A tiny bakery is opening a new shop on an Ancoats backstreet selling specialist treats and classic pastries with a Brazilian-inspired twist.
Serving out of a small hatch on Radium Street, The Flat Baker’s new shop will move into the same building as takeaway slab shack favourite Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria at the start of next month.
Opening on Saturdays only, here pastry and bread lovers will find a multitude of croissants and cruffins, pastel de natas, cinnamon swirls and faviours breads, including focaccia, cornbread, Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) and boozy brioche.
Image: The Flat Baker
Elsewhere, there’ll be more specialist Brazilian treats for sale too, like carrot cake topped and filled with creamy chocolate truffle (brigadeiro), guava polenta cake, tonka bean brownies, and passion fruit and lime meringue tarts.
The new shop opens in the same neighbourhood where it all began for the self-taught baking duo, who started churning out their Brazilian goodies from their Ancoats flat during lockdown two years prior.
ADVERTISEMENT
A family business, self-taught baker Matt and his partner Deb have previously collaborated with former Masterchef contestant Caroline Martins, creating calabresa sausage brioche balls for her Brazilian fine dining experience the Sao Paulo Project, and took over the cafe at Deansgate Square’s General Store last year.
Brioche from The Flat Baker. / Image: The Flat Baker
A selection of different breads. / Image: The Flat Baker
The Flat Baker collaborated with Caroline Martins to create these giant brioche balls for her dish of bread-wrapped baked Tunworth cheese, guava paste, mixed nuts, rosemary and thyme. / Image: The Flat Baker
The pair have built up a number of wholesale clients across Manchester, getting their name out there by taking part in a number of the city’s different artisan foodie markets.
They are also the organisers behind Manchester’s new Brazilian Festa Junina Festival, designed to bring together Brazilian chefs, bakers and others in a celebration of their country’s culture and cuisine.
Having spent the past few weeks wrestling their Instagram account back from hackers, the couple is now gearing up to open their new baking studio on Saturday 2 July.
To keep up with their progress ahead of the opening, give The Flat Baker a follow here.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Georgina Pellant -
27th June 2022 
