Things To Do

How to spend a perfect afternoon at Hatch – before it’s too late

Its days are numbered.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 16th September 2023

It’s never easy to hear about hospitality closures around our city – but the news that Hatch, the shipping container village that’s home to dozens of brilliant independents, would be closing hit harder than most.

This brilliant spot just off Oxford Road, literally beneath the Mancunian Way, has hosted countless traders since it opened in 2017.

There’s been dog fashion shows, Christmas discos, football screenings, supper clubs, gigs and loads more in the way of events hosted in its courtyard.

Dotted around the courtyards are shipping containers – some tiny spaces you can barely swing a cat in, others two-storey venue with their own roof terraces – which are all home to different businesses.

Among them you’ll find vintage fashion, beauty services, tapas bars, breweries, and even someone who’ll clean your trainers up.

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Every one of those traders has been given just 30 days notice to vacate their unit. By the end of September, they’ll be gone, ready for the site to be redeveloped by north east operator Stack.

Depending on who you speak to, they feel ‘gutted’, ‘sad’ and ‘screwed over’.

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Such was the anger across Manchester that many of our knee-jerk reactions was to boycott the place altogether.

But the resounding message among those who remain desperately trading for another fortnight is this – don’t abandon them now.

The decision taken to close Hatch is not theirs, and as they all scramble to find a new home for their business, it’s more essential than ever that we put our money where our mouth is and give them every financial boost possible to the finish line.

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We popped down to Hatch one (very busy) lunch time to pick out just a few of the incredible businesses you can support.

It’s A Nail Thing

It's A Nail Thing's unit at Hatch, which has announced its closure
It’s A Nail Thing’s unit at Hatch, which has announced its closure. Credit: The Manc Group
Two sets of gel nails created by It's A Nail Thing at Hatch, which has announced its closure
Gel nails created by It’s A Nail Thing. Credit: The Manc Group

Long-time friends of The Manc, It’s A Nail Thing is a bright, welcoming and judgement-free nail bar, where you can get some of the boldest and most beautiful gel nails in Manchester.

On learning the news of the closure, they wrote: “This place that we worked so hard for: I love it. The people who have made it what it is: we love you…

“PLEASE please come and support Hatch traders over the next month. We are small independent businesses being completely screwed over and we need you now more than ever.

“Eat, drink, get your nails done, your hair cut, your trainers fixed, your laptop sorted. The staff haven’t done this – support them, tip them. We will keep you informed on our next steps. We love you.

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Fuku

Fuku at Hatch said that Hatch’s closure is ‘difficult’. Credit: The Manc Group
Fuku is one of the street food traders affected by Hatch’s closure. Credit: The Manc Group

If you love your street food with an Asian twist and a whole lot of personality, you probably already know about Fuku.

Salt and pepper chicken, katsu curry, Korean fried chicken, spring rolls, bao buns – it’s all good.

They wrote: “I’ve finally processed the loss of my first business, and it’s time to start a new adventure. I want to thank everyone who made the last 4 years a journey to cherish (customers, staff, management and the independent traders).

“Staying positive but it’s a difficult time for everyone involved, so please support the traders and staff at hatch. We close on 30th September.”

You’ll still be able to find them at Mala and Freight Island.

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Fuku added: “To clear up confusion, we were sent an email at 8pm Thursday night to attend a meeting at 11am on Friday. We were subsequently told about the closure of Hatch. The site is to close on 30th September. Stack (Danieli Group) are in partnership with Hatch/Bruntwood, and it’s set to reopen in late 2024. We have to vacate our stores and reapply for a unit (given priority). That is all the information I know so far.”

House of Habesha

House of Habesha at Hatch. Credit: The Manc Group

This is another street food operator that’s well worth travelling up Oxford Road for – authentic Eritrean and Ethiopian food, like home-cooked stews and curries served atop injera bread.

When we visited for a recent Takeaway Champions episode, we were absolutely blown away by the team and by the flavours they put together.

They said: “It’s just surreal for us… Just when we felt more at home at the amazing @hatchmcr and able to provide the service that we always wanted to give to our loyal customers. The unthinkable happens! We have until the end of September until we close. So we please urge you to support us and the rest of the traders here, and that we are looking for a permanent place here in the city please share this and we thank you.”

