. 🚉
✅ 90%+ public consultation support for Golborne station in Wigan ✅ Planning application in to @WiganCouncil ✅ Local area improvements and walking and cycling links
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.
A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM
If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.
Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.
“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.
“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”
Georgina Pellant -
13th May 2022 
