Since its arrival in Manchester, Michelin-recommended new wave Thai BBQ favourite District has staked its reputation on two things: fantastically surreal, delicious food and an extremely inflexible tasting menu.
Until recently its diners have had two choices, opt for the ten-course tasting menu or spring for the twelve, and whilst everyone I’ve ever known to go has swooned in delight over the whole experience, there’s no denying it hardly makes for a cheap night out (or an easily organised one).
Deposits have always been required up front, and adaptions have famously never been made for a customer’s dislikes, or even religious needs. It’s for this reason, and this reason alone, that until last week I’d never made it over – despite wanting desperately to go.
Simply put, I’d just struggled to find anyone prepared to give up a whole evening (and a shed load of cash) to come with me. Amazing, I know, but thankfully, that’s all now changed.
Last year, the kitchen made headlines after getting embroiled in a ‘religious diet’ row with a Jewish customer who’d taken umbrage with its refund policy.
The whole affair culminated with District posting the entire altercation to its social media pages, alongside a caption stating it ‘will not be bullied or threatened into returning deposits’.
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During the row, the customer had asked, “why not shout loud on your homepage ‘We don’t cater for Jews’”. Still, they held firm.
A year on and it seems that external pressures may have caused that iron will to buckle, because for the first time ever the Michelin-acclaimed restaurant has moved to offer dishes individually.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
In a complete change of direction, diners can now pop in off the cuff to enjoy a few plates and a couple of drinks. Personally, I think it’s the best news ever, but then I would. It’ll be much easier to get my friends in now.
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Suddenly one of the best restaurants in the city has become so much more accessible, and its timing couldn’t be better. After all, we’re all getting poorer, and whilst not everyone has £100 to spend on dinner, everyone deserves a taste of the magic happening in the kitchen here.
Whilst the restaurant maintains that diners can either curate their own District experience or simply pop in for a few dishes, on our visit it is very much a small plate, tapas-style service, with everything appearing on the table in front of us in quick succession.
Translucent stone bass (£9) floats alien-like in its dish with crispy purple yam antennae suspended above a shimmering nam jim, whilst a pinky-purple pigeon satay (£9) is rich and gamey, dressed with sweetcorn, pumpkin seeds and crisped turnip all unfolding on the plate like a flower in bloom.
Every dish here is a surprise, ranging from a beautifully fresh salad of peach, pear, ginger and shrimp floss, to chicken fat rice, which comes showered in a generous helping of crumbed crispy skin.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
That rule extends into the desserts too. Homemade ‘tangfastic’ tamarind and chicken fat fudge sweets appear, suspended, on their own white marble platform like some sort of futuristic offering.
Elsewhere, a calamansi curd pavlova with sheeps yoghurt and passion fruit reinvents any preconceived notions I might have had about Thai food – or pavlova for that matter.
As Marina O’Loughiling wrote in her review of District for The Times last year, this is “Thai, but not as we know it”.
Speaking on the change of direction for the restaurant, owner Ben Humphries said: “We are passionate about creating the highest quality experience for our customers.
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“Our aim is to capture the essence of Thai flavours whilst maintaining the highest quality produce, suppliers and dishes.
“Changing our service style will give us creative freedom in the kitchen. We can develop dishes that don’t have to fit into a tasting menu format. We will also have the opportunity to offer daily changing special dishes.”
The new menu is available now with bookings being taken under ‘New Wave Thai’ on District’s bookings page here.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
News
ITV’s Dancing on Ice is being taken off the air after nearly two decades
Danny Jones
A UK TV staple looks to have come to an end after nearly 20 years as ITV appears to have axed, or at the very least shelved, their long-standing annual show, Dancing on Ice.
The celebrity ice-skating competition and reality programme started all the way back in 2006 and was a British favourite for a long time, especially during the heyday of X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, I’m A Celeb and the like.
However, following a slump over recent years, ITV has announced that Dancing on Ice will not be returning next year and could be seemingly be sidelined indefinitely.
Confirmed on Thursday, 27 March, just over a fortnight after Coronation Street star Sam Aston (Chesney Brown) won the 2025 final, it looks like you won’t be seeing celebs skating on ice again for some time.
