News

Manchester Food and Drink Festival reveal 2022 awards shortlists as voting opens

Winners will be announced at the MFDF Gala Dinner and Awards on 26 September

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 28th July 2022

The Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) has just announced the shortlists for its 2022 Awards as it opens up voting to the Manchester public.

This years’ shortlists have been chosen by a judging panel of local food critics and feature a total of 113 nominees split across 16 categories, including a newly-created award designed to recognise great service.

Following a slight change of format caused by the pandemic, this year, winners will once again be decided by the public and MFDF judging panel.

With voting open from now until 16 September, the city’s food and drinks fans are being invited to vote for their favourites over on the MFDF website.

Image: Supplied

This year’s MFDF shortlisted venues are as follows:

PLANT-BASED OFFERING OF THE YEAR

ADVERTISEMENT

Four Side Pizza

Herbivorous 

ADVERTISEMENT

Otto Vegan Empire

Ruyi Chorlton

Sanskruti

ADVERTISEMENT

The Walled Garden

Wholesome Junkies

INDEPENDENT DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Bundobust Brewery

Cloudwater

ADVERTISEMENT

Hip Pop

Into the Gathering Dusk

Stockport Gin

Steep Soda

Track Brewing

ADVERTISEMENT


INDEPENDENT FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 

Polyspore

Dormouse Chocolates

Great North Pie Co

Holy Grain

ADVERTISEMENT

Long Boi’s Bakehouse

Yellowhammer

La Choquette

FOODIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR 

Ancoats

ADVERTISEMENT

Chapel Street, Salford 

Monton

Prestwich

Ramsbottom

Sale

ADVERTISEMENT

Stockport 

COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR 

Cafe Sanjuan

Factory Coffee

Grind and Tamp

ADVERTISEMENT

Grapefruit

Just Between Friends

Station South

Pollen

FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR

ADVERTISEMENT

Burgerism

House of Habesha

The Little Sri Lankan

Lovingly Artisan

Mira

ADVERTISEMENT

New Wave Ramen

Pico’s Tacos

AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR

Aunty Ji’s

Bahn Mi Co Ba

ADVERTISEMENT

Cafe Sanjuan

Levenshulme Bakery

Go Falafel

Mama Flo’s

Salt & Pepper MCR

ADVERTISEMENT

POP UP OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Platt Fields Market Garden

Sao Paulo Project

Suppher

Eat Well MCR Spring Festival

ADVERTISEMENT

Bungalow at Kampus

Heart and Parcel

Foodie Friday

PUB OR BEER BAR OF THE YEAR

Bridge Beers, Staylbridge

Heaton Hops

House of Hops

The Kings Arms

Nordie

Track Taproom

Station Hop

BAR OF THE YEAR

Blinker Bar

Flawd

Henry C

Ramona

Schofield’s Bar

Speak in Code

10 Tib Lane

NEIGHBOURHOOD VENUE OF THE YEAR 

Baratuxi Bar

Bar San Juan

The Easy Fish Co.

Nilas Burmese Kitchen

Ornella’s Kitchen

Osma

The Perfect Match

FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Ad Hoc

Chorlton Cheesemongers

Hello Oriental

Coopers Lets Fress Deli

Le Social

Out of the Blue

Wandering Palate

GREAT SERVICE AWARD

Sponsored by Manchester Evening News

Bull & Bear

Dishoom

Hawksmoor

Flawd

Schofield’s Bar

This year, winners will be announced at the MFDF Gala Dinner and Awards sponsored by Bruntwood and taking place at Escape to Freight Island on 26 September. 

Read more: The family-run Prestwich bagel shop with queues out the door

Some categories will be decided entirely by public vote and some made up from the public votes alongside a mystery shopping visit from members of the judging panel.

The Independent Drinks Producer of the Year and the Independent Food Producer of the Year Awards will also be judged by a panel taste test.

Read more: Inside Platzki, the city-centre Polish restaurant with an ever-evolving menu

Alexa Stratton-Powell, Director of MFDF said: “This is an incredible list of brilliant businesses that we are proud to celebrate. As we look forward to our 25th year it’s all about the talent that has shaped this last quarter century and made the city’s  food scene the world-class destination that it is today. Please get involved, vote for your favourites and visit the amazing venues on the shortlist for yourselves!”

Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood commented: “We’re proud to become headline sponsor for these important awards. Manchester’s hospitality scene is phenomenal and the industry is absolutely central to our vision of creating thriving cities. We’re excited to celebrate 25 years of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival this Autumn, alongside all the talented nominees and winners at the Awards on 26th September. Congratulations to all those shortlisted!”   

