News

The Restaurant Bar and Grill is closing for good in Manchester

It's one of four local restaurants to be shuttered by its parent company - the Individual Restaurants group.

The Manc The Manc - 4th August 2021

A high-end restaurant popular with celebrities and foodies is to close its Manchester city centre branch for good.

It’s been revealed that The Restaurant Bar and Grill – an upscale John Dalton Street venue loved by the city’s rich and famous – is to cease trading on 5 September, and is one of four to be shuttered by its parent company, the Individual Restaurants group.

The Restaurant Bar and Grill has been part of Manchester’s restaurant scene for decades, launching in the early 2000s.

A £1m all-weather roof terrace, complete with heaters and retractable roof, was added in 2013.

Sitting above popular nightlife hotspot Panacea, The Restaurant Bar and Grill was Individual Restaurants’ flagship site – but it’s sadly set to close doors alongside several of the company’s other local restaurants.

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The Restaurant Bar and Grill has been part of Manchester’s restaurant scene for decades / Credit: The Restaurant Bar and Grill

The company – which operates 28 restaurants across the UK – has also announced that it will close its Piccolino sites in Clitheroe and York, as well as the Alderley Bar and Grill in Cheshire.

Four Individual Restaurants sites will lock their doors, with 140 jobs affected.

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Speaking on the closure of the restaurants, Karen Forrester – Executive Chairperson of Individual Restaurants Company – commented: “The closure of these sites is part of a long-term investment and development plan for the future of Individual Restaurants.

“Our main priority is to keep our people within our Individual Restaurants family by offering opportunities to relocate to other Individual Restaurants’ locations, we will be supporting them throughout this process.”

A period of consultation will now take place at each of the restaurants.

Featured Image – The Restaurant Bar and Grill

News

Manchester company set to rescue beloved tea brand Typhoo from administration

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester vape company could save Typhoo from administration

Beloved British tea brand Typhoo has unfortunately fallen into administration after 121 years but a Manchester company could be set to save it from the jaws of insolvency.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest and best-known brands in the UK, not to mention the teabag of choice for millions up and down the country, Typhoo is a household name to most and has been a mainstay in supermarkets and newsagents for longer than we’ve been alive.

Despite its long-standing reputation and catering to a market of obsessive tea drinkers who aren’t going anywhere, the brew business has proved difficult for them, with a steady decline in sales and increasing losses year on year, as well as levels of debt creeping up to a now unsustainable point.

Financial advisory firm Kroll has now been appointed to handle the administration and find a buyer for the tea business, with a Manchester-headquartered company currently believed to be the frontrunner.

Supreme PLC is London-listed but has a HQ in Manchester.
The old Tyhpoo factory which closed last year.
Typhoo could be pulled back from the brink of administration. (Credit: Supreme via Facebook)/Rept0n1x via Wikimedia Commons)

Typhoo has been struggling to keep a foothold in the tea markets in recent years – suffering a significant setback when its Merseyside factory on the Wirral was broken into back in August 2023 – however, they have now been given a lifeline by a company just down the road in Stretford.

According to industry news outlet, Proactive Investors, vape and battery distributors Supreme Imports (based over in Trafford Park) are now said to be in ‘advanced talks’ to buy the tea brand and save it from going belly up after well over a century on our shelves.

The Bristol-based veterans were acquired by Zetland Capital back in 2021 which looked to have stabilised finances for a little while, but despite steadying the ship in the immediate, the last three years have seen a return to turbulent times.

While administration should keep them afloat while a sale is secured, there is still the matter of sizeable debt to be contested with; as of September last year, Typhoo owed more than £73 million to creditors – a whole £20m more than the previous year. In contrast, Supreme recently posted pe-tax profits of £14.7m.

Meanwhile, serious dips in revenue haven’t helped, with losses of around 25% recorded in the previous financial year and the closure of the Moreton plant (which contributed to approximately £24.1m worth of “exceptional costs”) leaving them at risk of going total collapse. It isn’t the heavyweight it once was.

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Conversely, with a diverse portfolio including not only vapes and batteries but lightbulbs, protein powder and bars; other e-cigarette items, the Clearly Drinks brand and even Sealions sleep gummies, Supreme are in the position to potentially rescue Typhoo, although a buyout deal is not yet finalised.

It’s unclear what the PLC will ultimately do with the brand should the acquisition be completed but it could prove to be a big coup if they can help it recover.

More importantly, with more than 100 jobs at risk throughout the company, not to mention Tyhpoo’s heritage as a historically significant domestic brand, we would love nothing more than to see the much-loved brew-makers back on their feet and livelihoods kept intact thanks to a local brand of our own.

Fingers crossed.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Amazon UK

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ITV confirm Granada Reports replacement after presenter Lucy Meacock’s departure

Danny Jones Danny Jones Katie Walderman replacing Lucy Meacock on Granada Reports ITV

ITV has finally confirmed their incoming replacement for long-serving presenter Lucy Meacock, who left Granada Reports earlier this year.

An instantly recognisable face across the North West, Meacock helped cover current affairs and local events across the region on their flagship news programme for 36 long years – more than half of the entire time the show has been on the air.

‘Bowing out quietly’ back in August – four years on from the tragic passing of her long-time presenting partner, Tony Morris – Granada has been without a permanent co-anchor to serve alongside Gamal Fahnbulleh ever since, but now the hosting team looks set to be restored back to full strength very soon.

Confirming the news on Friday morning, 29 November, ITV has named rival news presenter Katie Walderman as Meacock’s successor, with her first show set to air next week.

Having been part of BBC’s equivalent North West Tonight (NWT) programme for more than a decade, Walderman is virtually a perfect fit for the role.

For those unfamiliar, despite being best known for her long and successful spell with the news corporation, she also went viral in May last year after accidentally mistaking a Eurovision fan for Finland’s 2023 entrant, Käärijä.

Lovable gaffes aside, Walderman has been one of the BBC’s most celebrated journalists in recent years, having worked in roles on BBC Breakfast and North West Today before joining NWT. She started on local radio in her hometown of Liverpool before joining Real Radio and Smooth FM in MediaCityUK.

In fact, it was only last week that she picked up the Journalist of the Year at the 2024 Royal Television Society North West Awards – a perfect parting gift.

Announcing her own departure earlier this month, Meacock shared numerous images as she looked back on her favourite memories on the job.

Speaking on joining ITV, Walderman said: “It’s an absolute dream come true to join Granada Reports. I grew up watching the programme, but never in a million years did I think I’d actually get the chance to present it.

“I was born and raised in Liverpool and I’m now bringing up three of my own little Scousers. I can’t wait to continue flying the flag for our fantastic region and all the amazing communities here.

“I’m really looking forward to joining the Granada family – both the team in Salford [Quays] and all those watching at home.”

Katie Walderman and Gamal Fahnbulleh will host their first evening show together on Monday, 2 December at 6pm.

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Featured Images — ITV/Screenshot (via YouTube)

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