After a turbulent old month, Manchester’s favourite hoagie slingers Bada Bing have found themselves a new home in Ancoats.
Starting from next Friday, the new home of Manchester’s two-fisted sandwiches will be operating out of the kitchen of none other than Ancoats General Store.
It’s great news for the budding small business, run by couple Meg Lingenfelter and Sam Gormally, who have been hit with a series of challenges this month.
Bada Bing has just finished a pop-up at The Refuge as part of an Eatmcr street food takeover / Image: Bada Bing
First having to move out of their dark kitchen unit on Radium street, then getting their Instagram hacked into and losing all of their followers, the pair have a very successful business but haven’t had the easiest time of it lately.
They’ve just spent the past four weeks popping up at The Refuge as part of a summer street food takeover by Eatmcr, but now they’re ready to move into a new permanent home.
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Just a handful of the epic hoagies on offer at Bada Bing – signature sandiwch “the Bing” pictured on the right / Image: Bada Bing
Loyal fans will be absolutely chuffed to hear that they’re going into General Store in Ancoats, taking over the kitchen every Thursday to Sunday from 11.30am to 5pm or until they sell out.
Admirers of their fat hoagies (and rest assured there are many) will, at last, be able to pop round the corner in Ancoats again to grab a hench sarnie stacked to the brim with proper tasty US deli-style meats and cheeses.
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The menu here always holds on to a few favourites, but the team like to add in changing specials to keep things fresh for the regulars.
A recent veggie / vegan special that combined “all the green things” they could put in a sandwich / Image: Bada Bing
Menu staples include the “Muffuletta” with Bing’s smoked ham, chicken, Napoli salami, sharp provolone, olive salad and gochujang mayo and their signature sandwich “The Bing” with gabagool, pistachio mortadella, Napoli salami, ventricina salami, sharp provolone, tomato, lettuce, red onion, homemade giardiniera and mayo.
But there’s so much more to try here too – with an average of at least five different sandwiches on the menu at any one time.
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It sounds like there are some exciting new developments in the pipeline menu-wise, with whispers of homemade icecream and a specially-brewed beer on the cards as well as something new with chicken – but we’ll just have to hold out breath for now.
We’re absolutely buzzing for them. For more updates, keep your eyes on their social media here.
Find Bada Bing at Ancoats General Store from next week, every Thursday to Sunday 11.30am until sell out.
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NHS says it’s battling with ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide
Emily Sergeant
Flu hospitalisations have surged by more than half in just one week, plunging the NHS into the ‘worst case scenario’.
Shocking new figures have revealed that an nn average of 2,660 patients per day were in a hospital bed with flu last week, which is the highest-ever for this time of year and up 55% up on last week – which, when put into perspective, means there are enough flu patients each day to fill more than three whole hospital trusts.
NHS bosses have warned that the total has already increased sharply since the week covered by the data, and at this time, there is thought to be no ‘peak’ in sight.
These new figures come as demand for A&Es and ambulance services are already soaring.
The number of patients in hospital with flu has risen by over 50% in the last week, reaching a record number for this time of year – and numbers continue to grow.
New monthly figures showed that A&E attendances were a record for November at 2.35 million and more than 30,000 higher than November 2024, while there were 48,814 more ambulance incidents compared to last year.
The record-breaking demand also comes just ahead of thousands of resident doctors going on strike this week from 17-22 December – with ‘major disruption’ expected for patients ahead of Christmas.
The public are advised to attend any planned appointments scheduled during the strikes, unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them, during the industrial action.
NHS says it’s battling with the ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide / Credit: Pxhere
The public should use 111 online as their first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, while patients who need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
“With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is the NHS National Medical Director.
“Even worse, it continues to rise and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.
“We have prepared earlier for winter than ever before, and stress-tested services to ensure people have a range of ways to get the help they need and avoid needing to go to A&E.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the flu surge as a ‘tidal wave’.
“We are working with the NHS to make sure it is able to cope with this as best as possible,” he concluded.
Featured Image – Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
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Erling Haaland dresses up as Santa and hands out Christmas presents in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Erling Haaland has doubled as Father Christmas in his latest YouTube stunt, dressing up as Santa and handing out presents to local kids in the new episode.
We’re starting to think he might be one of the most likeable footballers on the planet right now.
The Norwegian footballer recently surpassed Alan Shearer’s ‘fastest to 100 goals record’ in the Premier League and has been well and truly back to his best as Man City continue to rediscover their form, but the big blonde number nine has been delighting both on and off the pitch of late.
For starters, even before any of the season’s givings began, we got the giggle just from our first glimpse of the thumbnail.
Yes, Haaland definitely has a habit of leaning into the humorous side of his celebrity status, having already dressed up as the Joker for Halloween in one of the first episodes published on his still relatively new YouTube channel.
However, the 25-year-old got up to some more heartwarming activities this time around, swapping the face paint, green wig and stripey suit for a red coat, hat, some little glasses and a big white beard.
With the video itself showing him getting into character and loading his car with a sack full of presents, he then goes on to visit multiple houses to dish out the surprise gifts.
While the title and description state that he drove around the streets of 0161, it’s hard to tell where exactly he went, but we’d guess it was more around Alderley Edge and/or the Cheshire side of the Greater Manchester borders.
One particular interaction between the disguised Blue and a young Red certainly produced a harmless little bit of comedy…
Either way, on the whole, this particular instalment was more wholesome than it was funny, and it’s always nice to see sports personalities and famous people spreading kindness.
Obviously, not everyone can afford to be as generous as a Premier League and world-famous international athlete, but it’s nevertheless a nice touch.
Georgina Pellant -
13th July 2021 
