An old-fashioned British street party might make you think of a bygone era, the Queen’s Coronation, or maybe even a day during that whole year we’d rather forget, but this largely lost English tradition is still being kept alive in pockets across the country — Stockport being one of them.
Dovedale Road in Offerton, to be specific, but this now legendary local event is becoming bigger and better every year and its journey has been quite remarkable.
Set up way back in 2000, long-standing resident and local neighbourhood watch volunteer, Barbara Marriott, decided to get those living around the Dovedale loop in the Stockport suburb together for the millennium celebrations, using the street’s large green as what would come to be home for the festivities.
Born in the 40s and having celebrated the Coronation herself as a child back in 1953 and grew up on these kinds of street parties, as well as school and community fêtes, she wanted to draw on those influences and introduce them to a new generation. And that’s just what she did.
Credit: The Manc Group
Old school community spirit
Just like that, the first-ever Dovedale Green Party was born and it has been running pretty much every year since, going from a modest little gathering amongst locals on the road into becoming an annual event spearheaded by the Dovedale Community Group.
With Dovedale consisting of a large looped road bisected by another and centred around the large patch of grass mentioned above, dozens of families come to plant their festive flags on the green, erecting gazebos and big marquees, setting up their barbeques and lining the street with tables and chairs.
This isn’t just a slapdash thing either; Dovedale Community Group gets permission to shut down the road at least once a year, blocking the entrance to the green with their cars and wheelie bins as well as a big banner specially commissioned by the organisers which reads, ‘For Offerton Revival’.
And it isn’t just the main street party in the summer either: the locals have held special events down the years, be it Christmas, jubilees, the King’s Coronation this past May, ‘Freedom Day’ and many more.
They’re never put off by the typically unpredictable Manc weather.
Fun and festivities, come rain or shine
From the familiar bunting and union jack flags that you’d normally associate with the Great British street party tradition, to bouncy castles, petting zoos, face painting and even inviting along the local fire station for the kids, the Dovedale Green Party is a real family event.
Whether it’s tombolas, limbo competitions and the classic egg-and-spoon race, or even just dancing with their neighbours to the tunes of local DJ, pub quiz host and Dovedale resident, Dave Legg, who’s been MCing the event for years now, there is something for everyone to get involved in.
Better still, they had a record amount of local businesses donating things to raffle off for 2023: everything from big hampers and vouchers to food, booze, as well as footy shirts and tickets for Man City and Stockport County, just to name a few. They even had Papa John’s serving up fresh pizza.
Moreover, with the help of Forever Manchester, Greater Manchester’s Community Foundation, not only were the organisers able to pump money into this year’s event but the money raised on the day will also be going right back into the fund for next year.
Taking an idea and running with it
Now in its 23rd year, the Green Party and the Dovedale Community Group who help bring it to life every summer haven’t just taken on the responsibility, they’ve built on the idea that Barbara started all those years ago and have grown it into something wonderful.
Speaking at this year’s event, volunteer Michaela said: “From the year 2000, our community champion Barbara started us on our journey and has kept the spirit of the community alive. This year she passed the baton onto our 2023 Community Champion Anna Nuttall and her volunteers to continue the success.
“We were awarded some funding thanks to Forever Manchester and were able to have many more activities for the children this year and even managed to get the fabulous Blank Cheque [a local favourite at Stockport’s Foodie Friday] to come and perform for us.
“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of so many local businesses who donated prizes, funding and their services to help make this year’s Green Party a success. It was a fantastic day enjoyed by all and long may it continue!”
In this day and age, it can be rare to find regular events in the community like this where people truly embrace that sense of neighbourly spirit on this kind of scale and do it for no other reason than they want to have a good time with good people for a good cause.
Post-pandemic, especially, this little road in Offerton has really come together and doubled down not only on the Great British street party as a concept but on the value of that ‘love thy neighbour’ ethos and what it can come to mean for so many.
These events are about giving back and getting out what you put in — a lesson we can all stand to remind ourselves from time to time.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see more events like this taking place throughout Greater Manchester’s various boroughs? Is there anything like this in your local area? Let us know in the comments.
Dovedale Community Group: ‘Thank you to all the local businesses who contributed and here’s to next year!’
The Michelin Guide adds THREE new Greater Manchester restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Three brilliant Greater Manchester restaurants have been added to the prestigious Michelin Guide this week.
All three new additions to the guide have been open for less than a year, and join an impressive roster of 15 other local restaurants.
Manchester also now boasts two Michelin stars after going decades with none, thanks to the opening of Skof last year.
While stars remain the most prestigious accolade in the hospitality industry, Michelin also dishes out Bib Gourmands, and Michelin Guide entries to recognise excellent restaurants at lower price points.
Greater Manchester now has 15 entries to its name, with a new trio added yesterday.
