This month, it’s all change in the Northern Quarter.
Fried chicken favourite Kong’s is on the move, leaving its home at Northern Monk Refectory after a very happy year of naughty burgers and roast dinners to venture onto pastures new.
In its place, Manchester’s lasagne restaurant Lazy Tony’s will take over the taproom’s kitchen later this month – bringing its famous giant five-layer slabs and obscenely good mozzarella sticks with it.
Meanwhile, Kong’s chef-owner Tom Potts has revealed to The Manc that he has a new Mexican concept up his sleeve and will be moving into a new site in the Northern Quarter with it later this month.
Launched in lockdown, Tom first launched Kong’s Chicken Shop with this iconic ‘chicken crackling’ burger – now he’s about to launch his fifth concept in two years. / Image: Kong’s Chicken Shop
From the man that brought us fried chicken roast dinners and double-dredged burgers with a special chicken ‘crackling’ now comes Kong’s Cantina.
Serving up a range of cheesy quesadillas and flavourful tacos, it is set to open permanently inside an NQ basement kitchen later this summer – taking over from another popular eatery currently on the cusp of opening its own restaurant.
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The Cantina is the sixth concept to be launched by the brand, which first emerged in lockdown after former CBRB bar manager Tom Potts found himself furloughed and with plenty of time on his hands to experiment with what he loves best.
Tom Potts, founder of Kong’s. / Image: Kong’s Chicken Shop
The famous Kong’s fried chicken roast dinner. / Image: Kong’s Chicken Shop
After a successful couple of years for Kong’s, he now lays claim to the original Kong’s Chicken Shop, Kong’s Diner at Dogbowl, and the Kong’s Sandwich Shop at Hatch.
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He also briefly ran Kong’s Meat and Three from Northern Monk, which drew inspiration from Nashville’s famous ‘meat and three’ barbecue restaurants, and a Christmas kebab shop in partnership with now-closed Spinningfields bar Clubhouse.
Clearly full of ideas, the menu for Kong’s Cantina is yet to be released but we’re expecting very good things when it drops (hopefully sometime later this week).
To keep up with more news and announcements ahead of the opening, make sure to follow Kong’s on social media here.
Feature image – Kong’s Chicken Shop
News
Victim named and murder investigation launched after young woman is killed in Newton Heath stabbing
Emily Sergeant
The victim of a street stabbing in Newton Heath this week has been named for the first time as a murder investigation continues.
It comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance at around 2am yesterday (Thursday 15 October) on Dorking Avenue, in the Newton Heath area of Manchester, and when they arrived on the scene, they found a woman in her 20s with serious injuries that were ‘consistent with a stabbing’.
Despite best efforts of all emergency services involved, the young woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
As the murder investigation progresses, the woman has now been publicly named and a photo of her has been released for the first time.
She has been named as 26-year-old Alisha Samuels.
At this time, one man, aged 25, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a man and woman, aged 61 and 38, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and they all remain in custody – with officers continuing their enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
Alisha’s family have asked for privacy whilst they deal with the devastating loss of their loved one, GMP has stated.
“We are continuing to urge people who may have information in relation to this incident to please come forward to support our investigation and bring justice for Alisha,” the police force said in a public appeal.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has mobile phone, CCTV, or doorbell footage, is urged to call GMP on 0161 856 5464, or contact them via the Major Incident Public Portal here.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Featured Image – GMP (Family Handout)
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Former supply teacher jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A former supply teacher has been jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester.
Abusali Rahman – a British national of Bangladeshi ethnicity from Salford – appeared in Bolton Crown Court this week for his sentencing after first being charged with, and then pleading guilty to, several offences.
The offences are including, but not limited to, 12 counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (images obtained by upskirting), three counts of making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (making AI-generated images), and one count of attempting to meet girl under 16 following sexual grooming.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between December 2023 and June 2025, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Twelve girls have been identified in relation to the upskirting offences – aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the alleged offending – at seven high schools in three Greater Manchester boroughs (Bury, Bolton, and Salford).
GMP says it has remained in close contact with the schools, local authorities, and other partners throughout the investigation to ensure all appropriate support is in place for those who need it.
Additionally, the court also heard how Rahman amassed a collection of images of young girls, using AI and other methods to sexualise them.
The images numbered more than 300 in total, ranging from Category A to Category C classifications, and Rahman would post these on social media, often alongside humiliating and disgusting captions.
Rahman was sentenced to six years in prison, and will also be subject to a 20-year Sexual Harm Protection Order.
A former supply teacher has been jailed for child sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Detective Constable Lisa McGaffin, from GMP’s Bolton Child Protection Team, described Rahman’s crimes as ‘absolutely abhorrent’.
“My thoughts throughout this process have always been with the young girls who have been subject to such indignity,” DC McGaffin said following the sentencing this week. “Their welfare and support will always be a priority for us.
“While working as a teacher – someone who young children should trust and be safe with – Rahman repeatedly took secret photos for his own sick gratification, before posting images online which showed his total disregard for the girls’ respect and dignity.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd August 2022 
