Wholesome Junkies, a vegan restaurant in Manchester famed for its plant-based takes on classic junk food, has announced its sad closure.
The restaurant, which is tucked under the arches near Manchester Victoria, had just weeks ago pleaded for ‘understanding and support‘ after taking the tricky decision to overhaul their menu prices.
But a few extra quid on the menu hasn’t been enough to lift Wholesome Junkies out of the economic difficulties many businesses have faced in the last couple of years.
Owner Chelsea Campbell said in a statement this evening that she was ‘heartbroken’ to be announcing the closure, just weeks after sharing her previous, very honest update.
And despite her restaurant reaching such a sad end, she has continued to rally for a ‘change in our economy and in our industry’ for those independent businesses desperately scrambling to make ends meet.
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She said that over the last seven years running the business alone she’s faced ‘challenges and triumphs’ and thanked both her staff and customers for being there through it all.
“We’ve built more than just a business; we’ve built a family,” she added.
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Chelsea also stressed that Wholesome Junkies has been packed every weekend, pointing out that a busy restaurant isn’t enough to cope with the rising costs across the hospitality industry.
Wholesome Junkies will continue to trade at festivals and events despite bowing out of their colourful restaurant on Mirabel Street.
Full statement from Chelsea at Wholesome Junkies
Images shared by Wholesome Junkies as it announced its closure
This is one of the hardest messages I’ve ever had to write. I’m completely heartbroken
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We’ve made the incredibly tough decision to close our restaurant with immediate effect.
Despite being packed every weekend, our costs have skyrocketed, and we can’t keep up with the debt. The figures just don’t add up, it’s no joke and it’s devastating the hospitality industry.
I’m holding onto hope for a change in the economy and in our industry, especially for small, independent businesses like ours.
About 1.5 years ago, I hit complete burnout and it took me a long time to recover I’ve learned I need to be kind to myself and those around me.
Thankfully, my passion for cheffing and Wholesome Junkies still burns bright once again.
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Running Wholesome Junkies as a solo woman has been a journey filled with challenges and triumphs for the last 7 years.
It’s my passion, my dream, and it’s been made possible by the most amazing team by my side who have put up with my quirky adhd ways. Their dedication, compassion, laughs, and support have made these two years on Mirabel St and all the adventures prior unforgettable.
We’ve built more than just a business; we’ve built a family.
We’re going back to our roots with events, weddings, popups, and festivals.
This summer is packed and I’m lucky to have most of our incredible staff joining me on this new adventure.
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We’re on the lookout for a new kitchen residency or popup spot. If you want some award winning burgers at your place, slide into our DM’s!
Keep an eye on our socials for updates on where we’ll be popping up next so you can still get your Wholesome Junkies fix. And if you want to stay in the loop, join our email subscription which you can sign up to on our website www.wholesomejunkies.co.uk
To our wonderful customers who’ve all become our friends along the years, thank you. Your support has kept us alive, and I’m forever grateful.
Please be kind and patient, this is still very raw and I’m still trying to process everything.
Much love and gratitude, Chelsea and the WJ Fam
News
NHS rolls out new ‘life-extending’ ovarian cancer drug for first time in 20 years
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has approved a new ovarian cancer treatment for the first time in two decades.
From today, hundreds of women with ‘hard-to-treat’ ovarian cancer could benefit from a new life-extending drug on the NHS called mirvetuximab soravtansine, and it will be offered to patients living with whose disease has unfortunately stopped responding to standard chemotherapy treatments, providing them with new hope of extra time to live.
The rollout of the drug on the NHS follows a major global clinical trial involving eight NHS hospitals, which showed that the treatment delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival – with patients living 16.5 months on average compared to 12.8 months with chemotherapy.
One patient said the treatment enabled her to get on with life ‘rather than spending it in bed recovering from the side effects of chemotherapy’.
So, how does it work then?
The NHS has rolled out a new ‘life-extending’ ovarian cancer drug for the first time in 20 years / Credit: rawpixel
Well, the drug combines a ‘homing’ antibody with a cancer-killing medicine – often described by scientists as a ‘biological missile’ or ‘trojan horse’ therapy – and it works by attaching to ovarian cancer cells that have a protein called folate receptor alpha (FRα) on their surface, before releasing a cancer-killing molecule which destroys the cell from within.
The treatment is given intravenously, via a drip, over two to four hours, once every three weeks.
The drug may also have ‘more tolerable’ side effects than traditional chemotherapy, with the treatment aimed more precisely at cancer cells than chemotherapy.
The NHS estimates up to 400 patients in England each year could benefit.
“This represents the most significant breakthrough in NHS treatment for these hard-to-treat ovarian cancers in over two decades, commented Professor Ruth Plummer, who is the NHS’s national clinical lead for cancer drugs.
“We’re delighted it will now offer hundreds of women much-needed hope of precious extra time with their loved ones.
“It is part of a growing wave of more targeted cancer therapies which, by homing in on specific features of cancer cells, are helping us improve patients’ lives.”
Featured Image – Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
News
Count Binface says he’ll put a £2 price cap on Wigan kebabs if he wins the Makerfield by-election
Emily Sergeant
Count Binface is officially running in the Makerfield by-election and has now shared his hilarious manifesto with the public.
Price-capped Wigan kebabs and 99p ice creams, cyclists being forced to ride unicycles if they break the Highway Code, and the renaming of HS2 to ‘FFS1’ are just some of the declarations being made by Makerfield by-election candidate, Count Binface.
In case you’re not up-to-speed on the Makerfield by-election coming up on 18 June – which was called after Labour’s Josh Simons announced he was standing down – there are now a total of 14 hopefuls set to contest the parliamentary seat.
Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, is by far the most well-known candidate in the running, alongside other names like Conservative’s Michael Winstanley, Liberal Democrats’ Jake Austin, the Green Party’s Sarah Wakefield, and Reform UK’s Michael Kenyon.
But Burnham is not the only big name… there’s also Count Binface too, of course.
Count Binface – previously known as Lord Buckethead – is the alias of comedian and perennial candidate, Jonathan David Harvey.
He announced his intentions to run for the Makerfield seat last month, before officially publishing his manifesto today (3 June), which includes 20 pledges – some serious, others less so… we presume.
On a more local level to the Makerfield area, if Count Binface wins the by-election, he has pledged to re-phase the traffic lights on Liverpool Road to ease congestion, increase the free parking limit at the Gerard Centre to three hours, and to make Galloways’ Full Monty Bin Lid breakfast the country’s new national dish.
And then on a more comical level – yes, even more comical than a new national dish – this is where you’ll find pledges like making sure there’s WiFi on trains that works and also ‘trains that work’ too, as well as the bringing back of Ceefax teletext for all Greater Manchester residents, and the increasing of points for tries in Rugby League from four to five ‘in line with inflation’.
Oh yeah, and there’s the promise that Count Binface will be the UK’s entrant to Eurovision in 2027, let’s not forget that.
Anyway, like we said, the Makerfield by-election is coming up on 18 June, and you can find out more information about all the candidates on the Wigan Council website here.
Daisy Jackson -
10th July 2024 
