Eats

Trove breaks silence on shock closure and confirms Levenshulme site will also close

'Our failure has been trying to keep something going that we were emotionally attached to, when we should have ended it.'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 5th June 2024

Trove has broken its silence on the shock closure of its Ancoats bakery, and confirmed that its original Levenshulme site is also closing.

The bakery and cafe was first founded all the way back in 2011 and has always been a big name in Manchester’s food and drink scene.

Fans of the brand were shocked this week when its Ancoats location – which had already abandoned its cafe operation in favour of being a bakery – suddenly closed, with a forfeiture notice plastered in the windows.

And now Trove has confirmed that all of its locations around the north west, including its brand-new site in Wilmslow and its original cafe in Levenshulme, are to close.

In a statement shared this afternoon and signed by husband-and-wife co-founder team Marcus and Katy, they wrote that the business has been struggling ever since Covid.

ADVERTISEMENT

They wrote: “We have been struggling mentally, physically and financially for a while.”

Their statement also said: “Our failure has been trying to keep something going that we were emotionally attached to, when we should have ended it.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Trove also apologised to customers and employees ‘who have felt let down’, adding that they always had ‘good intentions’.

Trove had already shut its Stockport bakery, moving operations into its Ancoats location, and shuttered its unit inside the Bloc building in the city centre.

Companies House documents for Trove’s parent company Two Hexagons Ltd show that the business is in more than £1.6m of debt, including owing HMRC approximately £885,000.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trove’s full statement says: “We wanted to leave a note here for everyone we have worked with over the years and the customers who supported us. Today we have sadly decided to close all Trove sites.

“We have been struggling mentally, physically and financially for a while, especially after covid.

“Our failure has been trying to keep something going that we were emotionally attached to, when we should have ended it.

“We are so sorry to any of our customers and employees who have felt let down. We have only ever had kindness in our hearts and good intentions.

“We have enjoyed being part of the Manchester food scene, the many people we have known and loved.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Thank you to all who have worked for us. Thank you to the people who continued to support us through hard times. Thank you also to everyone who has contacted us with words of kindness recently. Your words have meant a lot.

“It is a very difficult world at the moment. Especially for small businesses and food producers. Please be kind to others, neighbours, friends, strangers. You never know who needs it.

“Our hearts are broken. So much love to you all, Marcus & Katy.”

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

First Look: Fitzpatrick’s – Stockport’s new Irish Bar gets off to a stunning start

Danny Jones Danny Jones Fitzpatrick's new Irish bar and grill opening Stockport

Stockport has a brand new Irish bar as the growing Greater Manchester trend continues, with Fitzpatrick’s officially debuting to the public on Thursday, 19 June.

Taking over the former Bask site just outside the train station, Fitzpatrick’s is the borough’s answer to American sports bar meets an Irish pub and grill, with live music, a wide array of food and more.

Founded by the man who now shares his name with the already lively boozer, John Fitzpatrick – a.k.a. local producer, musician and DJ, Jon Fitz – the venue has big shoes to fill following its predecessor, but is already off to a very strong start.

We had the privilege of walking in on opening day, and the place was absolutely packed to the rafters from the off, and we didn’t even stay until the end. More fool us…

As you can see, it hasn’t taken them any time at all to get an atmosphere going; good weather on their inaugural day, but the free-flowing beer, classic pub food flying out of the kitchen, and musicians reeling off classic Irish folk music did most of the heavy lifting.

Plus, that beer garden and covered outdoor terrace area are pretty perfect in any weather, to be fair.

The scran on their maiden evening mainly consisted of pizza, chips and other easy-to-serve-up plates as they gradually ease into the first week or so of service, but with a full menu of burgers, pies, breakfasts and even Sunday roasts to come, we’re very excited to try the full gamut.

Regardless, the staff were pulling pints like pros, John himself had plenty of involvement greeting people and getting behind the bar, and the atmosphere was buzzing from minute one.

ln fact, that was arguably the best part about it all: there was that genuine feeling of a new community cornerstone being born, with the well-known Stopfordian reeling off names and recognising what seemed like almost every face that walked through the door.