To cast your votes, visit the MFDF website here.

Feature image – MFDF

News

A local baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser to stop it from closing for good

Danny Jones Danny Jones Save Our Baby Bank Trafford Greater Manchester fundraiser

A Greater Manchester baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser in hopes of preventing it from closing for good imminently.

For anyone unaware, baby banks are crucial organisations run largely by volunteers who help provide supplies to families in local communities, with more than 300 in use across the UK at present.

Through delivering much-needed aid such as clothing, prams, nappies and baby food, right through to direct financial support, they help keep parents and their children in good supply of essentials and much more – hugely important work at any rate, let alone during the winter and a cost of living crisis.

However, the Little Green Sock Project over in Trafford is at risk of permanent closure and was initially given until the new year to raise £200,000.

As seen in this moving video, the baby bank based over in Stretford Mall is in dire need of support and, crucially, the funds for a new premises.

They’ve been deeply moved by how Greater Manchester united in reaching into their pockets and sparing whatever they can to contribute to their fundraising target thus far – and they really are nearly at the finish line, which would mean safety for the genuinely life-saving service.

Fundamentally operated as a non-profit and volunteer-led charity, they naturally don’t have the means to just take over a new space on their own and with the current site set to be demolished very soon, a minimum of £200k is needed to find and fund a new location.

Having amassed over 90% of the amount needed, they’ve already bought themselves extra time, they just need one last push from us.

Urging people to donate what they can and share their fundraiser where possible, as well as welcoming corporate sponsorships should other local businesses wish to back them or get stuck through volunteering days, time is of the essence.

The Little Green Sock Project was only started back in 2022 and has already supported over 1,300 children, redistributing more than £240,000 worth of essential items like clothing, cots, prams, and stair gates to local families, as well as saving 20 tonnes of items from landfills.

It’s no exaggeration to say that they’ve changed and saved lives, both parents and children, and with the often difficult festive period approaching, their work is needed now more than ever.

There are just under a dozen baby banks in all of Greater Manchester, many of which are facing similar pressures. (Credit: Supplied)

Speaking on their efforts and the fundraiser, founder Catherine D’Albertanson said: “We believe that essentials needed for the health and wellbeing of children should not only be for those that can afford them. Our work ensures that no child in our community goes without essentials, but without new premises, we will have no choice but to close.”

Moreover, Little Green Sock Project is the only baby bank in the Trafford area and of the families it serves, 58% are single-parent households already struggling with the cost of raising children, while 29% are fleeing domestic abuse, often leaving their belongings behind to protect their family.

With their circular economy model, they also help reduce waste whilst providing “a trusted link between the families that have items to give, to those that need them the most”, with D’Albertanson adding, “If we lose this charity, we lose a vital safety net for many in our community.”

A service user commented: “It was a truly terrifying time when I was pregnant with my first child. I found myself completely alone, with a baby on the way, wondering how I could possibly provide for my son.

“Then I found Little Green Sock Project, and everything changed. Everything was carefully chosen, colour-coordinated, and presented in such a thoughtful way. It felt so special—like someone truly cared about me and my baby. That feeling is indescribable, especially for someone in my position.

“There are so many people like me with stories like this. It breaks my heart to think that the Little Green Sock Project might have to close its doors. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without your help, and I hope with all my heart that the community comes together to keep this lifeline alive.”

Manchester parents need this much-loved baby bank – let’s not let it fall away on our watch. (Credit: Andy Bate at Royal Foundation)

Read more:

Every pound donated goes towards helping find the Little Green Sock Project a new home, but people can help contribute in other ways, once again, by spreading the word or getting their hands dirty in person.

Greater Manchester never fails to amaze when it rallies behind causes like this, and we’re sure you won’t let us down this time either. Let’s keep the lights on the lifelines for local families intact.

You can donate now, or to find out other ways to do your bit, click HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Little Green Sock Project/Andy Bate – Royal Foundation (supplied)

News

Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.

Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.

Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.  

On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job. 

According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.

Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels

“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.

“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.

“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”

Read more:

Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour. 

As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

Featured Image –

More News

Laura Stanley

Crime

Body of woman found in River Mersey last year finally identified after ‘extensive’ investigation

New build houses

News

More than 70,000 home buyers set to pay thousands after missing stamp duty relief deadline

Art & Culture

Elbow teams up with Co-op Live to donate equipment to Manchester grassroots venues

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches