Stretford Foodhall, a local favourite that’s been at the heart of an entire town centre’s regeneration, has announced its shocking and sudden closure.
The business, which is part retailer and part food hall, said that it has been a ‘tortuous few years’ and that it will be closing for good next week.
Stretford Foodhall is part of the General Stores group, perhaps best-known for operating Ancoats General Store.
While the bulk of the business has always been about crafting the region’s ‘coolest cornershops’, where you can browse local produce and products alongside your usual essentials, Stretford Foodhall was a new offering entirely.
A huge portion of their site on the edge of Stretford Mall was given over to a dining space, with an ever-rotating selection of local traders taking up residence in the kitchens.
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Stretford Foodhall was quickly award-winning and has often been praised for helping to kick-start the area’s regeneration.
But they have now written that they have ‘no more left in the tank’ and will close for good on Sunday 11 February.
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In a lengthy statement, signed by founder Mital Morar, they wrote that they had had problems from their opening in 2019, when they were ‘too busy with not enough seats’.
Egg & Co was a recent trader at Stretford Foodhall. Credit: The Manc GroupWaffle Kart also had a residency at Stretford Foodhall. Credit: The Manc Group
Stretford Foodhall then said it never properly recovered from the impact of Covid, which struck less than a year after its launch.
Mital’s open letter stated: “We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day.”
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It continued by praising its ‘individual and amazing’ staff, and thanking all the many food traders, pop ups, breweries, and artists who have been part of the journey over the last five years.
Stretford Foodhall’s statement concluded: “As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_.”
The news of the closure comes less than a year after the group shut down its Sale Foodhall.
It comes with great sadness and torment that we have decided to close on Sunday 11th February 2024
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Opening in 2019 to much risk and applaud we very quickly had problems! We were too busy, didn’t have enough seats and had to evolve very quickly. A good problem! For all the naysayers, Stretford supported us and we couldn’t have been happier.
We hadn’t even traded one year and along came covid and changed all that. We haven’t ever really recovered. Whilst trading through, winning awards, doing takeaway food and coffee, we evolved as much as we could with what we could post covid. Entering inflation, cost of living crisis and this crazy enduring energy situation… we have no more left in the tank.
We continue to be involved with the GMCA dialogue to support them in lobbying government for change in the hospitality sector. Too many friends are suffering and we stand with you.
We are very concious of our strengths and weaknesses. We are very concious of the current environment and we have tried our best with all the headwinds to make a go of it and keep going for the greater good. We are grateful for the support from our customers, our relationships with food traders and suppliers. We appreciate BRUNTWOOD who helped where they could and we have no doubt the new and final vision will deliver the goods. Sadly, our part in this journey cannot continue.
We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day. As you know, our roots are embedded in retail. We will continue on this journey and navigate this tough environment there.
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This message is written by Mital, as Proprietor. This closure isn’t a reflection of our colleagues in branch, they too have endured a tough ride of uncertainty and changing decisions day to day. We have had to become an operation we don’t aspire to be and this too cannot continue. We Thank You for your service and will support your roles and continuity as best we can. You are all individual and amazing and we wish you only the best for the future.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the food traders, creatives, pop ups, breweries, artists and more who have engaged and explored this road with us in Stretford. Our warmest wishes to our business neighbours and community friends who have humbled us with your friendship. We will meet again one day.
As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_
Thank You Thank You… Mital & Family
Featured image: Publicity picture
News
Dispute over Manichester now ‘resolved’, say Mounfield family
Danny Jones
The family of the late, great Manchester musician, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, have said that the drama surrounding the highly-anticipated tribute festival in his name, Manichester, has now thankfully been settled.
Now the focus can once again return to remembering him as best as possible.
Following plenty of talk about the project following his passing late last year, a live music festival honouring Mani was finally confirmed in March, and the reaction following the event’s announcement has been unsurprisingly phenomenal.
Well, at least for the most part, as there was also some confusion over whether or not Manichester was still a charitable effort as advertised, with son Gene Mounfield disputing claims online. Fortunately, it all seems to have been put to bed now.
