Stockport

Stockport Food and Drink Festival set for September

The 3-day event will take place across Stockport town centre from September 3-5.

The Manc The Manc - 12th August 2021

30 food and drink stalls will be popping up across Stockport during the first weekend of September as the town hosts a sprawling Food & Drink Festival featuring cuisine from around the world.

Running over three days from Friday to Sunday (3-5 September), the event will feature dozens of vendors and a variety of entertainment.

Two outdoor kitchens are being set up on stage in Mersey Square and Market Place for the occasion – with chefs Aldo Zilli and Jean Christophe Novelli performing cooking demos, with a food and science demonstration led by the BBC’s Stefan Gates.

Entertainer Mr Bloom will be performing at Stockport Plaza, with pop-up entertainment at the Peel Centre and activities including a beach and a Fruit Trail in Merseyway.

Alongside the eateries, bars, market traders and independent business in Market Place, a variety of independent businesses specialising in local food, drinks, arts and crafts will also be starring at the festival.

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Robinsons Shire Horses will also be making an appearance at The Baker’s Vaults and the Red Bull.

Councillor David Meller, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “I’m delighted that we can welcome the Food and Drink Festival back to the town centre to showcase our flourishing food and drink offer, which clearly shows real confidence in Stockport and our ambitious plans for the future.

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“Events like this are key in attracting more visitors to Stockport and give a real boost to the local economy. So whether you’re a seasoned foodie or want to bring the family along for a free day out, there’s loads going on to tickle your taste buds.

“Our local businesses have really struggled due to the impact of COVID, so what better way to show your support!”

Visit the Totally Stockport website to find out more and read the festival schedule.  

Featured image: Stockport Food & Drink Festival

Stockport

A new little IKEA has just opened inside a Greater Manchester shopping centre

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A brand new little IKEA has just opened its doors inside a popular Greater Manchester shopping centre this week.

Of course, the Swedish furniture giant has a home in our region already, with a popular site in Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside, as well as another in neighbouring Warrington just over the border into Cheshire – but this new Greater Manchester hub is on a much smaller scale than the IKEA superstores we’re used to.

This is what the retailer is calling a ‘Plan & Order Point’.

Having opened doors in the Merseyway Shopping Centre in Stockport, the new IKEA Plan & Order Point is a smaller store dedicated to kitchen and bedroom planning, where customers can pop in for home furnishing advice and expertise to help design their ideal space at an affordable price.

IKEA says the new Stockport hub is all part of its “ongoing transformation to become more accessible and sustainable” for shoppers in the North West.

A new little IKEA has just opened inside a Greater Manchester shopping centre / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)

Inside the 71 sqm / 764 sqft store, you’ll find a selection of different kitchens to browse, from a complete room with a combination of different units and appliances, including oven and hob, all for under £1,200, to a kitchen with fronts featuring a foil made of recycled bottles.

On top of this, all kitchen fronts, worktops, and a variety of appliances from the wider range will also be showcased inside the store.

When it comes to bedroom planning and design, there’s also a space dedicated to the PAX wardrobe system inside the store – with doors, interior organisers, and knobs and handles to help customers build their dream storage solution.

You can book an appointment, free of charge, inside the new Stockport store to start your design journey with one of IKEA’s planning specialists, or use the in-store self-service tools to design your own solution.

Staff will also be on hand to help customers order products from the full IKEA range – which can be delivered direct to your door, or to the nearest collection point.

It’s the Swedish furniture giant’s newest ‘Plan & Order Point’ / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)

“Our investment in the North West is part of our long-term plan to transform our retail business, continuing to make it easier for people to enjoy what IKEA offers using a variety of convenient ways,” explained Michael Parker, Area Manager at IKEA UK.

“The North West is a key region for us, being home to over seven million people, and also being the place that IKEA first opened a UK store, 35 years ago in Warrington.

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“This new Plan and Order Point will allow customers to get inspiration and expert advice in convenient locations closer to where they live.

“Together with our existing stores in Ashton-under-Lyne and Warrington, remote planning and different delivery and collection services, we’re enabling an IKEA that’s there for our customers, however they want to meet us.”

Featured Image – Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)

Stockport

Yara, the family-run Syrian and Lebanese restaurant serving Manchester for fifteen years

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Take a trip down to the Stockport village of Cheadle and you’ll find a surprising glut of great Middle Eastern eateries nestled on the Cheshire border.

Amongst them sits Yara, a family-run Syrian and Lebanese restaurant that’s been serving Manchester for fifteen years.

First opened in Altrincham in 2008, today it has five sites across Greater Manchester – all serving up traditional Middle Eastern favourites like succulent kebabs, crispy donut-shaped falafels, and fluffy pittas with flavourful homemade dips.

A table full of gorgeous Lebanese and Syrian food at Yara. / Image: The Manc Eats
Mixed kebab on the grill at Yara. / Image: The Manc Eats

With further restaurants in Whitefield, Chorlton, Cheadle and Alderley Edge, it’s clear that people just can’t get enough – so we made the trip down to see what all the fuss is about.

Suffice it to say, after tasting their sharp and citrussy babaganoush, stuffed vine leaves, and tabbouleh – a super fresh herb and bulgur salad dominated by parsley – we fell head over heels just like the rest.

Read more: Beloved Jamaican street food shop Eat n’ Sweet under threat as building sold

Yara is a haven for those on the hunt for some finger-licking Middle Eastern goodness, with vegetarian starters like charcoal-grilled halloumi and creamy pots of homemade hummus pooled with rich olive oil sitting alongside crunchy pastry treats.

These include chicken or cheese and spinach bourak (often referred to as Assyrian or Middle Eastern egg rolls), lahembajeen – filo pastry topped with minced lamb, pomegranate sauce, pine kernels and onions – and mossahab, a chicken-stuffed puff pastry with added onion and herbs.

Potato kibbeh at Yara. / Image: The Manc Eats
Crispy donut falafel rings at Yara. / Image: The Manc Eats

As for the main attraction: the meaty charcoal grill. This, more than anything else, is what we really came down for. At Yara, tender cuts of lamb and chicken come rich with Mediterranean spices and herbs, whilst lamb kebabs come in the shish, shawarma and kafta varieties.

Read more: Karen’s Diner hit with zero food hygiene rating following inspection

Ultimately, we opt for the mixed kebab – a combination of succulent chicken and lamb, plus lamb kofta – alongside Yara’s special rice and extra pitta.

Honestly, it’s not hard to see why these restaurants have been a fixture in Manchester for so long.

To see the full menu click here and to find out more about Yara restaurants head over to their Instagram page here.

Oh, and to save on your next Deliveroo order from Yara make sure to use our code 5OFFATYARA when you check out.

Feature image – The Manc Eats

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