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Burgerism take out 5-storey billboard in bid for Restaurant of the Year

If they win, they've promised to host a 'massive block party' as well as hinting at plans to possibly open a third site.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 27th May 2022

Greater Manchester takeaway Burgerism has made it into the finals of Uber Eats’ Restaurant of The Year category, and the team has gone all out – taking out a 70ft high billboard in Manchester City Centre in its bid to win the crown.

One of just two Greater Manchester eateries to make it into the final UK shortlist, the smash-hit burger favourite joked it had spent ‘not just the marketing budget but every other budget too’ on the ginormous advert.

As it vies for the public’s vote, the team is really giving it its all – and with a £100k prize up for grabs, it’s not hard to understand way.

Reading “Make your local. burger spot the UK’s Restaurant of the Year” in 14 foot high letters, the billboard is certainly not hard to miss – situated on the corner of Picadilly Gardens where Newton Street meets the main thoroughfare up to the station.

Image: Burgerism
Image: Burgerism

The cult favourite burger slingers told The Manc they would use the £100k prize to open another site – although anymore details are being kept firmly under wraps for now.the

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They also said they plan to host a ‘massive Burgerism block party for their team and fans’ if they win.

Mark Murphy, CEO and Founder of Burgerism, added: “Class to be nominated for Restaurant of the Year – the whole team is buzzing. And we’d really love to win it for our team, our fans and for Greater Manchester more generally!

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“Be nice to have a Salford restaurant take the crown. But if we do win it, we’re gonna host a Burgerism Block Party – still not sure what that looks like, but we’re getting tons of great ideas on Instagram from our followers! Maybe someone could even help sponsor it!”

Read more: BBC will axe THREE linear channels, including CBBC

Image: Burgerism

First founded in 2018, Burgerism has been quietly setting the standard for dark kitchens way before the pandemic made them so popular.

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For years, it has been delivery only – drawing regular queues outside its Salford site and churning out thousands of its popular smashed patty burgers a day.

It’s recently opened a second site in Manchester city centre, moving into Escape To Freight Island as a pop-up trader in one of the food hall’s kitchens, and it looks like there could apparently be a third site on the way if Manchester helps them to win the public vote this summer.

The other local restaurant in the running for the award is I Knead Pizza, a hugely popular Neapolitan-style pizzeria with sites in both Manchester and Reddish.

Read more: Little Amal is returning to Manchester for a parade through the city centre this summer

To vote for your favourite and help a Greater Manchester business win the £100k prize, click here to head over to the Uber Eats website here.

Feature image – Burgerism

News

Manchester palaeontologist unearths bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A Manchester-based palaeontologist has unearthed the bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile.

This new identification is a crucial part of a fascinating eight-year long discovery journey.

It all started when a seasoned fossil collector named Paul de la Salle found a giant jawbone on Lilstock Beach, near Bridgewater in Somerset, back in May 2016, and then father and daughter, Justin and Ruby Reynolds from Devon, found the first pieces of a second jawbone and another giant bone while searching for fossils on the beach at Blue Anchor, also in Somerset, in May 2020.

And now, a palaeontologist at the University of Manchester (UoM) Dr Dean Lomax, has identified the fossilised remains of the second gigantic jawbone that measures more than two metres long.

Experts have identified these bones as belonging to the jaws of a new species of enormous ichthyosaur – which is a type of prehistoric marine reptile – and astonishing estimations suggest the oceanic titan would have been more than 25-metres long.

Dr Lomax has been working together with Justin and Ruby Reynolds, along with Paul de la Salle and several family members, since the father-daughter duo first contacted them about their groundbreaking discovery in 2020.

A Manchester palaeontologist has unearthed bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile / Credit: UoM

“I was amazed by Justin and Ruby’s find,” Dr Lomax commented.

“In 2018, my team and Paul de la Salle studied and described Paul’s giant jawbone, and we had hoped that one day another would come to light.”

He explained that Justin and Ruby’s new specimen was “more complete and better preserved” than the first find, and that he “became very excited” at the chance to learn more following their discovery.

As mentioned, the Manchester-based research team, led by Dr Lomax, revealed that the jaw bones belong to a new species of giant ichthyosaur that would’ve been about the size of a blue whale, and they have called the new genus and species Ichthyotitan severnensis – which means ‘giant fish lizard of the Severn’.

The bones – which represent the very last of their kind – are around 202 million years old, and date back to the end of the Triassic Period in a time known as the Rhaetian.

During this time, the gigantic ichthyosaurs swam the seas while the dinosaurs walked on land.

The University of Manchester, where Dr Dean Lomax works as a palaeontologist / Credit: UoM

Ichthyotitan is not the world’s first giant ichthyosaur, but the discoveries by Paul, and Justin and Ruby, are said to be “unique among those known to science”, as they appear roughly 13 million years after their latest geologic relatives – including Shonisaurus sikanniensis from British Columbia in Canada, and Himalayasaurus tibetensis from Tibet in China.

Speaking on the confirmation of the bones’ identification this week, Dr Lomax said: “This research has been ongoing for almost eight years.

“It is quite remarkable to think that gigantic, blue whale-sized ichthyosaurs were swimming in the oceans around what was the UK during the Triassic Period.

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“These jawbones provide tantalising evidence that perhaps one day a complete skull or skeleton of one of these giants might be found.”

Featured Image – UoM

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Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pie and Ale Manchester closed down

Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.

Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.

Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.

Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.

Credit: The Manc Eats

While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”

The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.

Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.

Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.

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While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.

A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.

We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.

RIP to an NQ icon.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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