You don’t get that everywhere.

A lay of the land at Fitzpatrick’s Stockport. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

Although this was their first proper day of trading, they had already gauged the kind of crowds they could expect by soft launching with friends and family last week.

That being said, as mentioned, there was a real tight-knit, community feel to the place, full of County kits, young families and older couples alike, all of whom seemed to be dovetailing together as if the pub had always been around.

SK is often dubbed one of those places where everyone kind of knows everyone, even despite how big the town is as a whole, and this definitely felt like proof of that perception.

There was even close-up magic from Stockport’s famous ‘Fingerless Magician’, Dean Lahan, who famously featured on Britain’s Got Talent and even featured for Team GB’s Para Ice Hockey squad.

Of course, there is some familiarity with the space having previously been Bask, but the location of the stage, a newly decked out bar and the large jumbo-tron style TV set-up for live sport in the centre of the room (providing prime viewing from virtually all angles) have made a big difference.

Based solely on the hordes of people that piled into the place the second the doors opened, we can’t wait to see what the gaff is like once it’s in so-called ‘full swing’. John and his team might just be on to something big here.

Speaking to The Manc, he said: “As a local lad, I wanted to put something into the space that reflects a lot of my history and culture. Music, food, sport and a great atmosphere are all things I love, so I wanted to reflect that in this gorgeous space.”

Open 4-11 from Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm until late on Fridays, and the same only from 1pm at weekends, we can imagine Stockport punters are about to be spending a lot of time in Fitzpatrick’s.

(Credit: The Manc Group)

Read more:

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

Featured Images – The Manc Group

Eats

Manchester bar announces huge giveaway of margaritas to celebrate first birthday

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Electric Shuffle has announced a margarita giveaway for its first birthday

A cocktail and shuffleboard bar in Manchester city centre is throwing a weekend-long party to celebrate its first birthday, and there are free cocktails up for grabs. 

Electric Shuffle is kindly offering to give all of us presents for its birthday, with an epic free margarita giveaway. 

That’s alongside an almighty party that includes resident DJs, live music performances, giveaways, exclusive offers, a cracking happy hour and a free photobooth. 

The Deansgate activity bar, which has 15 interactive high-tech shuffleboards to play, each one loaded with different game modes, is celebrating one year in the city centre between Friday 20 and Sunday 22 June. 

They’re throwing a three-day-long celebration, kicking off at 5pm on Friday with a giveaway of margaritas for the first 250 guests through the doors. 

Then there’ll be an Electric Shuffle birthday prize game, where each slide of the puck could unlock prizes like bar tabs, brunch tickets, branded merch, cocktails, pizzas and more. 

Singer-songwriter Luke McColl will be playing live during the evening, and you’ll be able to dive into a free photobooth all evening. 

Electric Shuffle Manchester
Electric Shuffle Manchester
Food and drink at the premium gaming bar
Food and drink at the premium gaming bar
Electric Shuffle Manchester turns one
Electric Shuffle Manchester turns one

Moving on to Saturday’s celebrations – expect happy hour deals all day long, like £4 pins and £7 Sarti Spritzes, complimentary shuffleboard hire (you need to pre-book HERE), a special late brunch session between 5pm and 7pm, and more prize giveaways. 

This part of the birthday party will be soundtracked by resident DJs and a live set from Elle Graham.

And if you thought that was the end of the party, you’re mistaken. 

On Sunday, Electric Shuffle will host free shuffleboard all day long.

All summer, there’ll be a Margs and Margs deal, where you can get two margarita cocktails and a margarita pizza for just £25.

Electric Shuffle’s first birthday celebrations take place between 20 and 22 June.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

More Eats

The Thirsty Korean in Chorlton

Eats

The Thirsty Korean is thriving in its new location – and now serves brunch

Heaton Park Cafes are giving away two free Oasis tickets - how to enter

Audio

Heaton Park cafe launches huge Oasis ticket giveaway with VERY silly stunt

where does the best tapas in manchester?

Boroughs

21 of the best tapas places in Manchester city centre and beyond

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches