The sisters behind cult Lancashire favourite Finch Bakery are opening a new pop-up in Manchester next week.
Known for creating indulgent, gut-busting treats like cookie pies, cake jars, ‘school dinner cake’, giant celebration cakes and munchable brownies and blondies, the news of their arrival is sure to get Manchester’s sweet tooths excited.
The good news? There’s not long to wait now.
Started by two twin sisters with a passion for baking, the pair first started messing around in the kitchen whilst doing their degrees at university.
Image: Finch Bakery
But what first began as a hobby conducted out of their parent’s kitchen has since grown into a Lancashire cult favourite after Lauren and Rachel Finch opened the doors to their first bakery in Great Harwood six years ago.
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What started out as a self-proclaimed “calorific hobby” catapulted into a fully-fledged business complete with a shop, a unit, forty employees, a van, and an online delivery service.
The pair even released their own best-selling cookbook, The Finch Bakery: Sweet Homemade Treats and Showstopper Celebration Cakes in August last year – which went on to top the Sunday Times bestseller list.
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Now, they’re expanding into Manchester city centre with their very first pop-up at Harvey Nichols.
Image: Finch Bakery
Opening from 7 February, the pair will be selling their famous ‘cake in a cup’ creations in store, offering shoppers everything from indulgent chocolate-laden brownies and Biscoff blondie,s to colourful layered cake jars.
Their signature treats will be available to take away from a new unit created for them on the department store’s ground floor, whilst a selection of daily bakes will be made available to enjoy inside too from the Second Floor Deli Bar.
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You’ll be able to find the pair’s goodies on sale at Harvey Nichols from 7 February for the next six months.
Image: Finch Bakery
Speaking on the new opening, the pair said: “We can finally reveal we are opening a second Finch Bakery site…in our dream location of Manchester City centre!
“And where better than Harvey Nichols? We’re so pleased to be given the opportunity to pop up in such an iconic store and we can’t wait to bring our cakes and brownies to the people of Manchester.”
To find out more, head over to their Instagram to get a good look at all the different bakes they have on offer.
Wigan Warriors make history after yet another Super League Grand Final victory
Danny Jones
Wigan Warriors have made Super League history after winning yet another Grand Final following what can only be dubbed a spellbinding season.
Beating Hull Kingston Rovers 9-2 in what was their 13th Grand Final, not only have they now lifted the trophy for the seventh time but they have also become the first team in the Super League era to win the hallowed quadruple.
To make things even more special, the landmark evening in Manchester saw them match the same achievement of winning all four major pieces of silverware 30 years on from their famous Wigan predecessors in 1994, and are one of just a handful of teams to ever do so.
Matt Peet’s side signed off on an incredible year after winning not only the Challenge Cup and World Cup Challenge but by lifting the League Leaders’ Shield and retaining their Grand Final.
Star-man Bevan French put them ahead in the game before Harry Smith gave them breathing room before half-time and despite Hull KR answering back with a penalty in their first-ever visit to the final, Adam Keighran’s kick helped make sure the Warriors made it over the line.
That’s a couple of Challenge Cups, two lots of League Leaders’ Shields, a World Cup Challenge and a pair of successive Super League Grand Final wins in just 99 games over eight months as head coach for Peet too. Generational.
While the likes of Bradford and St Helens have won all four prizes up for grabs over the course of two seasons, a record like this is simply sensational and well and truly puts them up there as one of if not the greatest rugby league side ever – as if they weren’t in the conversation already.
You can see how much it meant when they lifted the trophy:
Things look to be only getting better for the Cherry and Whites under the Wigan local and they seem to be more fitting of their Warriors title under his watch than arguably ever.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, winner of the inaugural Rob Burrow Player of the Match award French said: “It’s been an emotional week. We knew history was on the line, with the chance to be the first to win all four in a calendar year.
“This one just meant more. The club went above and beyond to surprise me by flying my brother and uncle over, so this is special. I might not ever get to feel like this again. I’ve got to take it all in.”
Winning the quadruple in the modern era doesn’t just beckon Wigan Warriors into the history books, it could signal the start of a new period of dominance as was seen in the 1980s and 90s. Are the Saints about to make way for a new Northern super-power?
You can watch the highlights from the 2024 Betfred Super League Grand Final and see how Wigan completed the quadruple down below.
Wigan Warriors are now third in the table of all-time Super League Grand Final winners too.
— Barefoot Spooky Bartender 👣💀🍹 (@barefoottiki) October 10, 2024
“Be assured there won’t be 14408mph winds, hurricane force winds or overnight temperatures of 404°C.
“It is being looked at and hopefully sorted asap.”
BBC Weather shared: “You may have noticed some data issues on our app and website. We are working hard to fix it quickly. Sorry – please bear with us.
“In the meantime here are Thursday’s weather headlines: -Colder, clearer air moving in -Rain and drizzle in south -Blustery showers near east coast”
And national treasure Carol Kirkwood said live on air: “We are having a technical glitch at the moment. It’s showing wind speeds far too fast, in fact, hurricane strength and that is not the case at all.
“Please don’t be alarmed. We are aware of it and on it.”
At the time of writing, the BBC Weather forecast service is still predicting hurricane force winds for the UK. Eek.
BBC issues statement after UK forecast shows ‘hurricane force winds’ up to 14,000mph
Georgina Pellant -
31st January 2022 
