For those looking to get out and about, stretch their legs and explore Greater Manchester’s canal network, there’s no better motivation than the thought of a floating pizzeria and cafe waiting for you at the end.
Moored up somewhere along the Macclesfield canal, you’ll find just that. Known as The Waltzing Matilda, this charming sage green narrowboat travels up and down between Stockport and Cheshire – visiting different towns every weekend.
The floating pizza and coffee operation is run by father-son duo Paul and Chris. Chris is a professional chef who used to live in New Zealand, whilst his dad, Paul, is a seasoned traveller of the city’s canal network having lived the narrowboat life for some five years now.
Image: The Waltzing Matilda
Image: The Waltzing Matilda
Image: The Waltzing Matilda
Paul’s daughter Rebecca, or Spud, as he calls her, is also involved in the operation, baking their cakes – an essential component to pair with their freshly-ground coffee, we’re sure you’ll agree.
Inspired by a desire to be closer as a family and to connect more with their local community, they first got to work on setting up the boat in early 2021.
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More than a year later, the concept is a huge success – drawing people from all over Manchester to sample The Waltzing Matilda’s many wares.
When the weather is good, they put out seating on the two path so you can really get the full floating cafe experience.
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Father and son duo Paul and Chris pictured on their floating cafe, The Waltzing Matilda. / Image: The Waltzing Matilda
Paul said: “The Waltzing Matilda boat is a pizzeria and a coffee shop, it’s to serve the community, we think along the canals there’s not a lot of places for people to stop and enjoy the scenery, and have a great coffee.”
“The challenge we embrace is to create an area that invites all the community to stop, relax and appreciate the surroundings of the canal and everywhere we go. ”
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All the pizza here is cooked authentically – the dough stretched by hand, then fired in a wood-fired oven placed in the belly of the boat.
A ‘Swagman’ pizza coming out of the boat’s wood-fired oven. / Image: The Waltzing Matilda
Menu staples include ‘The Swagman’ with chorizo, nduja, fresh chilli, candied jalapeno and hot honey; the traditional ‘Proscuitto Crudo E Rucola’ with fresh chili, Proscuitto Crudo, Grana Padano cheese, fresh rocket and garlic oil; and all-time classics like Margherita, Pepperoni and Marinara.
Elsewhere, though, you’ll find a regularly-changing specials list. The latest? A pumpkin and sausage beauty, made with a pumpkin base, wild broccoli, Italian fennel sausage, red chilli jam and confit garlic oil. Mmm.
As for dips, think confit garlic mayo, nduja infused mayo and pesto mayo.
Image: The Waltzing Matilda
There are natural treats for your dogs, too, and on occasion, other vegan picnic bits and sweet treats for sale like non-pork pies, sausage rolls and Bakewell slices.
As the boat is always popping up at a different location, you’re advised to check their socials before planning a visit – they tend to announce where they will be two or three days in advance to give walkers and other keen pizza and coffee lovers some time to plan their visit.
Give The Waltzing Matilda a follow here to find out more – you won’t regret it.
Feature image – The Waltzing Matilda
News
Yellow weather warning issued for Parklife weekend with thunderstorms forecast
Daisy Jackson
A yellow weather warning has been issued for Greater Manchester over the weekend – just as Parklife festival gets underway.
The Met Office has predicted thunderstorms may hit the region on Saturday, the first day of the two-day party up at Heaton Park.
There’s a yellow weather warning in place across much of the UK over the coming days, but it doesn’t come into force in Greater Manchester until Saturday.
The Met Office is currently predicting wet weather for Parklife festival-goers on day one, with a 70% chance of light rain from the time the gates open until early evening.
It’s then might to brighten up and is likely to be dry, if a little cloudy, into the evening.
The yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place from midnight until 6pm on Saturday 14 June.
Temperatures are expected to peak at around 21°C
As for Sunday at Parklife, which will be headlined by none other than Charli XCX, the weather is looking a lot more settled, if a bit cooler.
There are forecasted highs of 18°C and lows of 12°.
While the day will begin quite overcast, it’s expected to really brighten up with sunny intervals in the afternoon and into the evening.
Back in 2023, when thunderstorms hit Manchester during Parklife, the entire festival had to be momentarily halted.
On that occasion, festival-goers were told to ‘keep away from metal structures’ and all the live music was paused.
Poundland facing ‘significant store closures’ after being sold for just £1
Danny Jones
Long-standing British bargain brand Poundland could be set to close a number of locations across the UK after being sold for just £1.
The franchise famed for selling things for just a quid has been a mainstay on the high streets for what feels like it’s been around for as long as most of us can remember, but has been struggling to compete in the discount market.
Opened in 1990, Poundland was eventually bought by Polish variety store chain Pepco Group back in 2016, but has now been auctioned off after struggling sales over the past few years.
As per a press release from the company, Pepco decided to sell the business to American investment firm Gordon Brothers for what reports cited as a “nominal fee” – a figure now revealed to be £1.
Credit: The Manc Group
Poundland’s former boss, Barry Williams, left the brand in 2023 but was reinstated in at the start of this year to help the business and the Group’s European counterparts (Pepco and Dealz).
Sharing an official update with The Manc, the returning MD and CEO said, “Poundland is a UK and Ireland retailer of real significance, serving 20 million customers each year with a much-loved brand.
“Although recent trading has been challenging, we have built a turnaround plan with a simplified and more focused Poundland at its heart, as we aim to deliver the amazing value our customers expect.
“In due course, we’ll share more details of the proposed restructuring and turnaround. I’d like to thank Pepco for its stewardship of the business. We welcome Gordon Brothers and look forward to working with them as we implement our turnaround plan.”
As for Gordon Bros themselves, the American group with outposts all over the globe, says it is “delighted” to be providing the bargain brand with “the financing to support the substantial turnaround of this iconic retailer.”
Even with their own hardships, Poundland stores have still been providing a much-needed cut-price place to shop for those looking to save wherever they can amid the cost of living crisis, not to mention taking over previous Wilko stores and helping bail out others in need.
Before Poundland were sold, they also helped prop-up those hit by the Wilkos falling into administration.
According to Retail Gazette, an approximate £80 million cash injection has been pledged to help support their 800 stores and roughly 16,000 staff across the UK and Ireland.
Nevertheless, BBC sources understand that the even with the new backing, the proposed restructuring of the company which will be put before the High Court here in England could still “involve a significant number of store closures.”
Meanwhile, an official statement from Pepco’s Stephan Borchert reads: “The agreed sale of Poundland marks an important milestone in our strategic plan to move away from FMCG and focus predominantly on Pepco, our higher margin clothing and general merchandise business…
“Poundland remains a key player in UK discount retail, with millions of customers annually and a well-loved brand and proposition. We want to sincerely thank Poundland for their ongoing commitment and contribution to the Group and wish Barry Williams and his team all the best for the future.”
Georgina Pellant -
22nd April 2022 
