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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Greater Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Dozens of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
People in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 26 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launched this past Saturday (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Mana, Erst, Climat, 10 Tib Lane, Ezra & Gill, Tartuffe, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
The funds raised by StreetSmart in Greater Manchester this year will support the crucial work of organisations such as CentrePoint, which funds Independent Living Advisors for young people, and Real Change Manchester, which plugs into the existing homelessness charities to provide that extra boost of funding that makes all the difference.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2025, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
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Police appeal for information after pedestrian killed on Mancunian Way followed earlier welfare concern reports
Emily Sergeant
Police are continuing to appeal for information after a pedestrian was killed on Mancunian Way during the early hours.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that the shocking incident occurred at approximately 12:50am on Friday 31 October when it was reported that a Volkswagen Passat had collided with a man in his 20s.
Sadly, the collision was fatal and the pedestrian died at the scene.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a man in his 40s, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Following the incident, subsequent police enquiries have established that a call was made to the force shortly after midnight which reported concern for a man walking on the carriageway, and GMP says it believes the man in that report was the man who was involved in the fatal collision.
Officers were sent out as ‘high priority’ to carry out an extensive search of the surrounding area after the report was made, but it was said that they couldn’t locate him.
#UPDATE | Officers are continuing to appeal for information following the fatal collision on Mancunian Way this morning.
We have referred ourselves to the IPOC after reports that the victim was possibly spotted on the carriageway earlier that morning.
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) October 31, 2025
Due to this earlier report, GMP has confirmed that it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to look into its response to the search.
The victim’s family is aware, have been updated, and they are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is still appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward, and are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have CCTV footage, dashcam, or mobile phone footage from the area in the moments leading up to the incident.
“This is a tragic incident for all involved and we express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who has lost his life, and whom we are doing our utmost to support at this time,” commented Sergeant Andrew Page.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of the 31/10/25, or by using the ‘report tool’ or LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
21st July 2022 
