The team behind Manchester fried chicken heroes Kong’s Chicken Shop is opening a new sandwich spot at Hatch this weekend – and there will be crisp butties on the menu.
Moving into the Oxford Road food and drink shipping container village this Friday, Kong’s Sandwich Shop will serve up an NYC bodega and deli-inspired menu with a few cheeky northern twists.
Crisps, of course, have to play their part – with hand-cooked salt and vinegar bad boys making an appearance on Kong’s Italian BMT.
Comprised of prosciutto, salami, sliced ham, rocket in blue cheese dressing, tomato concasse, and salt and vinegar crisps on ciabatta, it already sounds like this will become our new lunchtime go-to.
Chicken caesar club sandwich.
Pastrami loaded fries at Kong’s at Hatch
Credit: The Manc Group
Elsewhere you’ll find pulled chicken caesar club bloomers, smoked mackerel and lemon oil seeded bagels, a grilled smoked applewood, provolone and mozzarella sandwich on maple-glazed sourdough (extra ham optional).
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There’s also a pastrami Reuben with Russian dressing, and a Philly cheesesteak ciabatta on the menu – and, quite frankly, it all sounds amazing.
Veggies and vegans are not to be forgotten, either.
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Kong’s at Hatch. Credit: The Manc Group
For those who choose to forgo meat, choose from a pulled chipotle oyster mushroom melt with salsa, jalapenos, smoked cheddar cheese and jalapeno mayo (this can be made vegan), or Kong’s Vegan sandwich with pickled beetroot, hummus, roquito pepper, vegan cheese, pumpkin seeds and rocket on ciabatta.
There is also a range of sides on offer including pulled chipotle oyster mushroom-loaded fries, plain fries, deli salad, marinated Gordal olives, and hummus plates with pumpkin seeds, flatbread, lemon oil and coriander.
As for drinks, frozen margaritas and bottles of Pacifico will both be on sale from Kong’s Sandwich Shop in the courtyard.
Having dabbled in sandwiches since its inception, first with its famous fried chicken sandwich and later through its Nashville barbeque scene-inspired Meat and Three concept, Kong’s is now having a bit of a switch-around.
Its new sandwich shop at Hatch will go the whole hog on the sandwich route, offering a mix of hot and cold sandwiches on thickly-sliced ciabatta, bagels, maple-glazed sourdough, or white bloomer.
Over at Northern Monk Refectory, meanwhile, its Meat and Three kitchen will take a backseat as it’s replaced by the original Kong’s Chicken Shop menu – meaning that Kong’s amazing chicken crackling sandwich will once again take pride of place here.
Featured image: The Manc Group
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Police arrest four men and shut down ‘incredibly dangerous’ cannabis farm in Salford
Daisy Jackson
Police have shut down a suspected cannabis farm in Salford today, arresting four men.
Officers swooped on the property on Arthur Street in Swinton after finding evidence that the house was being used to grow cannabis plants.
The farm has been described as ‘incredibly dangerous’ to other occupants in the area.
Three rooms in the house were full of plants growing, with a huge amount of wiring surrounding them that posed a fire hazard.
The four men detained by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Salford Neighbourhood Team were subsequently arrested on suspicion of involvement in the production and supply of cannabis and remain in police custody for questioning.
Sergeant Peter MacFarlane said: “Locating a cannabis farm is a great result for the team who are gathering intelligence and working hard to crackdown on drug-related crime across Salford.
“Farms of this nature are also incredibly dangerous to other occupants in the area. The building itself is still being made safe due to the amount of wiring around the plants. Criminals running these types of enterprises have no regard for public safety and in these conditions, an electrical fault from bad wiring could easily start a fire and endanger lives.
“The arrests and seizures then go someway towards disrupting the supply of illegal drugs and the criminality that comes with it, and will also make our communities safer.
“This operation was intelligence led and a huge part of our intelligence comes from members of the public sharing information with us. If you have suspicions about a crime taking place please report it so we can take positive action and bring those responsible to justice.”
You can make a report by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also report via the LiveChat function on GMP’s website: www.gmp.police.uk
Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured image: GMP
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‘Groundbreaking’ new app to help get homeless people into work launches in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Homeless families across Manchester are set to benefit from a “groundbreaking” new service that gives them access to employment support.
With the ultimate aim of helping homeless people move out of temporary accommodation and into their own homes, Manchester City Council has announced a new pilot partnership with Beam – a social enterprise that fundraises on behalf of homeless people and connects them with a supportive online community.
Through Beam’s “innovative” app-based platform, homeless people can raise money for items that often end up being financial obstacles to them moving into a permanent home, whether than be funding equipment or training to help them secure stable and financially-viable employment, or towards a rental deposit, moving van, or other homeware essentials, and everything in between.
Donations come from people in the local community, and are shared out equally between participants, so that everyone reaches their fundraising target within an average of 17 days.
Having helped more than 1,300 homeless people “achieve their goals” since being founded in 2017, Beam isn’t just about funding, as it also has a team of caseworkers who provide one-to-one help with employment to those in need.
The caseworkers also lend a hand with searching for properties online, communicating with landlords, and booking house viewings, while Beam also works with a network of vetted landlords to help people find a home
The initiative also provides further support for at least six months after moving.
‘Groundbreaking’ new app to help get homeless people into work launches in Manchester / Credit: Beam
Over the next year, Manchester City Council says its pilot partnership with Beam will initially support 25 families who are living in temporary accommodation in the region, and move them into their own private rental homes.
Residents can be referred to the scheme by the Council’s housing teams, as well as other local services, and each person is assigned a caseworker from Beam, who then supports them on their journey into stable housing.
“No one chooses homelessness voluntarily,” admitted Councillor Joanna Midgley, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council.
“And when it happens, it can be devastating, which is why we are looking at a range of solutions to help people secure affordable and decent homes in Manchester.
Manchester City Council has announced a new pilot partnership with Beam / Credit: Beam
“Our new partnership with Beam is an innovative approach to improve people’s life chances, supporting them, where possible, into sustainable jobs allowing them to move out of temporary accommodation and into their own homes.
“This is coupled with individual, tailored support which is critical to the success of sustaining an affordable home and which is available to everyone on this pilot scheme.”
Georgina Pellant -
29th April 2022 
