The boss of one of the UK’s largest produce wholesalers has warned that school dinner portions in England could soon shrink if extra funding isn’t provided to tackle rising food costs.
As the growing cost of living crisis continues to make its impact felt across the country, with the latest data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today confirming inflation has now reached a 40-year high of 9%, Andrew Selley – the chief executive of food distribution business, Bidfood – has now warned that many schools could be forced between offering smaller portions at lunchtime and using cheaper ingredients.
He told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the situation is going to “lead to some difficult decisions for school caterers” as they are either going to have to “serve smaller portions or use cheaper ingredients”.
“This not going to be good for children,” he added.
Selley also added that baked goods are currently up to 20%-30% more expensive due to rising wheat prices – which will also impact pasta, eggs, and chicken – and this is on top of the fact that the price of sunflower oil has already “doubled against a year ago” as a result of the ongoing war Ukraine.
School caterers and other food providers said they were also acing significant difficulties amid rising food and fuel prices, and admitted that labour costs have also gone up.
Campaigners are now renewing urges to government ministers to provide free school meals for one million extra children in England to ease growing cost of living pressures on struggling families, as currently, only two in five children in poverty are eligible for free school lunches or school holiday support.
While many campaigners say they accept that food providers are face rising costs like all other industries, they believe the priority should still be to provide more free school meals.
Jacquie Blake – National Chair of LACA – the School Food People, a representative body for school food – said the situation is now “unprecedented”.
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She explained: “Our budgets cannot keep up. Our members are telling us that they will be unable to meet the school food standards if funding does not increase… [and] increasingly, we are seeing children fall through the gap.
“They are not entitled to free school meals but their parents cannot afford a school lunch.”
In response to the concerns raised by campaigners and several food providers, a government spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures that some schools may face and have given them the autonomy to agree individual contracts with suppliers and caterers, using their increased core funding.
Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
The Manc -
18th May 2022 
