The bustling centre of Ancoats will be pedestrianised for a six-month trial period, starting this week.
The streets around Cutting Room Square will be closed to traffic, with existing pay-and-display parking bays removed.
Manchester City Council has said that the emergency pedestrianisation of the area during the pandemic highlighted the benefits of traffic-free areas in the city centre.
It’s part of the council’s vision to create a ‘green and clean urban space’ and provide safe and attractive, traffic-free public spaces.
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Sections of Blossom Street, Cotton Street and Hood Street will be closed to vehicles for six months from Friday 26 August, to gauge public opinion on making it permanent.
Disabled spaces and car club bays will be relocated to areas outside the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
Cutting Room Square in Ancoats will be pedestrianised. Credit: Manchester City Council
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Manchester City Council’s executive member for Environment and Transport, said: “We’re excited to launch this consultation in this part of Ancoats. It’s a well-used and vibrant part of this growing neighbourhood and during the pandemic the emergency pedestrianisation of this area made it clear what benefits can be brought by limiting cars and other vehicles from some of our streets.
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“This consultation will be running for an initial six months so I would encourage people to use the square during this period, experience the new environment and give us your feedback.
“Ultimately we want to see Ancoats as a green and clean urban space, an ambition we are working to realise through a wider strategy to put green space and active travel at the heart of the Ancoats community. The trial to pedestrianise the roads around Cutting Room Square is another step in this direction.”
The proposals being put forward for the ETRO include:
Closing Blossom Street to vehicles between Cotton Street and Sharrett Street (the area outside Elnecot, Seven Brothers Beerhouse, The Counter House and others)
Closing Cotton Street to vehicles from its junction with Blossom Street to a point just to the south-east of Hood Street (outside Rudy’s)
Closing Hood Street from its junction with Cotton Street to a point just to the south-west of the Halle building’s servicing door (around Hallé St Peter’s and The Jane Eyre)
Closing Hood Street (except for vehicle loading/unloading) from its junction with Murray Street to a point just to the south-west of the Halle building’s servicing door
Bicycles will be permitted through the area as normal.
To comment on the proposals residents can do so by email [email protected] – the deadline to respond is 26 February 2023.
Featured image: Manchester City Council
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Massive queue forms FOUR HOURS ahead of Wagamama katsu curry giveaway
Daisy Jackson
Wagamama is giving away free katsu curries today – and a massive queue has already formed.
The popular restaurant’s site on St Peter’s Square in Manchester city centre has a long line of people eagerly hoping to snap up a free lunch.
The giveaway has been launched in celebration of National Katsu Curry Day, with restaurants right across England, Scotland and Wales taking part.
In Manchester city centre alone, there are Wagamama restaurants at St Peter’s Square, Spinningfields and Printworks – not to mention the six more scattered across Greater Manchester boroughs.
The free curry dishes won’t be given out until 3pm on Tuesday 27 September – but already by 11am there were dozens standing in line in town.
Niko Omilana with a katsu curry. Credit: WagamamaThe huge queue outside Wagamama in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
With only 50 katsu dishes per Wagamama restaurant up for grabs, handed out on a first-come first-serve basis, it’s looking like the early queueing will be totally necessary.
The freebies are also only available to students who have registered with the new Wagamama Noodle Union, a new student society, which is being fronted by YouTuber Niko Omilana.
Niko said: “As one of my first acts as noodle union president, I’m proud to announce free katsu to mark National Katsu Curry Day – a day to celebrate across the nation as we come together in honour of all things katsu.
“Make sure to sign up to the noodle union so that you don’t miss out on a free katsu curry and other epic prizes throughout the year!”
Wagamama will give away 50 free katsu dishes per restaurant for dine-in, and diners can choose from chicken, yasai, vegatsu or hot.
Featured image: The Manc Group
News
The Manchester Food and Drink Festival award winners 2022
Georgina Pellant
On Monday night, the Manchester Food and Drink FestivaL (MFDF) celebrated 25 years in the city at its annual awards gala dinner.
17 award winners were announced across the Greater Manchester region, recognised in a range of different categories including Restaurant of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Bar of the Year and Neighbourhood Venue of the Year.
Designed to showcase the amazing talent within the region’s dining community, this year’s categories were jam packed with individuals and stand-out food and drink businesses who have given their all to industry over the past year.
Keep reading to discover who took home what at last night’s event.
