A rice n three cafe in Manchester’s Northern Quarter was left with queues stretching out of its door this afternoon after regulars issued an impassioned plea to the local community for support.
A main-stay on Thomas Street for nearly thirty years, the family-run Yadgar cafe has stayed put in the Northern Quarter for decades whilst the city has changed around it.
The cafe has weathered many storms in its time, but the slow return of office workers to the area, following the successive lockdowns of the past few years, has hit it hard.
Inside, formica tables and minimal decor fail to give passers by a true impression of how great the food is. But today, thanks to a bit of community action, things seem to have started to turn around.
Not one to be put off by a bit of bad weather, loyal Mancs queued in the wind, rain and hail to show support for the cafe after local food and drink platform Eatmcr issued a plea on its behalf.
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According to the page, which shared a heartfelt post to its Instagram account on Wednesday, on some days the cafe had been getting as little as ten people through its doors.
Image: Eatmcr
The post has since been liked over 5,000 times. In it, owner Patrick Brown wrote: “It’s been a big challenge just covering costs for the last 2 years and I promise you, this place is too good to be this quiet or struggling. Please go visit!!”
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“Yadgar is perfect for lunch or a quick healthy and cheap tea. They also have a really good selection of vegetarian options. I always go for the chicken, spinach potato and daal but you’ll figure out your own order after a few visits.
“I know a lot of people are heading back to offices atm and a lot more people are moving to town for the first time. If you don’t know this spot, I fully recommend you make it apart of your life for years to come and help keep Fred and his mum’s cafe going.”
The response was huge, leading hundreds to share the original post online and sending hungry locals flocking to the cafe this lunchtime to lend their support.
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A video shows people queuing out of the door in awful weather to get their rice and three, hats and gloves firmly on as they wait in the hail in a brilliant turn of events for the local business.
Speaking to The Manc about the huge response the post has received, Paddy said: “It’s just blown up across all of [our platforms] over the last 24 hours. A million plus views I think.
“I’d spoken with Fred at Yadgar a few times recently and he’d mentioned the cafe being really quiet.
“Then this week, Sulin from DGHNT reached out to us and said she’d heard the same from him so that spurred us on to go down and get a story put together.
“I think a lot of people have memories of going Yadgar before WFH was the norm, so it struck a chord with people that obviously this place is struggling.
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“Then we stopped by at lunch and it was just completely rammed. I’m so made up with the turnout. I think it’s going to give them a genuine boost as well long term, Fred seemed buzing with the response too.
“Which is all down to the local community picking this up, so thank you.”
An amazing example of Manchester’s brilliant community spirit. Long may it continue.
Feature image – Eatmcr
News
Hawksmoor issues statement after ‘kicking out’ Tommy Robinson from one of its restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Hawksmoor has issued a statement after a viral video captured far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants.
In the video, staff at the acclaimed British steak house told Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – that he would have to go because members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you’.
The supervisor then politely told the party not to worry about the drinks and that they had been paid for, also handing over a business card for Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett in case they wanted to discuss the matter further.
Robinson was dining in one of the group’s London restaurants with former prominent EDL member Guramit Singh Kalirai who challenged the staff and asked: “Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The supervisor responded: “No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff ‘felt uncomfortable and complained’.
The statement, signed by CEO Will Beckett, added that the Hawksmoor team has faced ‘a huge amount’ of ‘quite concerning’ fallout from the Tommy Robinson incident.
He added that ‘this was not about politics or beliefs’.
Hawksmoor’s statement reads: “Our focus is always to give the best restaurant experience to the most people possible.
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.
“This was not about politics or beliefs. Hawksmoor is not a political organisation; we’re a group of restaurants. We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.
“We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
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.
Georgina Pellant -
24th February 2022 
