2025 will be the last year that legendary street food venture Grub will operate from its current home in Manchester.
In a major update shared today, the enterprise – which is one of the city’s very first and most prominent street food businesses – confirmed that it will ‘cease to exist’ in its current form this winter.
Grub wrote that the building they have occupied for the last six years, on Red Bank in the Green Quarter, will be undergoing redevelopment.
And so it’ll be the end of an era for Grub – but they’re urging fans not to panic.
The much-loved venue said that it will now be ‘returning to the street’, returning to its roots as a travelling food festival, filled with street food chefs, pop-up bars and ‘unbeatable vibes’.
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They wrote in their ‘big Grub update‘ that: “For too long venues, food halls & restaurants have been taking the STREET out of STREET FOOD (that includes us!) but we’re on a mission to bring it back.”
Although Grub will continue to operate on Red Bank throughout summer, they’ve already lined up some other venues to host events at this year, and are on the look-out for even more.
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The venue’s independent cinema, Cultplex, will move to a new home, and its sister site Fairfield Social Club will continue to operate from Angel Meadows unaffected by Grub’s closure.
Grub will ‘cease to exist’ at its current home in Red BankGrub paved the way for street food in ManchesterCredit: The Manc Group
Grub wrote: “We just wanted to let you know 2025 will be GRUB’s final year at our current home. But DON’T PANIC!
“The only reason for this is that our fantastic landlords (who have supported us through thick & thin) are getting round to re-developing the building we live in.
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“This was supposed to happen in 2021 so we’re very happy we’ve managed to hang around for 6 years.
“So GRUB at Red Bank will cease to exist in winter 2025 but that isn’t the end for GRUB as we’ll be returning to THE STREET.
“Yes GRUB will go back to being a travelling food fest packed with the best street food chefs, pop up bars & unbeatable vibes that only a proper street food market can deliver.
“For too long venues, food halls & restaurants have been taking the STREET out of STREET FOOD (that includes us!) but we’re on a mission to bring it back. We’ve already got venues lined up for summer but we’re on the lookout for more, it’s going to be lovely.
“Before that all happens we’ll be having one last SMASHING summer at Red Bank with a few foodie surprises & special events. More news soon!
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“Thank you one & all for your support over the many years we’ve been chugging along, it really is very much appreciated and we hope to see you soon. Much love”
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Daisy Jackson -
10th February 2025 
