News

This Manchester vegan restaurant has been crowned the best in the north

After five years off Deansgate, The Allotment Vegan Eatery has recently moved to a new location at Cathedral Gardens.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 9th June 2022

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.

Read more: Bolton grandma who went viral for full English takeaway opens her own cafe

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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.

“All our love, The Allotment Team”.

Read more: Top northern chefs to open THREE new restaurants inside swanky Manchester hotel

Image: The Allotment Vegan Eatery

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.

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Read more: Even more new restaurants join budding scene in Sale’s Stanley Square

“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

News

A local baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser to stop it from closing for good

Danny Jones Danny Jones Save Our Baby Bank Trafford Greater Manchester fundraiser

A Greater Manchester baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser in hopes of preventing it from closing for good imminently.

For anyone unaware, baby banks are crucial organisations run largely by volunteers who help provide supplies to families in local communities, with more than 300 in use across the UK at present.

Through delivering much-needed aid such as clothing, prams, nappies and baby food, right through to direct financial support, they help keep parents and their children in good supply of essentials and much more – hugely important work at any rate, let alone during the winter and a cost of living crisis.

However, the Little Green Sock Project over in Trafford is at risk of permanent closure and was initially given until the new year to raise £200,000.

As seen in this moving video, the baby bank based over in Stretford Mall is in dire need of support and, crucially, the funds for a new premises.

They’ve been deeply moved by how Greater Manchester united in reaching into their pockets and sparing whatever they can to contribute to their fundraising target thus far – and they really are nearly at the finish line, which would mean safety for the genuinely life-saving service.

Fundamentally operated as a non-profit and volunteer-led charity, they naturally don’t have the means to just take over a new space on their own and with the current site set to be demolished very soon, a minimum of £200k is needed to find and fund a new location.

Having amassed over 90% of the amount needed, they’ve already bought themselves extra time, they just need one last push from us.

Urging people to donate what they can and share their fundraiser where possible, as well as welcoming corporate sponsorships should other local businesses wish to back them or get stuck through volunteering days, time is of the essence.

The Little Green Sock Project was only started back in 2022 and has already supported over 1,300 children, redistributing more than £240,000 worth of essential items like clothing, cots, prams, and stair gates to local families, as well as saving 20 tonnes of items from landfills.

It’s no exaggeration to say that they’ve changed and saved lives, both parents and children, and with the often difficult festive period approaching, their work is needed now more than ever.

There are just under a dozen baby banks in all of Greater Manchester, many of which are facing similar pressures. (Credit: Supplied)

Speaking on their efforts and the fundraiser, founder Catherine D’Albertanson said: “We believe that essentials needed for the health and wellbeing of children should not only be for those that can afford them. Our work ensures that no child in our community goes without essentials, but without new premises, we will have no choice but to close.”

Moreover, Little Green Sock Project is the only baby bank in the Trafford area and of the families it serves, 58% are single-parent households already struggling with the cost of raising children, while 29% are fleeing domestic abuse, often leaving their belongings behind to protect their family.

With their circular economy model, they also help reduce waste whilst providing “a trusted link between the families that have items to give, to those that need them the most”, with D’Albertanson adding, “If we lose this charity, we lose a vital safety net for many in our community.”

A service user commented: “It was a truly terrifying time when I was pregnant with my first child. I found myself completely alone, with a baby on the way, wondering how I could possibly provide for my son.

“Then I found Little Green Sock Project, and everything changed. Everything was carefully chosen, colour-coordinated, and presented in such a thoughtful way. It felt so special—like someone truly cared about me and my baby. That feeling is indescribable, especially for someone in my position.

“There are so many people like me with stories like this. It breaks my heart to think that the Little Green Sock Project might have to close its doors. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without your help, and I hope with all my heart that the community comes together to keep this lifeline alive.”

Manchester parents need this much-loved baby bank – let’s not let it fall away on our watch. (Credit: Andy Bate at Royal Foundation)

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Every pound donated goes towards helping find the Little Green Sock Project a new home, but people can help contribute in other ways, once again, by spreading the word or getting their hands dirty in person.

Greater Manchester never fails to amaze when it rallies behind causes like this, and we’re sure you won’t let us down this time either. Let’s keep the lights on the lifelines for local families intact.

You can donate now, or to find out other ways to do your bit, click HERE.

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

Featured Images — Little Green Sock Project/Andy Bate – Royal Foundation (supplied)

News

Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.

Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.

Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.  

On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job. 

According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.

Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels

“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.

“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.

“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”

Read more:

Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour. 

As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

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