Two Manchester restaurants have been named in the the prestigious 2023 Good Food Guide awards shortlist, which is widely considered one of the UK’s most trusted and impartial restaurant guides.
City centre eateries 10 Tib Lane and Another Hand have both been listed in the ‘Best Local Restaurant’ category for the north west, appearing alongside Stockport restaurant Bombay to Mumbai, Cheshire’s 17th-century timber-framed Next Door (literally named so because that’s where its owners live), and Four and Twenty in Penrith, Cumbria.
The category shortlist is chosen by public nominations, and as a result the Guide has built up a reputation for shining a light on proper hometown favourites that might otherwise fly under the radar.
According to the Guide’s listing, 10 Tib Lane’s cooking “has a confident, gimmick-free air, not everything is faultless. Nonetheless, tweaked and polished, 10 Tib Lane can potentially climb the ratings”.
As for Manchester’s newest Michelin-recommended. Another Hand, it writes: “This is hardly Manchester’s most glamorous location. But inside, this café by day, restaurant by night is an operation of confident, understated sophistication.”
It also writes of Stockport’s Bombay to Mumbai: “True to its name, this ‘irreplaceable’ suburban Indian seeks to meld old Bombay with modern Mumbai. A warm welcome and ‘proper hospitality’ are treasured assets, while the food is ‘a world away from most high-street curry houses.'”
Restaurants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for nomination: – Independently run; owned by the chef or a hands-on proprietor – Offers regularly changing, seasonal menus at affordable prices – Demonstrates strong relationships with local suppliers – Rooted in the local community – Offers at least two dinner services a week – Gives customers a genuine, warm welcome
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Readers can nominate their favourites by heading to The Good Food Guide website, and – even better -each nomination made will be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 restaurant voucher.
Previous Best Local Restaurants discoveries include Carters of Mosely, an electic Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham known for its ‘ambitious, creative dishes, and the accompanying natural, organic and biodynamic wines’.
The best nomination submission will be handed the chance to take up the coveted position of Guest Inspector for The Good Food Guide.
“The simple formula of a kitchen that cooks fresh to order is the very principle on which The Good Food Guide was founded,” said Elizabeth Carter, editor of the Guide.
“We have always maintained that the best restaurants offer creative, memorable food based on quality, seasonal and local produce. In other words, no pretensions or gimmicks, just first-class food cooked from ingredients deeply rooted in the region. A commitment to their community and a strong relationship with local suppliers is what makes a restaurant truly local.”
“Our readers are our most valued source for discovering brilliant restaurants and have been since the Guide was founded back in 1951,” adds Chloë Hamilton, managing editor of The Good Food Guide. “Despite tough conditions, the calibre of local restaurants in 2023 is higher than it has ever been, so we look forward to seeing what gems readers send our way.”
Once nominations close, The Good Food Guide’s editors will reveal a shortlist of contenders across seven areas (Scotland, North East England, North West England, Central & East of England, Wales, London & South East England, and South West England).
Anonymous inspections of the frontrunners will follow, before regional winners and the overall Best Local Restaurant of 2023 is announced at the end of June.
The Good Food Guide was first compiled by Raymond Postgate in 1951. Appalled by the British post-war dining experience, Postgate recruited an army of volunteers to inspect restaurants anonymously and report back.
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His aims were simple; among them, ‘to raise the standard of cooking in Britain’ and ‘to do ourselves all a bit of good by making our holidays, travels and evenings out in due course more enjoyable’.
Much has changed since the very first edition of The Good Food Guide but the ethos of the original book remains firmly in place.
Featured image – Another Hand.
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Local BID board launch new ‘Visit Alty’ app ahead of Taste of Altrincham 2026
Danny Jones
One of Trafford’s resident BID (Business Improvement District) board have officially launched their brand-new ‘Visit Alty’ app for the market town ahead of this year’s A Taste of Altrincham festival.
Set to be a dedicated one-stop where residents can find out what’s going on in and around the area, the platform is already available on the likes of the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android phones.
As A Taste of Alty returns for 2026, this is just the second instalment in the total 10-day food and drink party – with a big opening weekend celebration starting this Friday, 27 February – the latest innovation by Altrincham BID is hoping to keep residents more up to date on their village than ever.
