A new ‘comfort food’ canteen has opened its doors in Manchester, and everything on the menu costs less than a tenner.
Selling classic British favourites like fish and chips, pies and curries, it has tentatively been opened today for its soft launch at the former Granada Studios and Coronation Street studios site by workplace and hospitality company All Work & Social.
Called The Stables, the low-cost canteen has been specially designed to cater to reams of workers set to move into Manchester’s brand new Enterprise City development between Spinningfields and Deansgate.
However, it isn’t just for staff. The Stables will also open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays, meaning that locals can also pop in to enjoy some classic cooking at an affordable price.
All the food on offer here is cooked and served fresh from the kitchen, with lunch dishes priced at £5 and dinners costing no more than £8.
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The Stables has opened inside the former Granada TV Studios in Spinningfields. / Image: Geograph
Lunches will be served from 12.30-2pm daily, with no bookings required and a free soft drink included with your meal, on the house, on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 August.
Diners will be treatd to classic chippy tea for £5, consisting of sausages, chips, gravy, cheese, curry sauce, barms and vegetarian options.
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As for dinner, they can choose from two different curries or pies, depending on the day of their visit. Served from 4.30 to 6pm daily, these will be priced at £8 each – drinks not included.
The Stables’ soft launch phase runs from Wednesday 3 to Monday 8 August. Following that, it will open every Tuesday to Thursday to the public for lunch and dinner.
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The casual canteen-style dining experience sees dishes served straight from the kitchen onto trays, whilst drinks on offer come from a well-stocked bar.
Speaking on the new opening, Phil Dove, All Work & Social food and beverage director, said: “We set out to create a casual, canteen-style dining experience and we have truly delivered that with The Stables.
“With all food served on your tray fresh from the kitchen, accompanied by a well-stocked bar, it is the ideal spot for team mates to meet throughout the day to relax and unwind.
“We pride ourselves on our bespoke catering team who are passionate about hospitality and creating an elevated experience.
“We take care to source all our produce locally and we are always sure to recognise the city of Manchester through our menu.”
Feature image – Supplied
News
A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
So this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Police appeal for witnesses after possible attempted kidnap of 11-year-old girl in Irlam
Emily Sergeant
An appeal for information and witnesses has been issued following the possible attempted kidnap of an 11-year-old girl in Irlam.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 8:30am yesterday (14 January 2025), the young girl – who was walking to school at the time – reported being approached by a male and female on Silver Street in Irlam, close to the junction of Cutnook Lane.
It is believed the pair had been driving in the area in a car and a van, according to police.
The two then grabbed hold of the girl, before she was able to run away and later inform an adult of what had happened.
The male the police are hoping to gain information on is described as white, approximately 5ft 9 inches tall, with short dark hair and clean-shaven, and he was wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie at the time, while the female is described as white, and was wearing leggings and a black hoodie.
The car is described as a black four-door vehicle, while the van was small, white, and new-looking and with a sliding door.
#APPEAL | Detectives are appealing for information after a girl was approached and grabbed in Salford.
At around 8.30am today, an 11-year-old girl walking to school reported being approached by a male and female on Silver Street, Irlam.
In the interest of public safety while police are currently investigating the incident, extra officers have been deployed to the local area for reassurance as their enquiries continue, GMP has confirmed.
Appealing to the public, officers are also asking anyone who lives in the area to check for any relevant dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage from around the time of the incident, and anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious is also asked to contact police.
“This is of course a concerning and distressing incident and I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to investigate the circumstances,” explained Detective Inspector Justin Bryant, from GMP’s Salford district.
“We are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed something or has footage from around the time of the incident, and we would urge anyone with any information to please get in touch, as your assistance could be greatly beneficial to our work.
“We are ensuring that the girl and the family are being kept-up-to date and supported at this time.”
Information can be passed on to 101 or via the GMP Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1205 of 14/01/25, or alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd August 2022 
