A new dessert stall has opened in the Arndale Market today, bringing some brand new cinnamon-dusted, ice cream-filled treats to the city centre.
Called Yum Yum, it comes from the same team behind Christmas market hit Panc Foods and has just taken over the former Salt and Pepper unit.
Splitting the original stall in two, fans of Panc can now get their hands on all the usual favourites as well as a range of new vegan desserts under the Yum Yum banner seven days a week.
Image: The Manc Eats
Here, piping hot, steaming chimney cakes – so-called because they literally smoke like a chimney when the soft, bready cones of dough are pulled from the scorching 250-degree oven – are rolled in sugar or sprinkles, then stuffed with vanilla soft serve ice cream.
Sitting somewhere between a churro, donut and croissant, they can be enjoyed on their own, which is the more traditional way to eat them – but with topping and filling choices spanning everything from Nutella and strawberry sauce to fresh fruit, chocolate and Biscoff sauce, it’s certainly tempting to go all out.
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Chimney cakes are also available to order cut in half, sat on top of individual pots of soft serve in the coming weeks with new flavours like salted caramel and chocolate on their way.
Priced at £8 each, they’re not the cheapest – but then, for founders Hannah Jobe and Ariane Cardoso, it’s really important to be using quality, ethically produced ingredients, which always tend to be a little more expensive.
Hannah tells us that she has been working on the project for the best part of a year, and was inspired to launch the chimney cake stall after spotting a gap in the market. Even better, she adds, because the cakes are vegan they can be enjoyed by absolutely everyone.
As well as the chimney cakes, Yum Yum is also selling a range of vegan cakes, macaroons, cinnamon rolls, waffles and loaded churros at its new dessert stall.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Working alongside the English Rose Bakery, you’ll find brightly-coloured vegan macaroons in flavours like summer fruits and pistachio, coconut, Black Forest and Biscoff, alongside cinnamon buns topped with pearl sugar in a nod to Hannah’s Swedish heritage.
Hannah also tells us she plans to start creating her own soft serve flavours in the future, so watch this space.
Open now, head down for a serious fix of sweetness – with build-your-own chimney cake options, milkshakes, smoothies and more all on offer.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
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Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
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11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Georgina Pellant -
8th July 2022 
