Christmas market favourite Panc is opening a new street food stall in the heart of Manchester, taking over the former Salt and Pepper unit at the Arndale Market.
Having impressed vegans and non-vegans alike with their naturally-coloured buns, plant-based burgers and bratwursts at last year’s Christmas markets, chefs Ariane Cardoso and Hannah Jobe are now gearing up to open a new space in the city centre.
Here, Panc fans will be able to find all their savoury favourites as well as a range of sweet desserts under the new banner Yum Yum.
Splitting the stall into two, Panc and Yum Yum will each be housed in their own individual sections – one serving up tasty vegan ‘junk’ food like kebabs, burgers, loaded fries, hot dogs and ‘chick’n’, the other focusing exclusively on milkshakes and desserts.
Yum Yum will boast a brand new vegan soft serve machine, bringing plant-based ice cream to the Arndale market for the very first time alongside Panc’s popular churros, loaded PANCakes and Belgian waffles.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Panc already offers a ‘Sweet Tingz’ section on its dark kitchen Deliveroo menu, but now they’ll be bringing the sweet-tooth offering to life in a new way with its very own stall – as well as maintaining their busy dark kitchen operation alongside.
Open at the market until 6pm throughout the week, they’ll then carry on cooking into the evening from their kitchen in Ardwick – with full menus available to either collect or order for delivery at both sites.
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It’s an exciting new development for Ariane and Hannah, who first started cooking during lockdown over in Gatley before they got an opportunity to be in the Christmas markets
Since closing their Piccadilly Gardens stall at the start of January, the pair have been serving customers from Salford to Fallowfield from their base at Ghost Kitchens in Ardwick.
Image: The Manc Eats
Speaking on the journey of their business up to this point, Hannah told The Manc: “We got an opportunity to be in the Christmas markets, and we were like ‘oh we really want to be in the city centre'”,
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“Ariane sent me a message in the lockdown and just said are you working, I said no I’m on furlough, alright let’s open a business and we did!”
Before that, both had worked in hospitality for some time. Hannah was a Business Development Manager selling coffee, whilst Ariane – a vegan cook for many years – was managing Brazilian steakhouse Bem Brasil, having opened sites in Northern Quarter, Deansgate and Liverpool for the group.
Panc proved a huge hit with both vegans and meat-eaters alike at the 2021 Manchester Christmas Markets. / Image: Panc Foods
Despite their success at the Manchester Christmas Markets, both said that they felt they had to start from scratch when they arrived in Ardwick – adding that Deliveroo helped them to do a lot of marketing to introduce themselves to their new customer base.
Now they’re taking another step forward – bringing the tried-and-tested dessert arm of their dark kitchen business out into the world under a brand new name.
Tipped to open in the Arndale Market any day now. keep an eye on Panc’s socials for more updates ahead of their launch.
Feature image – PancFoods / The Manc Eats
News
Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues
Emily Sergeant
Heaton Park has made the devastating announcement that two more of its beloved donkeys have sadly passed away.
“It is with great sadness that today we announce the passing of Bonnie and Josh, our beloved donkeys, following advice of a vet and The Donkey Sanctuary who visited our Animal Centre,” Heaton Park & Hall announced on its official social platforms at the end of last week.
The death of Bonnie and Josh comes after two of the park’s other donkeys, Ralph and Lenny, also sadly passed away in June and October of last year, respectively.
Both donkeys were born at Heaton Park, and had been steady companions for each other over the last three decades.
Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall
Josh managed to reach 29, and Bonnie an incredible 33 years of age before passing, and considering that The Donkey Sanctuary says the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30, reaching this age was said to be a ‘significant achievement’ for all who cared for Bonnie and Josh.
However in their later years though, both Bonnie and Josh were living with ‘complex’ health and age-related issues.
Ultimately, these complications were what led to them passing away last week.
“They were such kind and gentle souls, and this loss will be felt deeply by all staff, past and present, alongside our visitors,” Heaton Park’s statement continued.
Heaton Park staff closed out their statement thanking everyone who has ever visited the donkeys over the past couple of decades, and particularly the Donkey Welfare Advisers at The Donkey Sanctuary who have supported them and their donkey herd, especially in recent years.
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ organised last week by police to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester.
Various policing activities took place alongside partners across all districts and boroughs as part of County Lines Intensification Week – which ran from Monday 2 – Sunday 8 March 2026 – with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirming that officers conducted a total of 30 warrants.
Warrants resulted in 40 arrests across Greater Manchester, with 20 active drugs lines closed down, as well as more than £34,000in cash and a substantial amount of class A and class B drugs seized.
Drugs seized included heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, and cannabis.
Mobile phones, weapons – including stun guns, zombie knives, crossbows, and an axe– were also confiscated, and to top it off, electric bikes, designer goods,and high-value electronic deviceswere also recovered during the process too.
40 people arrested as part of a ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Some of the arrests made include six men, aged between 20 and 42, on suspicion of production of cannabis and abstracting electricity, and three men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of various drug-related offences.
County Lines Intensification Week ran as part of a national coordinated action targeting county lines offenders, removing dangerous drugs and weapons from our streets, and safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, GMP explained.
If you’re unfamiliar, County Lines is the use of dedicated phone lines to deal drugs from one location to another, and it is known for often exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are groomed and coerced into moving, storing, and selling drugs.
County Lines teams use the ‘four Ps’ as a strategy to tackle organised criminals trafficking drugs and safeguard vulnerable people – Prevent, Protect, Prepare, and Pursue.
More than £34,000 in cash was also seized by police / Credit: GMP
Speaking following the week of action, Detective Inspector John Schofield, from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit. said: “We have had a very busy and successful County Lines Intensification Week, with various lines disrupted thanks to the warrants we have executed.
“Intelligence gathered from the community played a vital role in us being able to conduct this activity, which saw 30 warrants, resulting in 40arrests and 20 drug lines closed down across Greater Manchester.
“This week’s action is a powerful example of our commitment to dismantle organised crime in our region.
Deputy Mayor of Safer and Stronger Communities, Kate Green, added: “County lines activity brings significant harm to our communities. It fuels the supply of dangerous drugs while exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are often groomed, coerced and threatened into criminal activity.
“That is why tackling this type of organised crime is a key priority for partners across Greater Manchester.”
Georgina Pellant -
27th June 2022 