Sneaker Pharm

Sneaker Pharm, at the soon-to-close Hatch in Manchester
Sneaker Pharm, at the soon-to-close Hatch in Manchester
Sneaker Pharm, at the soon-to-close Hatch in Manchester
Sneaker Pharm, at the soon-to-close Hatch in Manchester

Your favourite trainers seen better days, and looking a bit worse for wear after a lifetime of walking on Manchester’s wobbly paving slabs? Yeah, same.

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Sneaker Pharm is a business that will bring your favourite kicks back to life, from cleaning to mending.

They wrote about leaving Hatch: “I moved into Hatch four years ago with nothing but a dream, nerves and excitement. I’ve met my best friends and worked alongside some extremely talented hard working business owners, management and floor staff. It’s our first home.

“It’s with a heavy heart I have to announce that as of 30th September @hatchmcr will be no more. We have just been told the news and have less than 30 days to make a move. This will of course disrupt service so my sincerest apologies to everyone in the coming weeks but it’s beyond my control, me and all my friends at hatch are still processing the news. PLEASE SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENTS AT HATCH FOR THE REMAINDER.”

Crumbled

A dessert pot from Crumbled dessert bar at Hatch
A pot of apple crumble from Crumbled before Hatch announced it’s closing. Credit: The Manc Group
A pot of apple crumble with a pink marshmallow swirl and rose petals on top, from Crumbled dessert bar at Hatch
A pot of apple crumble. Credit: The Manc Group

More comforting than putting on a fresh-out-the-tumble-dryer dressing gown and more Instagrammable than Molly-Mae with a new haircut, Crumbled is a dessert bar with a difference.

They specialise in one thing – crumbles – with different fruit fillings and toppings, like pretty pink piped marshmallow that’s torched and sprinkled with edible glitter.

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They hinted that they may now look for a permanent site, taking the closure of Hatch as a sign.

Pukht

Imagine street food and your favourite curry house made a baby, and then they rented a tiny shipping container and started selling food.

That’s what the vibe at Pukht is – cheese naan toasties, butter chicken burgers, tandoori nachos, and biryani burritos are all on the menu here.

They said on Instagram: “We had so so many plans to introduce new dishes this month, welcoming new students to #manchester and @hatchmcr but it’s not meant to be. We won’t let this sudden end to Hatch ruin your enjoyment of the food and vibes we provide with our fellow traders.

“Come and join us over the next [29 days] to enjoy Manchesters best food and drink served with the warmest welcome and the biggest smiles.”

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Suzy Loves Milo

Suzy Loves Milo has been part of the Hatch family for as long as we can remember, with vintage clothes and street wear galore.

There’s entire walls packed with colourful sunglasses, rails of vintage jackets, and loads more to browse.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Things To Do

Olicana Park – The log cabins near Manchester that capture apres-ski magic all year round

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Roaring fires, bubbling hot tubs, stunning views, and even pairs of skis strapped to the walls – but this isn’t the French alps… it’s Yorkshire. 

Olicana Park is a beautiful holiday park right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, just an hour’s drive from Greater Manchester.

Here, scattered around the banks of the River Wharfe, you’ll find a collection of luxury wooden cabins, traditional cottages, and classic static caravans.

But for us, it really is all about those cabins, which capture all the best bits of the apres-ski culture loved by snow-worshippers, all year round.

In winter, you can whack on your own log burger and cosy up on the sofas with a glass of red wine and a good book, while in summer you can throw open the bi-fold doors and sit out with a cocktail on your own gigantic roof terrace.

Each cabin has its own theme that plays in around the tasteful decor, which usually involves incredible wooden beams and stone floors.

The one our friends at The Hoot stayed in had an apres-ski theme, from the subtle (vintage wooden skis and piste markers used as wall art) to the clever (an old chair lift that had been turned into patio furniture).

The luxury apres-ski cabin at Olicana Park
The luxury apres-ski cabin at Olicana Park
A sauna inside the cabin
A sauna inside the cabin
The view from your own terrace
The view from your own terrace

There’s a huge hot tub perched on your own private decking too, where you can soak in the warm water while watching the river burble past at the end of your own driveway.