Speaking to the Metro, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said in an official statement: “Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.”
The 2025 Dancing on Ice lineup (Credit: ITVX)
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice.”
An average of just under three million viewers tuned into ITV1 live for the launch of the most recent show back in January, while approximately 3.6 million tuned in to watch the first episode last year.
Presented by familiar famous faces, Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, judged by ice skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, as well as dancing duo Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse – with previous hosts including Christine Lampard and Phillip Schofield – it’s been a mainstay for 19 years.
ITV has actually halted Dancing on Ice once before just over a decade ago, when the show was rested after its ninth season; the ‘first’ run ended with an all-star series, only for it to ultimately return to our screens just four years later in 2018.
Having now been cut short just 12 months short of its 20th anniversary, fans as well as former cast and crew members alike have been bidding it bittersweet goodbye:
So #DancingOnIce has been shelved for the 2nd time. Sadly I saw this coming right from the moment I knew Jane & Chris were performing for the last time. The format had become tired and the ratings were atrocious. The correct decision. pic.twitter.com/bo7FZXozAP
— All Things Dancing On Ice (@AllThingsDOI) March 26, 2025
Radio and TV enthusiast Ryan Glendenning went on to add: “Also take a moment to acknowledge the hard work that went into Dancing on Ice from the pros, behind the scenes people, choreographers, judges and the celebs.
“Back in the Ray Quinn/Hayley Tamadon days, the show thrived – sadly, that’s not the case anymore. ITV killed this show!”
Wigan unites in paying tribute to ‘much-loved’ local sports fan, Darren Orme, after body is found
Danny Jones
Wigan teams and the rest of the community have been paying tribute to local fan Darren Orme, whose body was sadly found earlier this week.
The passionate Wigan Athletic and Warriors supporter was a regular at both The Brick Community Stadium and the Latics’ former home, Spingfield Park. He was tragically found dead on Monday, 24 March, after being declared missing nearly three weeks ago.
As a “much-loved” personality among the regular footy and rugby crowds, his loss has hit both fan bases and the town as a whole hard, with countless locals sharing their condolences over the past few days.
Paying their respects to “a popular supporter” known to “thousands” for his “tireless efforts following the Latics“, the club shared a lengthy tribute to Orme on Tuesday.
The 54-year-old was last seen around 9pm on 5 March around the junction between Woodhouse Lane, Scot Lane and Beech Hill. Large-scale searches had been carried out by the local authorities and groups of volunteers following his disappearance.
His body was eventually located the body along a stretch of the River Douglas near Stadium Way just down from The Brick and Robin Park Arena.
Greater Manchester Police have since said they believe there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
The Official Wigan Athletic Supporters Group – which Orme was a member of for the best part of four decades – said they have been left “devastated” by his passing, adding: “Darren was Wigan Athletic through and through, and he lived and breathed blue and white.
“We know that Darren will always be cheering Latics on in spirit.”
As for Wigan Warriors, who recognised him as an equally beloved character up in the stands, the team joined their footballing counterparts in paying a heartfelt tribute, with hundreds of fans laying flowers and wreaths outside the ground.
🌹 This morning, Wigan Warriors players and staff laid a wreath outside The Brick Community Stadium in memory of Darren Orme.
Writing as part of a joint statement on the club website, the rugby league side said: “We join in sending our sincerest condolences to Darren’s friends and family, and we ask supporters to respect their privacy during this extremely difficult time.
“As a Football Club, Wigan Athletic will pay tribute to Darren with a minute’s applause at the home fixture against Barnsley on Saturday, 29 March (3pm kick-off) whilst a minute’s applause will be held at Wigan Warriors’ game against Salford on Sunday.
“We would like to thank the Wigan community, including supporters of both Clubs, for coming together over the last few weeks in search of Darren. We encourage supporters to pay their respects and share their memories of Darren.
“Flowers, shirts, and scarfs can be laid at The Brick Community Stadium alongside Dave Whelan’s statue, while a Book of Condolences will be located in the Stadium Reception for fans to sign.”
Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, his fellow supporters and all those whose lives Darren Orme touched – rest in peace.
Georgina Pellant -
11th August 2022 