Sponsored by native law firm Myerson Solicitors and supported by various local businesses, the sophomore edition of the now annual festivities serves as the ideal staging event for the fledgling Visit Altrincham app.
Running until Sunday, 8 March, A Taste of Altrincham is even bigger this time around. (Credit: Press shot)
With a full programme events kicking off this weekend, the app itself is ideal for keeping track of everything going.
In addition to workshops, live demos by regional chefs, supper clubs, wine tastings, the latest ‘Ultimate Pudding Competition’ and lots of other special events, it can be hard to keep track of everything.
That why, like any good festival, the app has a full map and guide featuring all the key info.
Beyond just the event itself, the app itself is aimed at supporting local independents and more by helping to increase their exposure, sign-post daytrippers to the old Cheshire holdout’s best bits, and push more and more people to one of the borough’s blossoming suburb in general.
Teaming up with a number of popular locations in and around the town centre, it’s a real come one, come all affair – just as things should be.
Residents and visitors alike can also found physical printed copies of the full Taste of Alty ’26 programme nearby at the likes of Altrincham Library, the Bee Network Interchange, as well as OYEZ Arts at the Town Hall.
Created with digital town hub partners, Loqiva, co-founder Marcus Chidgey said in a statement: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Altrincham BID to support Altrincham’s continued growth.
“With a strong independent business scene, an award-winning Market and excellent transport connections to Manchester, the Visit Altrincham app offers a new way for people to discover and explore the town.”
As for the local BID department, Alty’s director Mandy White added: “If you haven’t downloaded the Visit Altrincham app yet, now is the perfect time. It’s a simple way to find out what’s on, discover local businesses and unlock exclusive offers, especially during A Taste of Altrincham.
“The app helps people get more from their visit while supporting our independent businesses and high street brands.”
The Visit Altrincham app is FREE to download right now – you can find it HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Altrincham BID)
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The local family and fellow Mancunians campaigning to create ‘Kimberley’s Law’ in the UK
Danny Jones
The name Kimberley Louise McAssey might not be familiar to you, but one Manchester family’s hope is that a law proposed in her honour could see her memory kept alive in the minds of many across Great Britain and beyond.
For anyone who doesn’t know the tragic story, Kimberley McAssey, a young mother of just 29 from Prestwich, sadly died after lying unresponsive for more than 30 hours.
It was during this time that decomposition resulted in coroners being unable to deliver a proper post-mortem, meaning not only did the irresponsible delay in contacting authorities prevent potential life-saving measures from being carried out, but also her cause of death from ever being fully determined.
Now, a whole five years on from her passing, the McAsseys, loved ones, locals, and those who have continued to push for crucial updates to legislation as part of the ‘Kimberley’s Law’ campaign across the UK, are finally starting to receive some promising responses from key figures.
As well as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and his office replying in a lengthy letter to the family, Labour MP for Salford, Rebecca Long Bailey, has also promised to examine proposals put forward to Parliament moving forward.
Colleague Christian Wakeford (Bury South) has also shown his support for the cause in the past.
The most significant part of their calls for change comes down to the fact that, surprisingly, it is not currently against the law to postpone and/or avoid calling for an ambulance entirely – something that they and so many others agree seems shocking, to put it mildly.
As a result, Sheridan wasn’t directly charged regarding her death, though he has since been prosecuted and was sentenced to prison on Class A drug possession charges.
Sheridan also declined to attend Kimberley’s inquest at Rochdale Coroners’ Court back in 2024, despite being summoned to give evidence and being the sole witness to the incident.
Credit: Kimberely’s Law Facebook page.Politicians are finally taking notice, but now they need fellow Mancs to get behind them.
It will never be known whether or not the Prestwich resident could have been rescued, nor will we ever be able to truly and definitively confirm how she died, but those committed to remembering are hoping to make sure that situations like this can be avoided in the future.
With family friend Bonnie Greaves and countless other natives to the area having already helped get behind the cause, a petition to the UK government has now surpassed 10,000 signatures.
However, as always, it requires ten times that amount to guarantee it is brought up in the House of Commons, so nearly half a decade on from her passing, people are once again calling for Kimberely Law’s to be brought forward not just as a bill, but as a matter of morality.
You can find out more and sign the official Kimberley’s Law petition for yourself right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
17th May 2023 
