Altrincham’s vegan bahn mi sandwich bar is coming to KAMPUS for a pop-up, it has been revealed.
The team will be taking over the KAMPUS bungalow from the most recent residents, Tine, from Friday 8 October.
Serving up hot Vietnamese sandwiches filled with pickles, plant-based pate and Asian-style vegetables and proteins, they’ve been doing a roaring trade down in Alty for the past two years – and now they’re going to be popping up in the centre of Manchester at a new waterside venue.
The nasi goreng at Bahn Vi, which is moving into the KAMPUS bungalow from Friday 8 October / Image: Bahn Vi
It’s not all bahn mi on the menu, though, they also cook up some other Asian favourites like nasi gorgeng and Tom Yum noodle soup alongside tasty little plates of crispy fried oyster mushroom wings with pickled fennel and gochujang mayo.
As for drinks, there’s a choice of hot or cold Vietnamese coffee, plus a range of fragrant teas and Asian beers.
ADVERTISEMENT
They’ll also be running Pho and summer roll cooking masterclasses out of the space, giving diners a chance to try their hand at mastering some classic dishes themselves.
Co-founded by Harry Yarwood and Jess King, Banh Vi was born from a love of travel and Asian cuisine after the couple packed in work for a one-way-ticket to experience the best culinary experiences Asia had to offer a few years ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Bahn Vi team at their stall at Altrincham Market (From L to R: Loui, Thao, Cam, Meesh, Harry) / Image: Bahn Vi
Speaking on the upcoming move, Bánh Vì co-founder Harry Yarwood, said: “Hot, sweet, salty, sour, bitter – we’ve always strived for the perfect flavour balance in our creations.
“Since we started, we’ve won over so many regulars who now come back week after week for our take on Vietnamese and Malaysian food.
“Our ethos has always been about using the best ingredients, supporting local suppliers and just delivering amazing, creative menus that people fall in love with, whether they’re used to eating plant-based food or not.
ADVERTISEMENT
Soup and a sandwich, but not as you know it / Image: Bahn Vi
“The vibe of the community at Kampus is absolutely perfect for us and we can’t wait to be filling the Bungalow with people who may be experiencing our signature Banh Mi sandwiches for the first time.”
Considering that Altrincham was just awarded the best foodie suburb in Manchester at the 2021 MFDF awards, the arrival is perfect timing – giving city centre residents a chance to sample one of the area’s more popular food traders without having to leave town.
Bánh Vì will open Thursday to Saturday from 12 pm – 11 pm, with food served until 9pm, and Sundays from 2 pm – 7 pm. Kicking off on Friday 8 October 2021, the residency will run through to the end of November.
Diners are advised to book ahead by contacting 07549133392 as there is limited space for walk-ins.
Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month
Emily Sergeant
There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.
Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.
The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.
‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM
Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.
Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.
The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.
“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.
Georgina Pellant -
29th September 2021 
