Manchester is getting a new chicken restaurant this week as popular US eatery Slim Chickens opens inside the Arndale.
Throwing open its doors this Thursday, Slims will bring its signature southern-style buttermilk marinated chicken and crispy tenders to Manchester city centre for the very first time – alongside a huge range of signature dipping sauces, like gravy mayo.
In total, customers will have a choice of fifteen different dipping sauces including the likes of blue cheese, sriracha garlic, buffalo, honey BBQ, mango habanero and cayenne ranch.
Also on offer will be a wide selection of fresh chicken sandwiches, wings, salads and wraps, as well as vegetarian options and sides, including a plant-based buffalo sandwich and mac’n’cheese.
The plant-based buffalo sandwich at Slim Chickens. / Image: Slim Chickens
This will be the sixteenth UK restaurant for the brand, including one at the Trafford centre, since it first launched in Arkansas Delta, US, back in 2003.
ADVERTISEMENT
What first began with just a tender, a sauce and a simple mission to create the best in the south, has since become a household favourite – first in the US, and now here in Manchester too.
Founders Greg Smart and Tom Gordon have certainly come a long way from cooking in their garage, that’s for sure. Over a decade later, their business has now grown to more than 100 sites in the US alone.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Slim Chickens
At Slim Chickens, food and drinks are served up alongside blues music and BT Sport, with US Sports, Premier League and Champions League shown. With seating for more than 100 diners spread across two floors, you’ll find Slims on the Upper Mall at Manchester Arndale.
Customers can expect family seating, intimate tables, booths and large platters cooked fresh to order and served in less than 10 minutes.
Speaking on the new opening, Phil Neale, Marketing and Communications Director at Boparan Restaurant Group, which owns Slim Chickens, said: “Manchester is home to a thriving and diverse food scene, and we can’t wait to be a bigger part of it as we prepare to open our Manchester Arndale restaurant.
“We opened our restaurant at The Trafford Centre less than a year ago, and we’ve been delighted with its success to date – so much so that we’re expanding our local offering with the launch of our Manchester Arndale restaurant.
“We’re dedicated to serving great food in a great atmosphere and look forward to welcoming even more Manchester foodies into our restaurant from Thursday.”
Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Tributes pour in after Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph dies at age 40
Emily Sergeant
The time has come… one of Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkeys, Ralph, has sadly died at the impressive age of 40.
As regular visitors to Manchester‘s largest park may be aware, Ralph the donkey recently celebrated his 40th birthday – which, even more impressively, actually made him 120 in donkey years – and it was a truly incredible achievement for him to reach, especially as The Donkey Sanctuary says that the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30 years of age.
But earlier this week, things sadly took a turn for the worse.
Heaton Park‘s Estates Team made the decision to contact a vet for a site visit after identifying some changes with Ralph’s behaviour, and unfortunately, this was found to be caused by a ruptured intestine.
So it’s with ‘deep sadness’ that the park had to announce to the public that Ralph passed away later that afternoon.
“Ralph meant a lot to many, both staff and all our visitors, and he will be deeply missed within the park,” Heaton Park & Hall said in tribute to their beloved friend on social media this week.
They also shared an adorable image of him when he was just a young foal.
Those who had the pleasure of seeing Ralph roam the park over the past four decades soon began flooding the comments, sharing their own emotional tributes to the friendly face who’s sadly no longer with us.
Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph celebrating his 40th birthday / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall (via Facebook)
“Sleep easy buddy, you had a wonderful charmed life and you deserved it,” one touching comment read on Facebook, while another added: “Aww Godspeed Ralph, you had a happy life, now its time to rest,” and a third commented: “So sorry to hear this sad news about Ralph, but glad to know he has enjoyed a long and happy life.”
Another tribute reads: “RIP Ralph, you brought a lot of joy to a lot of people,” as does this similar one: “Aww bless him. He’d had a long and happy life, and gave much happiness too.”
Georgina Pellant -
23rd February 2022 
