One of the Northern Quarter’s best restaurants has left fans startled after an email sent on Thursday night suggested it could be its doors for good.
District, Ben Humphrey’s new-wave Thai BBQ restaurant and bar, wrote in a newsletter to subscribers that 1 October would ‘mark the end’.
The email, sent on the evening of 22 September 2022, included this message in all-caps:
“RECENT EVENTS HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL AND WE ARE FACING EXTREME ECONOMICAL PAIN.
“A FINAL COMING TOGETHER OF THE OFF-WORLD VIGILANTES TO OVERTHROW THE TYRANNICAL RULE IS THE ONLY ROUTE TO SURVIVAL.
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01/10/22 MARKS THE END”
The news left fans of the Michelin-recommended restaurant in a panic, with its booking system only taking reservations up to 1 October.
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Then on Friday afternoon, District uploaded a story to its Instagram page suggesting that it was not the end after all – and that something new would be coming in its place in November.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
A computerised voice read out the following message, which also appeared on the screen:
“Greetings citizens of the world, recent events have taken their toll and we are facing extreme economic pain.
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“We are now tasked with overthrowing the District regime. It is time for change.
“October 1 marks the end.
“November [inaudible] marks the beginning.”
Since it opened in 2020, District has staked its reputation on its inflexible tasting menu experiences that don’t allow for substitutes.
Deposits have always been required up front, and adaptions have famously never been made for a customer’s dislikes, or even religious needs
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In August last year, in a bid to draw in more diners, it announced it was flipping the script – giving customers the option to come in for a few plates and drinks of their choice, tapas style.
Now it appears that owners are having a rethink once again, with more information on what to come currently being kept under wraps .
Manchester’s hospitality scene has seen a record number of closure announcements this year as businesses struggle with rising energy bills, food costs, and record-high inflation.
A staggering number of businesses have closed down in recent months. This summer alone, popular restaurants Lattsam, The Globe in Chorlton, Frost Burgers, JJ’s Vish and Chips and Home Sweet Home have all closed up shop for good.
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Northern Quarter steak restaurant Herd NQ has also announced it is closing up shop for good this week.
The closures follow a government-announced blanket support package, unveiled this week to help businesses with their energy costs.
The package essentially introduces a six-month emergency price cap, meaning that electricity prices for business customers will still be about double what they were in October 2021, when the price per megawatt hour was £117, but more than half the forecast winter prices of about £540.
Whilst the fact that something has at last been done has been quietly welcomed by the hospitality sector, there are already concerns that the measures do not go far enough, particularly as the changes only apply to new contracts from 1 October, and to fixed contracts taken out since 1 April.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
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‘Ambitious’ new plans to tackle fly-tipping and litter across Manchester revealed
Emily Sergeant
An ambitious new plan to tackle flytipping and litter across Manchester has been revealed.
Developed with extensive input from residents, partners, businesses, and schools all across the borough, Manchester City Council has this week unveiled and formally approved the Fly-Tipping and Litter Strategy as a long‑term plan to significantly reduce the improper disposal of waste and its drain on public money, all while improving neighbourhood cleanliness across the city.
The strategy sets out a framework over nine years, backed by targeted enforcement, service improvements, and behaviour‑change campaigns to drive significant impact for thousands of Mancs.
As it stands, the Council removes litter as part of its scheduled services – with 6,563 reports responded to and 11,952 fines issued in 2024-25 – but is having to take things up a notch due to a consistent rise in littering incidents, as well as the ever-present issue of fly-tipping.
‘Ambitious’ new plans to tackle fly-tipping and litter across Manchester have been revealed / Credit: oatsy40 (via Flickr)
Nationally, England saw 1.15 million incidents of flytipping in 2023/24, with household waste accounting for more than 60% of cases, while here in Manchester, the city recorded a whopping 14,963 fly‑tipping incidents in 2024/25.
According to the Council, fly-tipping in Manchester usually occurs on roads and pavements (59%), and alleyways (22%).
The Council’s new Fly-tipping and Litter Strategy will be formally launched next month to coincide with the beginning of the Great British Spring Clean, and is hoped to signal a commitment to creating ‘cleaner, safer, and greener’ neighbourhoods for everyone.
The Great British Spring Clean is coming.
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“The Fly-Tipping and Litter Strategy is a significant step towards improving the long-term health of Manchester’s communities,” explained Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, who is the Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, as the plans were unveiled this week.
“We recognised how important it is to hear from residents, people who live and work in the city, themselves and so we have developed this strategy in close consultation through their lived experiences and advice.
“While we already have key initiatives we work under, in addition to several other strategies and projects, this new strategy sets to galvanise and advance the work our services and communities are doing to ensure Manchester becomes cleaner and greener for everyone.”
Featured Image – MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
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Mancs start crowdfunder for Mani mural in honour of late, great, local music legend
Danny Jones
A group of Manchester artists, audiophiles and residents have started a fundraiser to create a new mural in memory of the late, great local music legend, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.
Following The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player’s passing last year, the city and Greater Manchester as a whole have been finding ways to honour the Manc musician ever since.
Be it lining his funeral cortege from his home in Heaton Moor, Stockport, or peers like The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess penning heartfelt tributes, anyone and everyone has found their own way of paying their respects in the months since.
Taking the sustained sentiment even further, local art collective GRIT Studios is now planning to erect a massive mural in his memory.
We’re doing a massive mural for Manchester’s most loved son – Mani. All profits to @maggiesmanc a charity that was close to his heart.
Writing on the fundraising page’s description, GRIT say: “Inspired by Ian Brown’s eulogy to Mani at Manchester Cathedral, a major community crowdfunder is being launched to create a large-scale mural honouring the beloved bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream and to raise funds for Maggie’s Manchester.
“The mural, which will be created in Failsworth, where young Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield grew up, has been initiated by the team at GRIT Studios following an overwhelming outpouring of love from fans across Greater Manchester and beyond.
“Mani’s brother, Greg Mounfield, is supporting this campaign and has facilitated a prominent, large wall space for the mural and chosen the design.
They go on to to explan that the piece “will be painted by the renowned artist Pic.One.Art, whose recent portrait of Noel and Liam Gallagher outside the iconic Sifters Records in Burnage became an instant landmark and received widespread attention.”
Speaking of Brown’s now viral speech, it still remains one of the most touching bits of public observance and shared mourning this city has ever seen – with a healthy little dose of Northern levity, of course.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
“Since Mani passed away in November, countless fans have expressed a desire to see a tribute in the place that shaped him in North Manchester”, they continue.
“GRIT Studios, the not-for-profit art studios organisation, has stepped forward to organise a community-led, crowdfunded project that celebrates Mani’s life, music and spirit.
“It will not only fund the creation of the mural, but all profits will go to Maggie’s Manchester, which was close to Mani and his wife Imelda’s hearts during her cancer treatment and for whom they fundraised.
With a target of £10,000 set and more than £6k already raised in just a matter of days, it looks to be a matter of when, not if, we’ll see Mani immortalised in paint, on brick and with typical Manc grit over in the borough of Oldham.
For anyone who wishes to contribute to the fast-growing Mani mural crowdfunder, you can do so HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd September 2022 
