A ‘pub for plants’ will be taking over one of Manchester’s favourite watering holes and transforming it into a foliage-friendly boozer.
Northern Quarter pub The Freemount will be reimagined as ‘The Seed & Sip’ for one night only on Wednesday, June 29, as part of a partnership between Inch’s cider and leading online plant retailer Patch.
It will play host to an array of forna-inspired events including, wackily, a gig for plants that will be performed by indie rock band Red Rum Club.
Promising the perfect night out for plant and human punters alike, the Seed and Sip will also host its own horticultural twist on speed dating in the form of ‘speed planting’ sessions.
Image: The Freemount
Open to singles and couples, it’s more about finding your perfect plant than your perfect partner – with expert advice from the Patch team to prove there really is a plant out there for everyone.
ADVERTISEMENT
On entry guests will be given tokens for free pints of Inch’s cider and Heineken 0.0, as well as delicious snacks and the chance to win stellar prizes to see out the summer.
Those heading down will be met with a living wall of plants that will permanently take over the pub’s exterior, created by the award-winning Edible Bus Stop who have just taken home the Silver-Gilt at The Chelsea Flower Show.
ADVERTISEMENT
Plant Doctors from Patch will be on hand to help guests discover their perfect plant partner, and a special guest comedian will host a Plant Pub Quiz where guests will be in with the chance of winning a number of festival tickets to Tramlines and Boardmasters.
The Seed and Sip will be launching at 73-75 Oldham Street in Manchester on 29 June from 6pm for over 18s.
Image: The Freemount
A limited number of spaces are available, and you can register for a place by emailing [email protected] with your full name. The pub will also be open to walk-ins during the night.
ADVERTISEMENT
The partnership hopes to showcase the importance of sustainability, connecting pubs and nature together as one.
Rachel Holms HEINEKEN UK, Cider Unit Director, says: “Inch’s Cider focuses on sustainability and nature, which is why we’ve teamed up with Patch to bring consumers a taste of nature in a fun and exciting way. The Seed and Sip is an experience like no other for pub-goers and plants alike, an environment to chill, drink a cold cider and meet new friends – of both the human and horticultural variety.
“Patch is the go-to brand for a new generation of urban drinkers who have an increased interest in nature, so we’re excited about this partnership and shared passion for bringing pubs and nature together as one – and you may even leave with a personality-matched plant to move in with you too!”
Red Rum Club’s lead singer, Francis Doran, said: “We have performed to many different crowds in a wide variety of venues over the years, but this is by far the most unique audience we will have the pleasure of entertaining. We hope that the plant guests at the Seed and Sip not only enjoy our music but find it uplifting and help them grow!”
Freddie Blackett, Patch Founder, added: “The pub is a great British institution, and the UK is famous worldwide for its gardens, so it makes perfect sense for pubs to have lush and inviting spaces for customers to enjoy with a drink, like a pint of cider.
Image: Supplied
“We are delighted to be collaborating with a brand who shares our passions, as we set out to create greener spaces in urban areas together.”
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Georgina Pellant -
20th June 2022 
