Greater Manchester’s original Detroit pizza spot, Corner Slice, is opening a second site in the centre of Manchester.
The popular Failsworth pizzeria, which was the first to bring its Motor city-inspired rectangular pizzas to Manchester after a ‘light bulb’ moment during lockdown, has now confirmed plans to open a second site in the heart of the city this February.
Image: Corner Slice MCR
Serving deep pan pizza with traditional Italian toppings and a curly cheese crust, the new site will open first as a dark kitchen – giving city dwellers a chance to try East Manchester’s original Detroit-inspired pizza slices at home for the very first time.
And if it all goes well, owners Frank Brashaw and Danny Broadbent say they also plan to open a permanent shop in the city too.
The pair told The Manc, “We’re opening a dark kitchen to expand our delivery radius in February, and if it goes as well as we hope we will be looking for a permanent shop in the centre”.
Image: Corner Slice MCRImage: Corner Slice MCR
Corner Slice is known for its saucy, fluffy deep-pan squares, which come topped with the likes of Italian sausage, smoked garlic chicken, pepperoni, nduja, ‘hot honey’, banana peppers and a signature house cheese blend.
Traditionally topped with tomato sauce and Wisconsin brick cheese that goes all the way to the edges, the base of the Detroit-inspired pies is fluffy and similar in texture to focaccia.
The pizzeria also has some great veggie and vegan options, as well as making all of its pies available with vegan cheese, ‘crispy walls and all’.
Think square pies loaded with the likes of Korean Cauli, Portocini (a mix of portobello and porcini), a simple ‘Red Top’ with just cheese and red sauce, or regularly changing specials.
This months? A vegan special loaded with vegan sausage, piquillo peppers, pickled raisins and harrissa roasted broccolli.
Even better, if you can’t decide you can opt for a ‘half and half’ pie – combining two choices in one.
Image: Corner Slice MCR
Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find complementary sides like fried chicken and waffle fries alongside homemade sauces including chilli’d honey, garlic and herb and BBQ ranch.
Corner Slice also offers a small but carefully curated selection of beers, wines and soft drinks to enjoy with its food.
Despite being right out on the edge of town. the tiny Failsworth pizza shop has made quite a considerable name for itself.
Its owners shared the news about the move in a social media post asking for new talented pizza chefs to join their team of self-described Detroit pizza peddlers.
Image: Corner Slice MCR
The job advert read:
“BIG CITY LIFE.
“We’ve heard your cries and are expanding our radius to town and beyond, by opening a second kitchen in the city centre.
“We’re looking for a few keen pizza peddlers to join us in slinging out Detroit pies to the good people of Manchester.”
The news has created considerable excitement amongst its fans, who were quick to share their enthusiasm for its arrival in Manchester city centre.
One wrote, “OMG!! 2022 is my year!!!!!!!!”
Another added, “This is sick -bout time.”
A third said, “Best news ever !!! Best pizza” whilst another follower agreed, saying “Totally agree!! Absolutely great news!! We love your pizza in the city centre!!”
The official opening date for the new kitchen is yet to be confirmed. To keep up to date with developments, make sure to follow Corner Slice on Instagram here.
If you’re interested in working for Corner Slice, you can send your CV to the team at [email protected].
The Spirit of Manchester confirms bar closure as Manc hospitality takes another hit
Danny Jones
Manchester has been hit by yet another gutting hospitality closure as The Bar at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, formerly known as Three Little Words, has confirmed they have shut down effective immediately.
The stunning spot set up as The Spirit of Manchester Distillery’s dedicated, customer-facing city centre venue and second home under the arches, opened back in 2019, offering a cocktail, gin-making and tasting experience, as well as a restaurant.
But fast forward six years, and now the once-beloved Three Little Words bar has sadly closed, largely citing the same economic pressures everyone has faced post-pandemic.
Writing an emotional farewell post on LinkedIn, Spirit of Manchester co-founder and master distiller Seb Heeley said: “This is a post I never thought I’d have to write. 9 years ago, we set out with a dream to build something that would represent the spirit of Manchester from the humble beginning in our dining room.
