Indie bakehouse Batard is opening a new cafe inside SEESAW on Princess Street, giving fans of their artisanal bakes something new to look forward to.
A project born out of lockdown after Batard co-founder Lewis Loughman left his head baker position at doughnut and cookie brand Gooey, the newcomer bakery has made some serious waves this year.
First opening as a pop-up at Withington Public Hall Institute before transitioning into a wholesale business, Lewis and co-owner Dorothy Jaffa have spent the past few months supplying the likes of Osma Kitchen Bar, Edinburgh Castle, Foundation Coffee House, Takk, and Bernie’s Grocery Store with their ‘proper good’ bread and bakes.
Inside the new cafe space inside SEESAW that Batard will be taking over later this month / Image: Adrian Brenner
But now, come the end of September, they’ll be taking up a new permanent residency inside SEESAW – a fresh coworking space that’s recently been opened by the team behind Takk in the Northern Quarter and Ancoats new ‘part-time’ wine bar and shop, Kerb.
Serving up the bakes they’ve become known for using flour freshly milled on-site, as well as a food menu focused on local produce and seasonality, they’ll be bringing back some all-time favourite bakes as well as introducing a new breakfast and lunch menu.
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Fans of Batard’s notorious steak bakes will be pleased to hear these will be making a return, alongside some new dishes like a ‘fish butty’ comprised of house-made Hokkaido milk loaf, beer-battered haddock, tartar sauce and iceberg lettuce.
There are also some plans to add a selection of pies to the offering here further down the line.
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Baker Lewis Loughman pictured with a tray of his infamous steak bakes / Image: Adam Pester
The new menu will consist of breakfast and lunch items using the best produce Manchester has to offer – and each dish will be created using a product baked freshly on-site, with Batard showcasing their baking skills through creations like Hokkaido milk loaves, babka, and sourdough batards.
All menu ingredients will be sourced locally, with Batard working with independent suppliers including Littlewoods butchers, The Crafty Cheese Man, and Cinderwood (a new one-acre market garden in Cheshire focused on growing food for flavour, founded by organic grower Michael Fitzsimmons and Higher Ground chef Joseph Otway).
Coffee will be served by SEESAW’s baristas using beans from local roastery Swansong, with natural wine, local beer and cocktails to follow.
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Inside the new cafe space inside SEESAW that Batard will be taking over later this month / Image: Adrian Brenner
Speaking on the new opening plans, Philip Hannaway, Managing Director at SEESAW said:
“We’re really excited to welcome Batard into SEESAW. As a fellow startup they share our love of the creative and doing things differently. We couldn’t think of a better addition to our SEESAW cafe offer and we look forward to our members, as well as the public, enjoying what we have to offer between us.”
To keep up with new developments ahead of Batard’s opening, make sure to follow them on Instagram here.
You’ll find their new cafe inside SEESAW at 86 Princess St, Manchester M1 6NG. The opening date is still TBC.
More than £2 million in compensation received by underpaid workers in the North West
Danny Jones
More than £2 million is said to have been dished out in compensation to workers in the North West alone, as the UK government is continuing to crack down on employers underpaying their staff.
Employees from nearly 500 different companies across the region have received the money they owed following a raft of fines in excess of £2.7 million.
Covering the likes of Greater Manchester and beyond, the companies responsible have been revealed by the government as part of the new Fair Work Agency (FWA), which is tasked with shoring up workers’ rights moving forward.
The FWA is part of Labour’s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and hopes not only to correctly reimburse those short-changed but also, with the clear threat of swift action, deter others from trying to do the same in the future.
Matthew Taylor CBE has been appointed Chair of the Fair Work Agency, a new body that will transform how employment rights are enforced across the UK.
How? By tackling exploitation, supporting businesses doing the right thing, and helping to build a fairer labour market. pic.twitter.com/duEeNlwDHr
— Department for Business and Trade (@biztradegovuk) October 14, 2025
Released publicly last Friday, 17 October, 80 companies that failed to properly pay approximately 19,000 workers in and around the North West have now been repaid by their employers.
Perhaps most concerningly is that the fines sweep across multiple sectors and sizes, from local independents and SME to well-known high street brands.
From April 2026 onwards, the updated Employment Rights Bill (which also includes the FWA) grants more powers to tackle employers underpaying workers and failing to fulfil both holiday and sick pay.
This announcement also comes after the National Minimum Wage rate was increased earlier this year, with millions getting a pay rise and those working full-time on the National Living Wage seeing their families supported by an extra £1,400 per year.
Under the ‘Make Work Pay’ initiative set out by the Labour Party, more than 15 million Brits are expected to benefit from the new measures.
Overall, roughly £6 million has been put back into the pockets of underpaid workers up and down the country following these fines, which are said to have totalled roughly £10.2m. The full list of companies in question can be seen HERE.
Speaking on the news, Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said: “This government is taking direct action to ensure workers get every penny they’ve earned, and to put an end to bad businesses undercutting good ones.
“We’re proud to have delivered a strong minimum wage, and enforcing it thoroughly is crucial in our mission to put pounds back in your pocket. I know this news will be welcomed by brilliant businesses across the country, those who know that happy, well-paid staff are at the heart of building a successful company.
“With our new Fair Work Agency and the coming Employment Rights Bill, this government is keeping our promise to Britain to make work pay again.”
If you fear you might be suffering from underpayment by your employer, you can check that your wages are correct online; alternatively, you can call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or contact their website for more information right HERE.
342 arrests made in Piccadilly Gardens since start of GMP’s pledge to ‘improve’ public safety
Emily Sergeant
More than 300 people have been arrested in Piccadilly Gardens since the police pledged to ‘improve’ the perception of the area.
A dedicated neighbourhood policing team that was set up by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) back in March to tackle issues and concerns in Piccadilly Gardens, and ultimately improve the public’s sense of safety, has seen a total of 342 arrests since its inception.
The City Centre Piccadilly Gardens neighbourhood policing team – which is led by Chief Inspector Michael Tachauer – works together with partners, including Manchester City Council, to tackle these problems with long-term solutions.
Following the team’s success since it started, GMP will now continue to build on the foundations of its problem-solving approach to address some of the most prevalent issues.
According to police, Piccadilly Gardens has seen ‘real progress’ being made in terms of safeguarding, enforcement, and GMP’s wider understanding of the issues and concerns communities are facing this past year.
342 arrests have been made in Piccadilly Gardens since the start of GMP’s pledge to ‘improve’ public safety / Credit: GMP
Since March, GMP has seen a total of 342 arrests resulting in 279 charges / cautions, 511 stop searches, 37 weapons seized, and large amounts of Class A and Class B drugs seized too.
“We remain committed to improving both the perception of Piccadilly Gardens and the public’s sense of safety in the area,” commented Chief Superintendent David Meeney, who is the City of Manchester District Commander.
“However, this is not something we can achieve alone. We will continue to work closely with our partners and deploy additional police resources whenever intelligence or demand indicates a need for increased presence.
“We also rely heavily on information from our community, from those who work in the area to residents living nearby. Your reports are vital in helping us develop targeted plans that our neighbourhood officers can act on, so please continue to share any concerns or incidents with us.”
Got any concerns about Piccadilly Gardens? You can continue to report those to GMP by calling 101 or online via gmp.uk.com. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Georgina Pellant -
1st September 2021 
