Despite being prominently visited by Mohammed Ali in 1974, there is no denying that over the years, Stretford Mall lost its charm.
But, thanks to efforts from Trafford Council, Bruntwood Works, and local business entrepreneurs, Stretford Mall has surpassed its past glory with a delightful food hall surrounded by innovative local businesses, including The Hive.
Despite only being open two days before the national lockdown in March, and now operating as take-away only, The Hive is perhaps the centrepiece of a blossoming ‘Stretford Strip’.
As well as already offering breakfast every morning, a roast dinner every Sunday, and a delicious array of innovative meals all day long, The Hive’s menu is still improving.
The Hive, Stretford
The recent launch of the Healthy Hive branch of their menu adds another layer of deliciousness to this business, with offerings such as curried mushrooms and vegan hotdogs.
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Co-Owner Chris Herbert said: “We had all this time during lockdown, so we have basically opened a COVID restaurant bar.
“Every single thing down to the smallest detail is a COVID friendly bar because we have known nothing else.”
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Over 11 thousand people have been through their doors since July, and they boast zero cases of Coronavirus related to the business, despite taking every single person’s temperature and track and trace personal details, instead of the general one person per group rule.
The key for these business owners was providing a local but cool atmosphere that enabled people to have a night out that they could safely walk home from, and despite COVID, this goal has not changed.
Chris said: “It’s only going to get better. COVID and what’s happened and lockdown, it’s just an obstacle that Stretford is going to get over, this isn’t going to kill Stretford off. It’s only going to make Stretford stronger.
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“The ‘local’ is going to thrive again.”
The Stretford FoodHall has also become a symbol of the change in Stretford, providing a constant turnover of delicious independent vendors, and this year even providing christmas trees that can be delivered to your door.
Stretford Food Hall
‘A Convenient Store’, located inside the Hall, are already open for pre-orders of locally sourced Christmas trees, alongside grocery deliveries that arrive at your door in two hours.
The Food Hall also collected food and household items during lockdown for charity, and recently on facebook they announced that they were widening the organizations they were donating to.
The current resident vendors are Herbivorous and Dim Sum Su, which offer delicious vegan meals and dim sum, among other things.
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Hannah, supervisor on the retail side of the FoodHall said: “It has been an absolute pro for the community, we have loads of regulars that constantly come in and it is gorgeous seeing the same faces, especially through COVID.”
The Foodhall also ensures that it uses local vendors for its produce, in order to inject profits back into the community, something desperately needed during these COVID times.
Whilst definitive prospective plans for Stretford are uncertain because of the pandemic, it is clear that the future is bright for this blossoming area.
Eats
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Daisy Jackson
It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.
At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.
Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.
Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.
The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.
A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.
The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.
It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group
The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.
According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.
These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.
There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.
The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.
The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr
Ged sold 6,000 a week.
And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).
Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.
The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Daisy Jackson
The main gripe people seem to have with the Manchester Christmas Markets is the prices of food and drinks, blasting them every year like a broken record as being ‘overpriced’.
So we’ve done the hard slog for you, running all around the city centre to suss out exactly how much everything is costing in 2024.
From Piccadilly Gardens (rebranded as The Winter Gardens for the season) to King Street, there are wooden sheds and festive cheer absolutely everywhere.
There’s some brilliant food and drink to discover – you can see our top picks HERE – but as this is a huge visitor attraction, that can come at a price.
Once you factor in the deposit for a Manchester Christmas Markets mug, you can easily spend £12 just to get a mulled wine (though you will get £3.50 of that back when you return your mug).
There are also deposit charges on glassware – £2 for a pint glass, £3.50 for cocktail glasses and £7 for a stein.
You can see the full list of prices for food and drinks right across the Manchester Christmas Markets HERE, but below are where you can find the cheapest spots at the festive event.
Mulled wine
Mulled wines are priced at £5.50 almost everywhere across the Manchester Christmas Markets, though some stalls are offering bigger serves of this popular festive drink for a small price hike.
Then people are charging another £3 to add a shot of brandy, rum or amaretto, making an £8.50 total.
But the cheapest we’ve found is just £7 for mulled wine with a shot of booze, and that’s at Mamma Mia, an Italian stall on New Cathedral Street, right near St Ann’s Square.
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine. Credit: The Manc Group
Beer
Again, prices for beers at the Manchester Christmas Markets are pretty consistent and average £6 a pint.
But you can get cheaper – at The Last Outpost, a Western-themed bar at Exchange Square, beers start from £5.50.
And at The Hip Hop Chip Shop at Piccadilly Gardens, they’re selling local craft beers, like Shindigger, Pomona Island, Manchester Union) for just £5.50. And you get bonus good vibes for supporting local breweries.
Wine
We’ve found a couple of glasses of wine for just £5 around the Markets this year, which is cheaper than most bars in town really.
The King Street Craft Bar, which has the bonus of having seating, has house wines from a fiver.
Christmas Alley at Piccadilly Gardens will also give you a wine for £5.
Prosecco
Prosecco works in every season and if this is your go-to of all the drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, we’ve found where you can save a few pennies.
Most places are charging between £6.50 and £7 per glass, but at El Gato Negro on King Street (yep, the same stall operated by the Michelin-recommended restaurant) are charging just £5 – that’s a whole £1.50 cheaper than most other stalls.
Hot chocolate
Basic hot chocolates are generally £3.50 everywhere, with a few very luxury upgrades (like a £7.90 creation from The Flat Baker that’s served in an edible cookie cup).
Once you add in a shot of alcohol, the cheapest as at the Apres Ski Bar at Piccadilly Gardens, which charges £2.50 for a spirit.
Gemma Bradley -
16th November 2020 
