Prestwich is set to get a new ‘Anglo-Saxon’ style pizzeria on Bury New Road this month.
Brought to the north Manchester suburb by the same team behind popular Ancoats restaurant Elnecot, the new pizzeria Dokes will open its doors in Prestwich early next week.
After originally opening in the Society food hall on Barbirolli Square in May 2021, Dokes will now move over to Prestwich -reinventing its city centre micro diner under a new banner altogether.
At Dokes, chefs will continue to put British produce front and center – drawing on extensive research conducted over the last five years at their sister restaurant, Elnecot.
Chef-Patron Michael Clay has built up relationships with a long list of incredible producers across Britain, so the people of Prestwich can expect to eat cheeses from every corner of the country, alongside salamis and nduja from Curing Rebels in Brighton; creamy British burrata from the home counties and exquisite truffles from Wiltshire.
The restaurant will also be working with the organic Cinderwood Market Garden in Cheshire, beloved by many of Manchester’s best restaurants, using an ever-changing list of beautiful and locally-grown fruit and vegetables on Dokes’ seasonally-evolving menu.
Pizza dough, meanwhile, is made using extra virgin rapeseed oil from Yorkshire and a blend of flours, using British heritage grains from Gilchesters organic farm in Northumberland, as well as Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire.
Image: Society MCR
Beyond pizzas, the menu will also feature seasonal salads and pasta (supplied by the wonderful Yorkshire Pasta Company) alongside other regularly-changing small plates. Brunch will also be served on the weekend.
Speaking on the new opening, Michael Clay, Chef-Patron of Dokes Pizzeria, said, “We are really looking forward to opening in Prestwich; it really felt like the perfect location and in the short time I’ve spent there, it seems to have a real community feel and strong spirit.
“We hope that we can provide a welcoming atmosphere for everyone while serving up delicious pizzas on Bury New Road.”
The new 40-cover Prestwich site offers a mixture of booth and table seating, with an open-plan kitchen allowing diners to look in and watch as Doke’s pizzaiolos fire up the ovens.
It’s not been plain sailing with the build of Dokes pizzeria in Prestwich and the team are opening quite a lot later than they originally intended.
Co-owner, Wesley Downham said, “We took the lease on for the unit just before Covid struck so, finally, two years later it will be very exciting to get the doors open. We have worked with the excellent Phaus interior architects to design the restaurant and we think it is a great looking space for the people of Prestwich to come to.
“Prestwich is a particularly exciting area at the minute, it has some great operators investing in the town and it’s being talked about in the national press as being one of the best places to live in the country. We can’t wait to get started and add to an already vibrant community.”
Dokes Pizzeria in Prestwich will open on 449A Bury New Road for lunch and dinner from 12pm until 10pm from Wednesday to Friday, then 10am until 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Whilst walk-ins are always welcome, for those who want to book the diary for reservations will be open from Friday 15 July, 2022.
News
Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families
Emily Sergeant
A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.
With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.
According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.
It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.
This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.
The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre
From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.
“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.
“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)
Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.
“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”
The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.
All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.
Georgina Pellant -
15th July 2022 
