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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Georgina Pellant -
15th July 2022 
