The indulgent five-layer lasagne spot is graduating from its little dark kitchen in Ancoats and expanding from takeaway to full service with not one but TWO new kitchens popping up in town.
Lazy Tony’s will still be keeping its delivery and collection service at Radium Street, but on top of this, fans will now also be able to enjoy owner Danny’s cheesy creations in a sit-down restaurant setting.
Lazy Tony’s isn’t just known for its lasagne – they also do some incredible things with cheese / Image: Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria
Starting from Thursday 29 July, he’ll be taking over the kitchen of Foundation Coffee House in the NQ for a 6 month-long pop-up: offering a greatly expanded menu with new additions like a fresh pasta section, new extras and sides, and a dedicated mac and cheese section (which we’ve seen and are already drooling over).
Yes, you should be very excited – there are four different types of mac and cheese going onto the menu here, including an incredible-sounding 280-day dry-aged, roasted and pulled beef short rib mac and cheese with sage mustard and a special new three cheese blend.
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Currently, Lazy Tony’s mac and cheese is made using taleggio, but going forward they’ll be introducing a new three-cheese blend / Image: Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria
Danny will also be serving up his incredibly popular lasagnas, of course, as well as his much-loved brick-cheese mozzarella sticks, fried chicken, and super-boozy tiramisu puddings.
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Made entirely from scratch, the giant lasagnas here are completely stacked with homemade pasta, bechamel and ragu. They’re so big, in fact, they take an average of 10 hours to cool down after leaving the oven.
There will be both classic meat and vegan options available, alongside a range of different specials like chicken alfredo and beef short rib, with the Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria menu available at Foundation from 5 to 10 pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
And that’s not all. As well as a new sit-down home in Northern Quarter, Lazy Tony’s is also opening a new pop-up restaurant behind its Radium Street kitchen on Saturdays in partnership with a local rum brand they share the building with.
The new pop-up dining space behind Lazy Tony’s dark kitchen on Radium Street is open every Saturday / Image: Witch Kings Rum
Joining up with Witch Kings Rum, they’ll be hosting intimate dinners in the red-bricked courtyard with room for up to around 30 people at any time.
The covered outdoor space – formerly a loading bay for the shared mill – has been fitted out as a quirky little pop-up restaurant, using upcycled and sustainable found materials.
Dinner here is set to be more experiential, featuring live music from local artists.
The new pop-up kitchen will also host boozy brunch events in partnership with The Flat Baker and Herbies Homemade / Image: Witch Kings Rum
Taking place on Saturday nights only between 5pm and 10 pm, you’ll be able to get your hands on all of Lazy Tony’s top lasagne dishes here as well as sipping on some craft cocktails using rum made so locally that the distillery is literally just on the other side of the wall.
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Witch Kings Rum is also bringing boozy Brazilian jazzy brunches to the intimate new space in collaboration with local independents The Flat Baker and Herbies Homemade.
Tickets for entry cost £5 and include a free cocktail on arrival – with lasagnas purchased separately.
To find out more about the Radium Street kitchen, click here.
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Manchester Storm announce return to AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades
Danny Jones
In a huge bit of regional sporting news, Manchester Storm have announced they will be coming home to the AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades away from the iconic venue.
Massive news for Manc ice hockey followers and local sports fans in general.
Revealing the long-awaited return after 24 long years away from the place where Manchester’s native hockey team first began its story, the team, AO figures, and even some fans were part of a special announcement event inside the 20,000-seater stadium this week.
Confirming the news on Monday, 27 April, MCR Storm will be back playing at the AO Arena later this year – just in time for the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
— Manchester Storm | #TakeShelter (@Mcr_Storm) April 27, 2026
As detailed in a full press release from the Greater Manchester club, they are seemingly marking a milestone moment in their next chapter by going back to their roots.
It goes on to read: “Founded back in 1995 as a tenant of the then newly-opened Manchester Arena, the original Manchester Storm quickly became one of British ice hockey’s most iconic teams.
“In their inaugural season, the Storm secured the First Division championship before becoming founding members of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996.”
Coming somewhat full circle more than a generation later (Storm having made it to the play-off finals of the modern Elite Ice Hockey League era this April for the first time in their history), they have made one-off returns to the storied space in recent times.
However, many supporters have been waiting for a fully fledged return for some time now; equally, others are understandably sad to pay a bittersweet goodbye to the ‘Storm Shelter’ over in Altrincham, with the building having already pulled licensing for next year.
They have been at the Planet Ice rink for over a decade now, and the company itself have even issued a lengthy response following the departure – namely noting the issue of communication, clarity and fair notice. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, this felt like a long-overdue comeback.
With an ex-player turned head coach and all-round club legend, Cam Critchlow, having also signed on for another campaign behind the bench, it’s been a busy week in and around the organisation.
Representing the Manchester Storm ownership group, former coach Ryan Finnerty and partner Emma said in a joint statement: “This is a major milestone for our partnership group and a vision we’ve worked towards for some time.
Returning Manchester Storm to the AO Arena is a proud moment for everyone involved. It’s about giving our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and delivering an outstanding live experience.
“Together with our leadership team and Canadian partners, our ambition is clear — not just to compete, but to lead in the Elite Ice Hockey League and beyond. This marks the start of an exciting new era for the club. Manchester Storm is coming home.
“Today marks a hugely exciting and significant moment for both the Manchester Storm and the Elite League”. The EIHL themselves have also celebrated the news, adding that they feel it reflects “the scale and ambition of the league”.
Are you happy to see them setting up shop at the AO Arena once again? Better still, do you remember going there to watch games the first time around? Let us know down in the comments.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd July 2021 