Awards categories and nominations:
Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Where The Light Gets In
Shortlised: 10 Tib Lane, Erst, The Sparrows, Another Hand, Mana, The Firehouse, Where The Light Gets
Bar of the Year
Winner: Speak In Code
Shortlisted: Blinker Bar, Flawd, Henry C, Ramona, Schofield’s Bar, 10 Tib Lane, Speak In Code
Chef of the Year
Winner: Eddie Shepherd (The Walled Gardens)
Shortlisted: Caroline Martins (Sao Paulo Project), Joseph Otway (Flawd), Sam Buckley (Where The Light Gets In), Patrick Withington (Erst), Adam Reid (The French), Julian Pizer (Another Hand), Eddie Shepherd (The Walled Gardens)
Pub or Beer bar of the Year
Winner: The Kings Arms, Salford
Shortlisted: Bridge Beers, Heaton Hops, House of Hops, The Kings Arms, Nordie, Track Taproom, Station Hop
Food and Drink Retailer of The Year
Winner: Chorlton Cheesemongers
Shortlisted: Ad Hoc, Chorlton Cheesemongers, Hello Oriental, Coopers Lets Fress Deli, Le Social, Out of the Blue, Wandering Palate
Independent Food Producer of the Year
Winner: Dormouse Chocolates
Shortlisted: Great North Pie Co, La Chouquette, Holy Grain, Long Bois Bakehouse, Polyspore, Yellowhammer, Dormouse Chocolates
Image: Pollen
Coffee Shop of the Year
Winner: Pollen (Cottonfield Wharf)
Shortlisted: Cafe Sanjuan, Factory Coffee, Grind and Tamp, Grapefruit, Just Between Friends, Station South, Pollen
Food Trader of the Year
Winner: Burgerism
Shortlisted: House of Habesha, The Little Sri Lankan, Loveingly Artisan, Mira, New Wave Ramen, Pico’s Tacos, Burgerism
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Plant Based Offering of the Year
Winner: Wholseome Junkies
Shortlisted: Four Side Pizza, Herbivorous, Otto Vegan Empire, Ruyi Vegetarian House, Sanskruti, The Walled Gardens, Wholseome Junkies
Affordable Eats Venue of the Year
Winner: Salt & Pepper
Shortlisted: Aunty Ji’s, Bahn Mi Co Ba, Cafe Sanjuan, Levenshulme Bakery, Go Falafel, Mama Flo’s, Sat & Pepper
Image: Salt & Pepper
Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year
Winner: Ancoats
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Shortlisted: Monton, Prestwich, Sale, Stockport, Ramsbottom, Ancoats, Chapel Street, Salford
Pop Up or Project of the Year
Winner: Platt Fields Market Garden
Shortlisted: The Sao Paulo Project, Suppher, Eat Well Spring Festival, Bungalow at Kampus, Heart and Parcel, Stockport Foodie Friday
Independent Drinks Producer of the Year
Winner: Hip Pop
Shortlisted: Bundobust Brewery, Cloudwater, Hip Pop, Intro The Gathering Dusk, Stockport Gin, Steep Soda, Track Brewing
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Neighbourhood Venue of the Year
Winner: Bar San Juan
Shortlisted: Baratxuri, The Easy Fish Co, Nila’s Burmese Kitchen, Ornella’s Kitchen, Osma, The Perfect Match, Bar San Juan
Image: Bar San Juan
Newcomer of the Year
Winner: Another Hand
Shortlisted: Flawd, The Alan, The Black Friar, Bundobust (Oxford Street), Yellowhammer, 10 Tib Lane
Great Service Award
Winner: Dishoom
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Shortlisted: Bull & Bear, Dishoom, Hawksmoor, Flawd, Schofield’s Bar, Speak In Code, 10 Tib Lane
The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement
Winner: John and Rosemary Barratt, Stockport Foodie Friday
The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement
Recognising people who have contributed something outstanding to the hospitality industry in Greater Manchester.
How the votes were cast
The shortlists were compiled by the MFDF judging panel, with all categories carefully considered and created to reflect an innovative, diverse, and inspiring food and drink industry.
The shortlisted venues were put to the public vote via the MFDF website where food and drink fans voted for their hospitality heroes.
For some of the awards, the public votes were combined with a mystery shopping visit from members of the judging panel. Others were decided entirely by public vote.
The Independent Drinks Producer of the Year and the Independent Food Producer of the Year Awards were judged by a panel taste test during the MFDF opening weekend.
The awards were presented in partnership with MFDF Awards headline sponsors Bruntwood, and commemorated a year of ongoing innovation and success to further establish Greater Manchester’s importance on the national food and drink scene.
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The Manchester Food and Drink Festival continues this weekend, having been postponed for a week following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Read more: Manchester Food and Drink Festival unveils full 25th anniversary programme
Speaking on the 2022 awards,s Alexa Stratton-Powell, Director of Manchester Food and Drink Festival said: “The strength of this year’s awards are testament to the hard work and dedication of all the nominees. As ever, the awards put the spotlight on the incredible talent and resilience of our brilliant hospitality industry.
“Despite hugely challenging times for the industry, we’ve celebrated 112 fantastic Greater Manchester businesses this evening as the reputation of the sector continues to go from strength to strength. We’d like to thank the judges, everyone who voted and the nominated businesses who took part in this year’s awards, as well as our hosts at Escape to Freight Island for a wonderful night of celebrations.”
James Tootle, Head of Retail and Leisure, added: “We’re thrilled to have supported the MFDF Awards this year and proud to have been part of celebrating such a fantastic year for hospitality.
“Great restaurants, bars, cafes as well as talented chefs and entrepreneurs are at the heart of thriving towns and cities, and recognising the best in class is a fantastic way of celebrating the importance of this industry to the region as a whole. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated tonight!”
Daisy Jackson -
24th August 2022 
