This week Michelin hasreleased its 2022 Guide and theNorthern Quarter restaurant District has scored big.
Despite being pretty new to the city’s dining scene, the new wave Thai eatery managed to bag a place in this year’s coveted list of recommended restaurants.
As it’s only been open for eight months., the news has left owners stunned – prompting an outpouring of gratitude on the restaurant’s social media pages.
Sharing the news with its followers yesterday, District wrote on Instagram: “Congratulations to every restaurant that gained and retained their stars today!
“We are so proud to be mentioned in the 2022 @michelinguide
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“In all honesty this wasn’t on our radar after only being open for 8 months but we are honoured. Thank you to everybody who has visited so far and to our team for their commitment and hard work.”
Image: District via The Michelin Guide
Known for its progressive barbecue cookery inspired by a futuristic vision of Bangkok, District serves a choice of two different set menu experiences.
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Every dish touches the barbecue, with a choice of the 12-course ‘The Full Experience’ priced at £100 or the 6-course ‘Discovery’ at £50.
Michelin’s description of District reads: “Industrial styling, a banging playlist and projections of a Bangkok of the future set the scene for on-view barbecue cooking.
“Two set tasting menus offer deconstructed and re-invented Thai dishes with a classic heart. The knowledgeable service is well-paced and there’s a cocktail bar downstairs.”
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Speaking on the huge achievement, owner Ben Humphreys told The Manc: “It feels amazing to be mentioned in the guide after such a short amount of time.
Image: District
“We are a small, tight-knit team working on a small budget so any recognition for all the hard work feels great. We are so appreciative of the team for just getting stuck into all areas of the business.”
Asked whether this taste of fame has tempted them to aim higher for a star, he added: “It’s great to know we are on their radar and they like what we do.
“We will just carry on cooking food and giving service that we’d like to experience and that we think our guests will love. If that brings us any accolades in the future that’d be a bonus!”
Image: District
Commenting on the restaurant’s journey so far, Ben told us: “We’re trying to offer something a little different which has opened us up to criticism and skepticism so it’s been tough at times.
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“However, we’ve had some real highlights and going in the guide is definitely one that makes it all worthwhile.”
Still, despite all the praise it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for District since opening its doors on Oldham street.
Last year, the restaurant came under fire after getting embroiled in a ‘religious diet’ row with a customer that went viral on social media.
The argument, which stemmed from the new wave Thai eatery’s non-refundable deposit policy, came to a head after a customer asked for its famously strict 12-course set menu to be altered to cater to his religious needs.
Image: District
Image: District
In this instance, the diner asked for a pork dish to be substituted after already paying his £15 deposit, at which point he had already been notified that he should contact the restaurant about dietaries before putting down any money for the booking.
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After being told it was not possible, he emailed to ask “why not shout loud on your homepage ‘We don’t cater for Jews’”.
Read more: Chefs refusing to cater for dietary issues listed as hospitality trend for 2022
Ultimately, however, his threats to speak out on social media spectacularly backfired after the restaurant posted them to its social pages themselves – adding it ‘will not be bullied or threatened into returning deposits’.
Feature image – District
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Six teenage boys arrested following stabbing of 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre
Emily Sergeant
Six teenage boys have been arrested following the stabbing of a 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to reports of a ‘serious assault’ near the Riverside Shopping Centre in central Rochdale on Saturday (29 August), and when they arrived on the scene, they found that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed.
The young boy currently remains in hospital receiving treatment, while a police investigation into the incident is open and ongoing.
Two teenage boys were first arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article on the same day the incident occurred (29 August), but have since been released on bail.
Officers then made four further arrests yesterday (31 August), again all teenage boys who were arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article, with enquires ongoing.
A Section 60 and 60AA ‘stop and search’ authority was introduced in Rochdale town centre following the recent incidents in area and following reports of youths carrying weapons in the locality, and this has now been extended to 3pm today (Tuesday 1 September).
“This was a serious and sustained attack that could have had far more tragic consequences,” explained Detective Superintendent, Richard Hunt .”Our team of experienced detectives is working around the clock to understand exactly what happened, identify all those involved, and secure the strongest possible evidence.
“We will relentlessly pursue every lead available to us and will leave no stone unturned in bringing all those responsible before the courts.
“Community safety remains our absolute priority, and we are committed to ensuring those who seek to bring violence onto our streets are held fully accountable for their actions.”
Can you help? Anyone who witnessed the incident, was in the town centre at the time, or has any mobile phone, CCTV, or dashcam footage, is urged to come forward and speak to police on 101, quoting log 2750 of 29/08/2026, or using the LiveChat function on the GMP website.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
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High School Musical at Lowry, Salford – a night spent reliving our childhood | Review
Amy Williams
What a night spent reliving our childhood.
Now, I don’t want to exaggerate or seem biased, considering this is one of my favourite film trilogies of all time, but this could be the best stage show I’ve seen in a long while.
We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.
The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending.
High School Musical is currently on stage at Lowry, Salford / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
From the costumes and the characters, to the memorable songs (there’s actually 52 songs in this production, including a mega mix at the end), they’ve kept right to the script of the films – and that’s exactly what we wanted to see.
Of course, the biggest throwback of them all is Kaycee Stroh – who originally featured as Martha Cox in the film trilogy – taking the role as Ms Darbus, and she was just as incredible as we expected her to be. And to see her do the iconic dance in the finale was unbelievable, 13-year-old Amy was screaming.
Also featuring Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, Tobias Turley as Troy, Leonor Correia as Gabriella, Caitlin Tipping Sharpay, and Luke Bayer as Ryan, it was a proper impressive cast all round.
It’s a night to properly relive your mid-00s childhood / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
There was crowd interaction right from the off, as they taught the crowd a cheerleading routine to be included later in the show, plus for the finale, they had the lyrics on the big screen too so everyone could sing-along.
If we could go and see this show every single night, we would – it is absolutely brilliant.
Georgina Pellant -
17th February 2022 
