A Scandi-inspired cafe bar that opened in the heart of Manchester’s office district in 2020 has it will be closing for good.
Spring Gardens cafe bar Lättsam, popular for its mugs of gravy soaked Swedish meatballs and huge range of beer, has revealed that it will be closing up shop for good.
Opened by the team the behind the award-winning Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co. and NQ Bar, the cafe and bar has occupied the former Brook Street Recruitment Office since 2020.
When owners first got their hands on the site, they thought they would have a steady stream of customers thanks to the offices upstairs.
Now, they say that the pandemic has put paid to that dream.
mage: LattsamI
mage: LattsamI
Opening in the early days of the Covid pandemic, bosses first had to operate as a takeaway whilst waiting for the city to enter ‘Tier 2’ so it could offer a fuller menu in line with government restrictions.
It is this, combined with a change of working patterns, that owners pointed to as they announced the restaurant’s closure on social media over the weekend.
Saying there was ‘no way of knowing what was just around the corner’, they pointed to ‘multiple re-openings over the years’ and the fact that ‘the working landscape had completely changed’ since early 2020.
The team wrote: “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce that tonight we have closed our doors for the last time.
“When we first opened early 2020 we were destined to be in the hub of Manchester’s office district, with no way of knowing what was just around the corner.
Image: Lattsame
“With multiple re-openings over the years that followed, the working landscape had completely changed and we suffered many of the issues that other city centre hospitality venues have faced over the past 12 months in this post-Covid world.
“Thank you to our loyal customers who loved our chilled out vibes and couldn’t get enough of our gorgeous meatballs, we hope to bump into you in the future.
“Thank you & goodbye (Tack adjö), Team Lättsam”
PT1 It’s with a heavy heart that we announce that tonight we have closed our doors for the last time. When we first opened early 2020 we were destined to be in the hub of Manchester’s office district, with no way of knowing what was just around the corner. pic.twitter.com/gHVmwwnuqC
Replying to the post, one person said: “Ah gutted! Always loved popping in for a beer!”
Another replied: “Oh No. Truly gutted great coffee, beer and food. All the best folks.”
A third said: “No way, Manchester is packed more than ever, offices are full and building more, Gordon Ramsay is coming, why is sit really closScaning? Every day everywhere is packed more than anywhere else in Europe.”
Feature image – Lattsam
City Centre
Manchester dessert and sandwich stars Gooey are set to open another city centre site
Danny Jones
0161’s world-famous dessert stars, Gooey, are set to open another city centre site – their third in Greater Manchester and soon-to-be fifth overall.
Known for their incredible cookies, doughnuts, brunch, legendary French toast and plenty more, Gooey made their first foray out of their hometown with a Liverpool location last year, and are now set to consolidate their Manc base even further.
Set to open in a prime piece of real estate, the latest Manchester Gooey store will be opening in a sizeable empty unit over on Circle Square, right next to the Asda Express and in the heart of the student living and leisure complex.
Benefitting from being easily seen from along the bustling Oxford Road Corridor, you can expect this place to be packed to the rafters from the off on day one.
The signs are already in the window.That unreal French toast dripping in syrup.Credit: The Manc Eats
There are few details on what the new arrival might have in-store beyond all the brand favourites at this early stage, but each Gooey store shop does have its own charm.
From their original bakery and cafe over in the Northern Quarter, to the three kiosks in Ducie Street Warehouse, The Trafford Centre Selfridges and over on Merseyside’s iconic Bold Street, they all offer something a little different.
As for any hints at the launch plans, fans are yet to be given an official opening date, but you best believe you’ll be the first to know the second we do.
In case you’ve never tried or even come across the indulgent and fast-growing independent business before, another popular part of their menu is the bits between bread.
Touching on the upcoming addition, Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood SciTech – the team behind Circle Square’s ever-expanding offerings – said: “Gooey is an incredible local brand who are continuing to grow, evolve and innovate, with ever more exciting desserts.
“They will make a fantastic addition to the Circle Square community, and we look forward to seeing the impact they make in the coming months.”
In case you wonder how much we love this place and just how excited you should be about another one landing here in the city centre, sometimes we just put together random appreciation posts for that one, aforementioned butty alone.
Local foodies will also be buzzing to hear that they’re not the only calorific cult favourites that are bringing more to our mouths in 2025.
First, it was Brewski, followed by American Pies; then it was Foldies, and now the beloved culinary brand is launching yet another new concept here in Manchester.
There’s a ‘not snobby’ cheese tasting evening coming to Manchester this autumn
Thomas Melia
An evening dedicated to celebrating all things cheese is coming to a Manchester city centre pub this autumn.
Leeds-based cheese company Homage2Fromage launched its cheese-focused company back in 2011 as a monthly service highlighting all the delicious dairy offerings.
Since this, Homage2Fromage has gone on to host incredible events and activities, including an all-you-can-eat cheese festival right here in Manchester back in 2023.
Now, the cheese fanatics return with a brand-new event titled ‘Extreme Cheese’, where it’s bringing lots of creamy and crumbly varieties to local Manchester city centre pub, The Wayfarer.
You can expect to sample eight dairy delights, with some expected to be ‘very strong’, as the company adds ‘fromage not for the faint-hearted’, so if you like your cheese strong, then this one’s for you.
Homage2Fromage host cheese tasting experiences across the country including Manchester / Credit: Supplied
This cheese provider offers tasting experiences up and down the country, including prime spots in the north like Halifax, Harrogate, Leeds, and Sheffield.
The newest cheese-inspired event is set to be no different, with an itinerary packed regarding all things cheese.
You can grab a drink on arrival, and as soon as you hear ‘CHEESE’ the tasting begins, followed by scoring and, most importantly, an informative chat where you learn all about this dreamy delicacy.
For those who are cheese aficionados, the company even lets you host your own cheese event and provides everything you could ever need – including that golden flavour-packed good stuff.
If you’d rather put your hosting skills to one side though, and just simply tuck into some of the best cheddar varieties there is, then you can do just that at this upcoming cheese testing evening this autumn.
Homage2Fromage is bringing an exclusive cheese tasting evening, ‘Extreme Cheese’, to Manchester city centre at The Wayfarer on 24 September, and you can find tickets HERE.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Georgina Pellant -
22nd August 2022 