On behalf of the boys, and as their legal guardian, I want to thank everyone for the kind messages and concern for their wellbeing. There was a misunderstanding regarding the upcoming Manichester tribute concert, but we’re pleased to share that everything has now been resolved. pic.twitter.com/j8jEMrFzsD
Being organised by Madchester.com and locally-founded fashion label, GIOGOI, the debut edition was said to have the total blessing of Mani’s family, including his brother, Greg Mounfield.
It was also said that the funds raised by the show would be going to the legendary Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassists’ twins, George and Gene, but the latter recently argued that “nothing” was going to either him or his brother and that the news was “dropped” the plans just a fortnight prior.
Gene also said that “if it was a charity gig it would be at Co-op [Live] or Heaton Park, and it would be done by SJM [Concerts]”: a Manchester-based promoters and events company.
All of this was also wrapped up in ever more paper talk and sensationalism, as some were reporting that Noel and Liam Gallagher, as well as other members of Oasis, would be surprising fans as the still yet to be revealed ‘major headliner’.
These rumours have since been quashed, as has whatever miscommunication caused the misunderstanding between the parties concerned, and we are now back to simply looking forward to seeing an already stacked lineup here in the city centre this May.
Damon Minchella of Ocean Colour Scene (a fellow bassist who also tours with Richard Ashcroft) is helping organise and will also be performing on the night itself. As for the surviving Mounfields, they went on to add in an accompanying Instagram post: “We would also like to express our gratitude to PH.
“It means a great deal to all of us that so many people loved Mani enough to give their time and energy to honour his memory in this way. We are genuinely touched by the support.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the boys and for our whole family. We hope this event will bring some much‑needed joy and create new, positive memories for everyone who cared about him.
“With love and thanks – The Family”
It goes without saying that we can’t wait for this city and Greater Manchester as a whole to honour a Manc icon and are looking forward to another year celebrating the thing that never fails to bring us all together: music.
Featured Images — livepict.com (via Wikimedia Commons)/Publicity pictures (supplied)
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Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture in 2028
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has announced its intention to bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
Entering into the national competition launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), following on from the success of the already-existing City of Culture award, the Greater Manchester town is hoping to be the first-ever town to claim the title.
The Town of Culture competition invites towns across the UK to showcase their cultural story and develop ambitious programmes that celebrate local heritage, creativity, and communities.
The winning town receives a £3 million grant from the Government to deliver a major year-long cultural programme in 2028 designed to boost civic pride, attract visitors, and provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.
Rochdale’s bid is being led by Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, alongside cultural groups, education providers, and community organisations.
The bid will build on the town’s history as the birthplace of the Co-operative movement, and a centre of political reform, collective action and working-class cultural innovation.
A town of national and international significance, whose people and ideas have shaped the social, democratic and cultural life of the UK and beyond, Rochdale Council says the town’s story is ‘distinctive’ and as highly relevant today as it ever has been, and this is a driving force behind its Town of Culture 2028 bid.
Not just historically, but over recent years too, the town has made a significant contribution to the UK’s popular culture, producing internationally recognised musicians, artists, writers, and performers.
Local leaders say the bid to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture underlines Rochdale’s ambition after just completing a ‘hugely successful’ year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2025.
Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
“We have a strong foundation for a bold and future focused UK Town of Culture programme and an incredible story to tell,” commented Cllr Neil Emmott, who is the Leader of Rochdale Borough Council.
“We’ll be developing a fabulous programme of new events and activities as well as amplifying our existing offer and recently transformed town hall square and centre.
“As we have already seen during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we have an established infrastructure of creative partners ready to go, who have already expressed their support for our bid, providing significant capacity and scale to deliver a UK town of culture programme in 2028 that would leave a permanent cultural legacy.
“We have exciting and varied attractions and iconic venues that have seen significant investment, an array of creative talent and we’re very well connected.
“This bid will allow us to share this in new ways and invite others to experience it.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd February 2024 
