Popular Manchester sandwich spot Mira,best known for its saucy Neapolitan cuzzetiello sandwiches, has opened a new location in the Northern Quarter today.
But the ragu-topped cuzzetiello on which it built its name is out – and so, conveniently, is the name.
In its place, the newly revamped sandwich spot Must Be Micky’s is serving a new menu focusing on freshly baked foccacia sandwiches – a substantial, if sometimes overlooked, feature of the old Mira offering.
These come stuffed with house-made fillings like roasted cauliflower with red pepper sauce, Italian salami and black pepper mayo, and mustard pickled pears with Swiss cheese, all encased within pillow-soft foccacia loaves sourced from the newly opened Half Dozen Other bakery in Manchester’s Green Quarter.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Now available from its new kitchen in Ply as well as at The Picturedrome in Macclesfield, further sandwich choices include the vegan-friendly Cauli Cartel (roast cauliflower, smashed avocado, red pepper sauce, toasted cashews, pickled red onion, lettuce and lime zest menu), and the Trumo, a chunky crisp buttie with black pepper mayo, olive tapenade, Italian salami, truffle oil and Fior di Latte mozzarella.
Elsewhere on the menu you’ll find crispy smashed roastie-style potatoes topped with the likes of vegan cashew pesto and butter flavoured with chilli and lime.
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Washed down with refreshing house-made sodas in flavours like cream, cherry vanilla, lemon, and lime and pineapple, the new menu sees the team behind original sandwich hit Mira refine their offering after three years slinging butties to the good people of Manchester.
Serving in Ply from 11.30am-4pm, the team will provide a lunchtime service Tuesday to Sunday from their new home just off Stevenson Square. You can also find them serving the new menu up in Macclesfield at The Picturedrome.
Owners Mike Swain and Rhea Nickson first landed on the sandwich scene in 2021 with a pop-up at Ancoats pub The Crown and Kettle, and Mira’s Genovese stew and meatball-stuffed hollowed-out subs became a near-overnight hit.
Since then, they’ve gone on to host a string of successful pop-ups at the likes of Ancoats General Store and, more recently, the Cloudwater pub The Sadler’s Cat, as well as running a popular kitchen at The Picturedrome in Macclesfield.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Whilst their sarnies are top-notch, things haven’t always been easy going. Earlier this year, owners saw their NOMA pop-up sprayed with hot sauce ‘like a Formula 1 driver celebrating a Grand Prix win’ after vandals broke in and trashed it in February.
But now, it looks like things are once again on the up as Mira becomes Must Be Micky’s and debuts what is, frankly, a stunning new sandwich menu set to give other established dealers of things in bread a good run for their money.
To keep up to date with all things Must Be Micky’s make sure to follow them on Instagram here.
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Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues
Emily Sergeant
Heaton Park has made the devastating announcement that two more of its beloved donkeys have sadly passed away.
“It is with great sadness that today we announce the passing of Bonnie and Josh, our beloved donkeys, following advice of a vet and The Donkey Sanctuary who visited our Animal Centre,” Heaton Park & Hall announced on its official social platforms at the end of last week.
The death of Bonnie and Josh comes after two of the park’s other donkeys, Ralph and Lenny, also sadly passed away in June and October of last year, respectively.
Both donkeys were born at Heaton Park, and had been steady companions for each other over the last three decades.
Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall
Josh managed to reach 29, and Bonnie an incredible 33 years of age before passing, and considering that The Donkey Sanctuary says the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30, reaching this age was said to be a ‘significant achievement’ for all who cared for Bonnie and Josh.
However in their later years though, both Bonnie and Josh were living with ‘complex’ health and age-related issues.
Ultimately, these complications were what led to them passing away last week.
“They were such kind and gentle souls, and this loss will be felt deeply by all staff, past and present, alongside our visitors,” Heaton Park’s statement continued.
Heaton Park staff closed out their statement thanking everyone who has ever visited the donkeys over the past couple of decades, and particularly the Donkey Welfare Advisers at The Donkey Sanctuary who have supported them and their donkey herd, especially in recent years.
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ organised last week by police to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester.
Various policing activities took place alongside partners across all districts and boroughs as part of County Lines Intensification Week – which ran from Monday 2 – Sunday 8 March 2026 – with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirming that officers conducted a total of 30 warrants.
Warrants resulted in 40 arrests across Greater Manchester, with 20 active drugs lines closed down, as well as more than £34,000in cash and a substantial amount of class A and class B drugs seized.
Drugs seized included heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, and cannabis.
Mobile phones, weapons – including stun guns, zombie knives, crossbows, and an axe– were also confiscated, and to top it off, electric bikes, designer goods,and high-value electronic deviceswere also recovered during the process too.
40 people arrested as part of a ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Some of the arrests made include six men, aged between 20 and 42, on suspicion of production of cannabis and abstracting electricity, and three men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of various drug-related offences.
County Lines Intensification Week ran as part of a national coordinated action targeting county lines offenders, removing dangerous drugs and weapons from our streets, and safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, GMP explained.
If you’re unfamiliar, County Lines is the use of dedicated phone lines to deal drugs from one location to another, and it is known for often exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are groomed and coerced into moving, storing, and selling drugs.
County Lines teams use the ‘four Ps’ as a strategy to tackle organised criminals trafficking drugs and safeguard vulnerable people – Prevent, Protect, Prepare, and Pursue.
More than £34,000 in cash was also seized by police / Credit: GMP
Speaking following the week of action, Detective Inspector John Schofield, from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit. said: “We have had a very busy and successful County Lines Intensification Week, with various lines disrupted thanks to the warrants we have executed.
“Intelligence gathered from the community played a vital role in us being able to conduct this activity, which saw 30 warrants, resulting in 40arrests and 20 drug lines closed down across Greater Manchester.
“This week’s action is a powerful example of our commitment to dismantle organised crime in our region.
Deputy Mayor of Safer and Stronger Communities, Kate Green, added: “County lines activity brings significant harm to our communities. It fuels the supply of dangerous drugs while exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are often groomed, coerced and threatened into criminal activity.
“That is why tackling this type of organised crime is a key priority for partners across Greater Manchester.”
Georgina Pellant -
25th July 2023 
