Manchester’s hugely popular food hall and waterside taproom Society is showing every Wimbledon match possible this year.
Already a favourite city centre hang-out spot, especially in the summer, we can’t think of many better places to watch all the action beyond being literally sat courtside.
Wimbledon 2023 kicked off on Monday, 3 July with the opening round of the men’s and women’s singles tournaments and a whole host of other games are now underway.
So, if you’re a massive tennis fan or even just a casual who likes to watch the big games whenever strawberries and cream time comes around, Society has you sorted.
With free entry and tables available for big group bookings online, there isn’t much you need to do beyond rocking up, sitting back and watching the action.
Now home to six different independent and local traders, not to mention being an official taproom for Vocation Brewery, you won’t have to move an inch to get some of the best food and booze in town.
Just like the festival season, we love it when it feels like the full summer of sport gets going and now Wimbledon is here, we’re saying that time is now.
Featured Image — Society/Wimbledon (via Instagram)
Sport
Manchester sandwich specialists Bada Bing strike up new sponsorship deal with local football team
Danny Jones
Beloved city centre sandwich shop Bada Bing has struck up a somewhat unexpected but exciting new partnership with local football team, FC United of Manchester, who are now sponsored by the sub specialists.
We can’t think of any better matchday scran than a massive butty, to be fair.
Confirming that they will be sponsoring FC United for the 2025/26 season, Bada Bing is taking its first foray into football, with their branding already up on the advertising boards around the ground.
While they’re yet to confirm any more specific details apart from that they’re joining forces with the Moston-based outfit, supporters are already licking their lips at the mere thought of their famous hoagies coming to Broadhurst Park stadium.
Having plenty of fun with the announcement online with a classic Sopranos reference (why break the habit of a lifetime?), Sam and Josh – both big footy fans, themselves – stood proudly beside the hoardings this week.
Although we still know very little about what FC United fans can expect from the latest Manc brand marriage, we’d bet on the odd game-defining hero appearing both on the pitch and in the hands of ‘Red Rebels’ stood watching and, hopefully, eating just beside it.
Of course, this is by no means the only noteworthy crossover Bada Bing has enjoyed since reopening last year; their viral merch is famously made by Stretford-based fashion label, UN:IK Clothing.
In fact, it isn’t even their sole step in sports, either. Regularly teaming up with outdoor content creator and trail runner, Sam Matthew – a.k.a. Peaks and Pubs – they’ve already held charity relays, pop-up events with New Balance, and we’re sure there is more to come with the Northern Premier League side.
They are, after all, the king of collabs and tapping into local, contemporary culture in the area just at the right moment.
Commenting underneath the social media post, FC United simply replied: “Thanks for your support! Great to have you on board!”
Once again, please just give a hint—ANY kind of sign that Bada Bing menu items are coming to Lightbowne Road, because if so, Greater Manchester’s ‘Footy Scran‘ game is about to level up big time.
As for FC games, they’re still some of the most affordable in the region, and you don’t need to be a disillusioned Man United fan to get invested in the now 20-year-old phoenix club.
Go support a local grassroots team if you can, and fingers crossed, you can grab a Bing while you’re at it.
Featured Images — Bada Bing (via Instagram)/The Manc Group
Sport
Local LGBTQIA+ football team Manchester Laces are set to play in the FA Cup for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Inclusive football team Manchester Laces are set to break even more new ground as they prepare to compete in the Adobe FA Women’s Cup for the first time ever.
What a truly incredible few years it’s been for the club.
Set to play their maiden match in the female division of the sport’s oldest competition this weekend, Manchester Laces’ Yellows squad will be taking on rival Greater Manchester Women’s Football League (GMWFL) side, Northwich Victoria, in another historic milestone for the local outfit.
Announced last month, the game is now fast approaching, and they’re hoping that plenty of Manc natives will turn up in support.
For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Manchester Laces has grown to become the leading women’s, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ positive sporting bodies in the region.
In fact, as part of a wider family (which includes clubs in Hackney, South London and Limehouse Laces, not to mention players over in Canada too), they’re comfortably one of the biggest in the entire country.
Sticking with MCR Laces alone, founded by Helen Hardy, they have grown so much in reputation and size that they have six different teams besides just the Yellows: the other Manchester squads include the Blues, Greens, Oranges, Purples, as well as the budding new Reds and Blacks.
It’s this kind of impressive expansion and, crucially, representation that has seen them win two Football v Homophobia Awards and Grassroots Initiative of the Year back in 2023.
Side-note: they also happen to have one of our favourite fooy kits of the entire year so far…
Boasting a new regular stadium at Timpson Road and set to take part not only in the North West Women’s Regional Football League (NWWFL)/GMWFL, but now FA Cup and county cup games, 2025 could be their most momentous year yet.
Providing access to countless women and people from within the queer and non-binary community who love the beautiful game and may have otherwise struggled to find an outlet, their work has been crucial in and around Greater Manchester.
With that in mind, taking part in an inaugural run within the prestigious knockout tournament feels like yet another watershed moment for the organisation.
Posting ahead of the fixture, the club wrote on social media: “In 2021, we started our journey in Div 2 of the GMWFL with the aim of creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. After winning consecutive league titles and earning back-to-back promotions, we are now a Tier 6 team.
Speaking to The Manc, they went on to add: ” A group of mates came together at a park in Wythenshawe for a kick about, feeling a little out of place at other clubs; ‘we should make our own team‘ was thrown out as a somewhat joke.
“A month later, a friendly was played where nine people turned up to start the game, somebody’s girlfriend who’d never kicked a ball played left wing, and a hungover mate turned up after half time to get us to 11 (somehow we won the game).
“Four years later – after becoming one of the largest LGBTQ+ clubs in the country, housing 8 teams – our Yellow side, after back-to-back promotions, will be competing in the FA cup for the very first time.
“We’re so proud as a club to be competing in such a historic competition, as a club that set up to focus on being inclusive and a safe space for people to play football, to achieve what we have is beyond what we could have ever imagined.”
Tickets for Manchester Laces’ debut FA Cup game are just £2 and can be purchased on entry
They signed off by quipping that their story is one that serves as “proof that you can, in fact, fall upwards”, but in all seriousness, what they’ve achieved in such a short time is nothing short of remarkable.
Playing at Ericstan Park, now both the home of Wythenshawe Town FC and the Yellows’ own new home ground too, they kick off at 2pm on Sunday, 7 September. It goes without saying that we wish them the best of luck.
Danny Jones -
3rd July 2023 
