A restaurant in Manchester has said it feels ‘truly honoured’ after winning a prestigious award crowning it as one of the best for veggies and vegans in the North.
The Allotment Vegan Eatery in Manchester City Centre has taken home the gong for Best Vegetarian Restaurant North at the Food Awards England 2022.
Known for creating inventive plant-based takes on popular large plates like ‘fish and chips’ and Tom Yum soup, it has taken home the award for the second year in a row.
The famous ‘fish and chips’ at Allotment features battered banana blossom served with chunky chips, peas and homade tartare. / Image: Allotment Vegan Eatery
First opened in 2016, Allotment is owned by Anthony Sheridan and initially began life in Stockport before moving into a new home on Deansgate in the heart of Manchester.
During that time, it has shifted from offering 7 and 10-course tasting menus to a mixture of large and small plates created using locally sourced produce.
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It has since moved again and can now be found at Cathedral Gardens, where it overlooks Manchester’s magnificent Cathedral.
Speaking of their delight at scooping up the award for the second year running, The Allotment team shared its news on social media on Wednesday.
The team said: “We are truly honoured and humbled to have won the prestigious Food Awards England award for Best Vegetarian Restaurant North for the second consecutive year
The Sunday Roast at The Allotment. / Image: The Allotment Vegan Eatery
“The whole team at The Allotment Vegan Eatery work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you the fresh, seasonal, flavoursome menus you know and love combined with an unrivalled setting and the relaxed friendly service we pride ourselves on.
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“A huge heart felt thank you to all our incredible customers who made this possible, your continued support, kind words and loyalty really do make it all worth while.
“Here’s to another incredible year in our new location at Cathedral Gardens bringing you everything you love and more.
The Food Awards England 2022 recognises the success of local professionals and establishments that continue delivering great flavours and experiences to their customers.
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The winners are a true reflection of high standard and customer service and are chosen by members of the general public.
Several of the awards are split into local regions to ensure that local establishments are recognised for their exceptional performance.
A Spokesperson for The Food Awards England, said: “These awards aim to thank those that work hard within the city’s food industry and contribute to making England a great gastronomic place to visit.
Image: The Allotment Vegan Eatery
“It is true that England combines tastes and flavours from all over the world and the visitors can find different restaurants, gastro pubs and bistros to meet their needs.
“These people enhance the country’s reputation nationally and internationally, and we would like to make sure that the hard work of England’s food professionals doesn’t go unnoticed.
“It was lovely to be part of this celebration and we would like to congratulate all finalists and winners for their achievements!”
Further winners in the Manchester area include:
Cookery School of the Year: Food Sorcery Cookery & Barista School (Manchester)
Best Vegetarian Establishment North: The Allotment Vegan Eatery (Manchester)
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Takeaway of the Year North: Zafrani Indian Takeaway (Manchester)
Caterer of the Year North: Herb & Spice (Manchester)
Café/Bistro of the Year North West: The Ginger Bistro (Preston)
Café/Bistro of the Year Overall Winner: The Ginger Bistro (Preston)
Restaurant of the Year North West: Encore (Chorley)
Feature image – The Allotment Vegan Eatery
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Georgina Pellant -
9th June 2022 