Up first is Winsome, a restaurant from former Chef of the Year award-winner Shaun Moffat.
Winsome has also made it into the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc GroupInside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc GroupWinsome has also made it into the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
The modern British bistro, which stands on a corner of the Whitworth Locke hotel building, features playful and classic dishes like asparagus with dippy eggs, gigantic pies with gravy served in cow-shaped jugs, and soft bread rolls with lashings of butter.
The Michelin Guide said: “Manchester’s industrial history feels like it’s had an overt influence on this buzzing brasserie with a large kitchen counter and a stripped-back look.
“The cooking has an admirably gutsy, straightforward quality to it, with hints of nostalgia. Think cold cuts, whole fish, hearty homemade pies and a mixed grill. It’s all executed with skill and the ingredients are of obvious quality, resulting in no shortage of flavour.
“The young and enthusiastic service team are a perfect fit for such a fun place.”
Winsome said: “Today is a good day! We’re absolutely chuffed to tell you that we’ve made it into the Michelin Guide!”
Across town, the next Manchester entry into the Michelin Guide is Pip, a new spot from acclaimed local chef Mary-Ellen McTague.
Pip by Mary-Ellen McTague has been added to the Michelin Guide
Pip, at the foot of the Treehouse Hotel, opened earlier this year and has already received glowing national reviews thanks to its seasonal, proudly local dishes.
There are pies, oysters, British charcuterie, sardines on toast, cheese and onion tarts, chops, hot pots, and plenty more, with suppliers including Littlewoods Butchers, Organic North, Courtyard Dairy and Kindling Farm.
Speaking on the recognition, Mary-Ellen McTague, chef partner at Pip, said: “We’re over the moon to be included in the Michelin Guide so soon after opening!
“It’s an incredible honour, made possible by the dedication of our amazing team and the support of our wonderful suppliers. Working with them to showcase the very best of the North West is a daily joy.”
And completing this month’s entries to the Michelin Guide is Cantaloupe, an achingly stylish new local restaurant for Stockport.
Inside, it’s all white brick walls, wooden furniture, and bold art, with a frequently-changing menu built around the best produce they can get their hands on.
The Michelin Guide wrote of Cantaloupe: “There’s a fresh, clean feel to both the décor and the cooking at this welcoming little wine bar and restaurant. The concise but appealing wine list will appeal to traditional oenophiles, with quality established growers to the fore.
“The menu has a Mediterranean leaning, so whilst it changes daily, it will likely include a pasta dish and possibly some whole fish. This is cooking that relies on simplicity and skill, with immense care poured into dishes like peri peri octopus and duck fat crisps, so that the natural flavours shine.”
First look at new Netflix series House of Guinness filmed in and around Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A highly-anticipated new drama series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is set to hit Netflix this autumn.
And a series of exciting first look images have now been released.
Knight has traded in the foggy streets of Birmingham for the back alleys and stately mansions of Dublin – as well as its world-renowned brewery, of course – as House of Guinness is set to whisk audiences back to the 1860s, where the powerful and debaucherous titular Guinness family is ‘on the precipice of greatness’.
Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the eight-part series explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties, and begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness.
From the creator of Peaky Blinders, HOUSE OF GUINNESS premieres September 25. Starring Anthony Boyle, Louis Partridge, Emily Fairn, Fionn O’Shea, and James Norton.
The head of the Guinness brewery is dead. Now his children must navigate power, rebellion and scandal…or risk… pic.twitter.com/QzpLNzA842
The story follows the far-reaching impact of Sir Guinness’s will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the phenomenon that is Guinness.
The four Guinness siblings are played by actors Anthony Boyle (Arthur), Louis Partridge (Edward), Emily Fairn (Anne), and Fionn O’Shea (Ben).
Audiences get to watch the Guinnesses experience ‘ecstatic highs’ and heartbreaking lows’ as they work to live up to their birthright of black gold.
Other acting names set to appear in the series include James Norton, Niamh McCormack, Seamus O’Hara, David Wilmot, Michael McElhatton, Jack Gleeson, Dervla Kirwan, Hilda Fay, and many more.
First look images of Netflix’s new drama series, House of Guinness, have been released / Credit: Ben Blackall (via Netflix)
Production and filming for House of Guinness commenced from summer 2024 onwards, and some very well-known Greater Manchester places were used as filming locations, such as the Northern Quarter, and Stockport‘s legendary Underbanks.
Mansions in Cheshire and Liverpool were also used as filming locations for the show.
“It’s the extraordinary story of a family who happens to be the inheritors of the biggest brewery in the world,” creator Steven Knight told Netflix.
“They’re young and are given the task of taking on this incredibly successful brand. The first priority is – don’t screw it up. And the second priority is to make Guinness even bigger.”
Danny Jones -
16th July 2023 
