Manchester dirty burger bar Almost Famous announced earlier this week that it will be closing its original Northern Quarter site for good at the end of the week.
Not one to do things by halves, the team has revealed that as part of its last service it will say goodbye to the place where it all began with a bang – giving away black cards, free food and some ‘legit Banky art’ as part of a final hurrah.
This Saturday from midday, the first two people through the door will win a blackcard giving them unlimited free burgers for a year from any Almost Famous site.
And that’s not all. The first twenty people to visit them in the Northern Quarter this Saturday will also get their meals for free, with the team throwing things back to its original 2012 no-bookings policy for the first two hours of service.
Image: Almost Famous
What’s more, Almost Famous will also be giving diners the chance to win a legit piece of Banksy art as part of a treasure hunt.
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A piece of Almost Famous NQ history, they’ll be giving away an original Banksy print as part of a treasure hunt, with the first clue revealed to diners with their bill.
The person to master the puzzle will then be rewarded with an original Banky piece “worth a bare stack of cash” as well as two blackcards.
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The site will close following a final service on Saturday 23 July, before moving to a new as yet to be disclosed location.
When it first opened in the Northern Quarter 2012, the then ‘secret’ burger bar offered something distinctly different to diners – an intentional lack of signage, no reservations, and ‘off menu’-only vegetarian items leading only the most committed of burger enthusiasts to venture up those dark stairwells in search of the best buns in town.
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Mac and cheese balls, Molotov cocktails, ‘bacon bacon’ and ‘winning’ fries, not to mention those famous loaded burgers drenched in a variety of house-made sauces, all set the tone for a dirty food obsession that would prevail for years to come.
Whilst trends have moved on, Almost Famous is still a stalwart on the Manchester burger scene.
In the past ten years, it has survived a fire at its original site, opened a second venue at the Great Northern Warehouse and expanded its meaty, cheesy goodness into other cities like Leeds and Liverpool.
Information on where the site will be moving to is yet to be confirmed, but there has been some speculation that it may cross over to Edge Street into the former Home Sweet Home unit, which is also owned by Beautiful Drinks and has just announced plans to close there.
Feature image – Google maps
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Government announces social media crackdown with potential ban for under 16s
Emily Sergeant
The Government has announced a social media crackdown in a bid to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to take ‘immediate action’ to make the online world safer for children.
The new measures announced today include a crackdown on ‘vile’ illegal content created by AI, including fast action to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law.
The Government says it’s also taking new legal powers to lay the groundwork for immediate action following its consultation on children’s wellbeing online carried out earlier this year.
No social media platform should get a free pass when it comes to protecting our kids.
These new powers introduced this week will mean Government ministers can act fast on the findings of the consultation within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves, and this means, crucially, being able to prohibit measures like setting a minimum age limit for social media – which Australia famously became the first country to do so last year – and restricting features like infinite scrolling that are also harmful.
It’s also likely that there will be restrictions introduced on children’s use of AI chatbots, as well as options to age-restrict or limit children’s VPN, and changing the age of digital consent.
The Prime Minister has insisted ‘no platform gets a free pass’.
The Government has announced a social media crackdown with a potential ban for under 16s / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
“As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online,” Mr Starmer said.
“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my Government, Britain will be a leader not a follower when it comes to online safety. The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass.
“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action. We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
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Pep Guardiola delivers important reminder about multiculturalism after Jim Ratcliffe controversy
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered an important message about the power of multiculturalism in his most recent press conference.
Guardiola’s comments come after the high-profile controversy surrounding his rival club across the city, Man United, whose co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, saw some of his recent remarks fall under major scrutiny.
In case you somehow missed it, the Failsworth-born British billionaire was heavily criticised after claiming he believes the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”.
Fast forward a couple of days, and while the club and the fan base are still dealing with the fallout of the story, Pep acknowledged the debate by reminding people that “embracing other cultures” makes for a “better society”.
Well put, Pep – in fact, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Although he didn’t reference the 74-year-old directly after being probed on the subject by journalists, the Man City boss reiterated that his time spent living and working across the world has only broadened his mind and enriched his life.
That goes for both his professional and personal spheres, by the way, as the Catalan coach has often spoken of his love for English culture and the Manc people, specifically.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup game against local side Salford City, Pep described the attitudes towards immigrants around the world as a “big problem” despite most people simply leaving their country in search of “a better life”.
He also drew attention to the fact that he, like so many others in football – a sporting industry loved the world round by people from all walks of life and that the likes of Ratcliffe directly benefit from – is an immigrant working and contributing to not just the game but the British economy by being here.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have since shared a public statement on their club website and across social media, reiterating to fans and supporters the world over that they are an “inclusive club”.
‘We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.’
The INEOS chairman, CEO and minority stakeholder in Manchester United Football Club, has since apologised (at least in part) for his “choice of language” following the divisive interview with Sky News.
In a world where plenty of people are quick to pessimism, negativity and turn to division almost by default, Pep’s message is one echoed by so many and is one that we should all keep in mind.
And for anyone who needs a more light-hearted bit of content on their timeline this week, here’s what else Pep said in his pre-match presser…
Pep Guardiola responding to a really intelligent question from a reporter:
‘Do you want to be my assistant coach, fucking hell, you are brilliant…’
Georgina Pellant -
21st July 2022 