“We were fortunate enough that people embraced our vision, and 6 years ago we embarked on an over million pound project to bring 6 forgotten, abandoned arches beneath the iconic Manchester Central back to life to show the best the city has to offer.
“Unfortunately, COVID changed the playing field 5 years ago, and over the last 2 years, running a city centre hospitality business, we have been hit with a perfect storm of rising costs, taxes and pressure on customer wallets that has ultimately led to an unsustainable business model.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to close our customer-facing operation on Watson Street today. It’s the amazing team that I feel most sorry for, as it’s their commitment over the last 6 years that has made this building feel like our forever home.”
Having also housed local culinary offerings like Etana, too, it’s sad to see such an eye-catching part of the city’s dining scene fall foul to the ongoing industry pressures and cost of living crisis.
Heeley goes on to add: “If anyone on my network is looking for new recruits, I couldn’t speak highly enough of our whole team. Please get in touch with me about any opening you may have.”
Even if you’ve never been, you’ll have passed a bottle of Manchester Gin countless times. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Heeley signs off by saying: “While this is the end for our experience centre site, Manchester Gin will continue to be made in the city and hopefully enjoyed for years to come.
“Obviously, this is a difficult time for all of us, so please bear with us while we go through this transition. Thank you.” Online orders have also been briefly paused as they look to lay out clearer plans for the future, and we can only hope they come through the other side more stable.
In what has been a heartbreaking start to the week, this marks the third high-profile food and drink casualty in central Manchester alone in the space of just the last two days, with the news of Salvi’s shutting their Deansgate Square location being followed up by another NQ closure barely hours later.
Safe to say it’s more apparent than ever that our hospitality sector needs better support and fast.
Manchester’s famous 24-hour charity run for the homeless expands into three new cities
Danny Jones
Manchester city centre’s famous 24-hour charity run, which raises money for Britain’s homeless community every year, is growing once again in 2025, with the heartwarming event expanding into a trio of new regions.
The annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness may have started out life here in Manchester, but last November saw it branch out for the first time ever, launching the maiden edition of The Birmingham 24 Hour Run – an instant success, with the return 12 months later confirmed soon after.
We here at The Manc have been supporting the cause for a while now, with multiple members of the team having joined both the local and Brummy editions of the run.
Now set to branch out even further in just a few months’ time, The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is set to make its Yorkshire debut across two separate fundraising events this autumn, not to mention another event in the West Midlands this winter.
The 2024 Birmingham run saw almost £1,700 for relative homeless causes in the area, with all contributions considered: nothing short of an incredible tally for the inaugural event attended by far fewer numbers than its now well-established founding counterpart.
It was the first time that the Manc-born and bred charity run had ever ventured out of the city, proving that the format and not just nationwide, but a global crisis is what that can be supported all over.
With that in mind, this year, The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness will be hoping to positively impact rough sleeping numbers in Leeds for the very first time, as well as Sheffield, Hereford and, of course, Birmingham once again.
And yes, you can expect support from our friends over at The Hoot and The Sheff.
Backed by numerous local businesses, fellow non-profit organisations, run clubs, university groups, and plenty more from in and around the community, the annual fundraising relay run attracts thousands – and that’s just in Manchester.
The 24-Hour Run Against Homelessness was started by a bunch of uni students as a charitable arm of their running society, Run Wild MCR, and has since gone on to raise more than £50,000 for the ‘A Bed Every Night Scheme’.
An amazing achievement for a crucial cause we can all get behind.
Overseen by the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity and the Labour MP himself, Andy Burnham (who is a regular attendee every year now), the event that starts at noon one day and finishes at the same time the next, has seen both regional and national news coverage.
Speaking on this year’s expansion, 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness co-founder Tom Lewis told us: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support over the years; the Manchester running community, local companies and so many other organisations have come together to make a real difference.”
“Everyone should get involved with the 2025 events as it brings communities together from across each city to help raise money to aid those in need.”
For anyone considering getting involved with this year’s charity run for the homeless around Manchester city centre, or indeed any of the other four cities hosting in 2025, you can find the dates for each and more information HERE.
You can also watch a helpful little explainer, featuring the voice of yours truly, down below:
Georgina Pellant -
10th January 2022 
