After six years of pop-ups, supper clubs and feeding the community at home during the pandemic, Stretford Canteen has opened the doors to its first-ever bricks-and-mortar site.
Located on Chester Road in Stretford town centre, the new restaurant marks a huge milestone for owners Josephine Sandwith and Dean Taylor, who have waited a long time to see this particular dream come true.
The duo first set up Stretford Canteen in 2016 and quickly developed a name for themselves, drawing on Jo’s upbringing in beloved 70s, 80s and 90s Manchester restaurant Beaujolais and what she had learnt from her parent’s love of Lyonnaise cuisine.
Image: Streford Canteen
Now they have finally opened their very own family venture, which they will operate alongside their eldest daughter Eve (formerly The Creameries, Trove and Duck Soup).
The new cosy 24-seat bistro has an intimate feel complemented by antique French furniture and an original 1920s Parisian bar station, with a pop of colour provided by sky blue retro bar stools.
Here diners can expect to see the return of Stretford Canteen’s famous supper clubs – this time in time in their very own restaurant – as well as an all-day menu of classic French and European dishes.
From caramelised onion tarte tatin with parsley dressing, radishes with butter, salt and vinaigrette and onglet steak with lentils and salsa verde, there are some tempting options to choose from.
Image: Streford Canteen
Working with local farmers, growers and producers such as The Crafty Cheeseman, Stretford Canteen’s menu boasts a seasonal selection.
The menu is made up of bar snacks, plates, sides and desserts and is set to change regularly with the seasons.
Dishes are centred around local produce and sustainable values and, as you might expect, there is also a considered wine list featuring wines from across Europe with a specific focus on France.
Speaking on the new opening, Josephine commented: “Finally opening our own bricks-and-mortar site has been nothing short of wonderful.
“We’re so excited to be starting the next chapter of our journey with the amazing community in the heart of Stretford, and the reaction so far has been uplifting. We can’t wait to share more great food, wine and cocktails in our friendly neighbourhood space.”
Feature image – Stretford Canteen
News
Dates announced as resident doctors prepare to stage strikes this month
Emily Sergeant
Resident doctors in England have voted to stage strike action over pay, and the dates for the industrial action have now been confirmed.
The British Medical Association (BMA) says doctors have ‘spoken clearly’ after the results of a vote published today revealed that 90% of resident doctors have voted in favour of a potential return to industrial action.
It comes after the ballot – which ran from 27 May until 7 July – saw a turnout of 55% members, with almost 30,000 (29,741) votes cast.
26,766 of those votes endorsed the use of strike action as part of efforts to restore pay, while just under 3,000 voted against it.
The result means that resident doctors have now secured a fresh mandate to stage industrial action when they choose from now until January 2026.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs, Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt, said that, while no doctor took the possibility of striking lightly, a clear majority of members felt that they had ‘no other choice’ given the ongoing failures to restore pay.
They added that Health Secretary Wes Streeting has the power to ‘make the right decision’ on pay, and urged the Government to return to negotiations ‘as soon as possible’.
It’s now been confirmed that resident doctors will stage a full walk out from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
These upcoming strikes come after resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors, until 2024 – in England participated in an unprecedented 11 rounds of strike action after negotiations with the previous Conservative Government over restoring pay repeatedly stalled.
“Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly – they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008,” the committee co-chairs said. “Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.
“Doctors don’t take industrial action lightly, but they know it is preferable to watching their profession wither away.
“The next move is the Government’s – will it repeat the mistakes of its predecessor? Or will it do the right thing and negotiate a path to full pay restoration and the restoration of doctors’ confidence in our profession’s future?”
Featured Image – BMA
News
Castlefield Viaduct ‘sky park’ receives £2.75m funding towards major extension
Emily Sergeant
The National Trust has today announced an exciting development in the transformation of Manchester’s Castlefield Viaduct.
The New York-inspired elevated urban park on the giant Grade II-listed Victorian viaduct in the heart of the city centre officially opened to the public back in July 2022, and has been an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life ever since… but now, it’s time for the next phase of the journey, and a significant proportion of the funding needed for this project has been secured.
National Highway’s Historical Railways Estate Team, working in partnership with the National Trust has committed £2.4 million to fund a significant part of the structural and foundation work for ‘Phase 2’ of the project.
The funding will go towards increasing the scale of the current ‘sky park’ experience and turning it into a nature-rich through route, including the addition of The WaterAid Garden – a gold medal-winning garden from last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Other supporters and funders are now being urged to donate to cover the remaining amount needed to ‘green up’ the extension.
As it stands, current visitors to the viaduct can walk through a series of spaces and gardens before coming to an untouched and overgrown section of the structure beyond a glass wall, and it’s this untouched section where the Phase 2 transformation will take place to extend the viaduct experience for visitors from 150-metres to more than 350-metres.
The current state of the site at Castlefield Viaduct that’s set to be transformed as part of Phase 2 / Credit: Paul Harris (via National Trust)
Plans include winding paths through planted areas to encourage people to take time out from the busy city below and connect with nature.
A second entry and exit point will also be added to the west side of Mancunian Way via a lift and stairway, turning it into a through route for the very-first time, and making it more accessible for people with limited mobility.
A longer-term masterplan could see the viaduct join up to other areas of the city, increasing access towards Salford and Trafford, and taking the benefits way beyond the physical structure of the viaduct in Castlefield.
The CGIs of how the space on the viaduct will look once it has been transformed / Credit: Twelve Architects (via National Trust)
“This funding is brilliant news for Castlefield – a hugely inspiring project to bring nature and green space to communities across Manchester,” commented Hilary McGrady, who is the Director-General of the National Trust.
“Its popularity over the past few years demonstrates how residents and visitors to the city value access to the outdoors and experiencing nature up-close in an innovative industrial heritage setting.
“This is something we want to continue and do more and more of in the years to come, and that is why this funding is so important.
“Our aim over the next 10 years is to ensure more people have access to nature particularly in our towns and cities, and to bring nature to people’s doorsteps wherever they live.”
Georgina Pellant -
25th July 2022 