Upstairs in this particular cabin were two enormous double bedrooms with modern en suite bathrooms, one of which also had an enormous terrace attached with a view down to the river.

And then – wait for it – the cabin also came with its own sauna. Talk about luxury.

If you can’t tear yourself away from your own space, each cabin has a kitchen that’s perfectly kitted out with everything you need to whip up a tasty tea (or, if you’re like us, a cheese board for dinner).

Lunch dishes at Hamilton's the on-site restaurant at Olicana Park
Lunch dishes at Hamilton’s the on-site restaurant at Olicana Park
Breakfast at Hamilton's the on-site restaurant at Olicana Park
Breakfast at Hamilton’s the on-site restaurant at Olicana Park

But if you do venture out, there’s an on-site restaurant called Hamilton’s, where you can dig in to fresh salads, gyros, and burgers, and when you come back in the next morning you can feast on a menu of banging breakfasts and brunches.

Olicana Park actually used to be a traditional caravan park, but has been given some serious TLC since the new owners took over in 2016.

It was this team who decided to split the park into zones, with four cottages in one, five luxury cabins in another, and 29 static caravans in the third.

The cottages and cabins were all refurbished or constructed from scratch using British suppliers and local tradesmen.

The living rooms in an Olicana Park cabin. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
The living rooms in an Olicana Park cabin. Credit: The Hoot Leeds

It’s just a short stroll from Addingham village, and that’s only a short bus from the bustling town of Ilkley, which itself is only a short train ride from Leeds.

That means excellent pubs, restaurants and cafes within easy reach, as well as gorgeous countryside walks like a riverside amble to Bolton Abbey.

Surrounded by a plethora of long walks and country pubs, Olicana Park really is a perfect gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, and if you’re looking for something to kick off holiday season then we couldn’t recommend it more.

You can get 10% off your June holiday at Olicana Park with the code “THEHOOT”.

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Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

Things To Do

You can ‘run and rave’ as part of this new charity-driven social in Manchester city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones Run The Streets MCR running social event Manchester city centre

If you’re looking for a fun new way to spend a night out or thinking about getting into running but maybe haven’t quite found the right way in for you just yet, this new Manchester run social that starts and ends with a good old-fashioned party might be right up your street.

Run The Streets MCR is a community-led and charity-driven fitness and social event that recently launched in Manchester and has already developed a bit of a cult following in the space of only a couple of months.

The concept is simple: it’s a running social where you can meet new people whilst getting your yards in, just not quite as you know it. Instead of people turning up for a 5k and then heading home, the fun carries on at a host venue where people can keep chatting and mingling whilst having a boogie.

And the best part is that not only is it more of a causally paced, low-pressure jog and crucially social-first, but it’s all for a good cause too.

How it began and the purpose behind the event

Started out by East Manchester locals and lifelong mates, Liam Parker-Worsley and Sarah Edwards, (‘Sezzle’ to those who know her among the Manc running circles), Run The Streets started out as a running social concept at its very core but has now become truly bigger than the sum of its parts.

While the ‘run and rave’ idea has been done before, this particular event is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and after facing some serious obstacles to get it off the ground and plenty of adversity at the very first hurdle – for lack of a less punny phrase – they’ve managed to turn it into a force for good.

After pivoting the model at the start of 2024 to be completely non-profit, the monthly event is now helping bring people together for a good time, from the tarmac to the tiles, all whilst raising money for the likes of The Running Charity (TRC).

Not only do all the proceeds from the super affordable tickets – we’re talking the same price you’d pay for a decent pint in town these days – go straight back into running the next social, but they also help fund the chosen charity for that month.

Be it national causes like TRC, which recently received huge support from the incredible ‘Hardest Geezer‘s run across Africa, or charities strictly local to Manchester, everyone involved is striding towards a goal – quite literally.

What is Run The Streets MCR?
Meet the team behind the new non-profit run social in Manchester.

Offering a different kind of night out

Speaking to The Manc, co-creator Sezzle says the mission statement is simple: “Everyone’s welcome and you can meet new people whilst running but at the same time we’re giving back to the community.

“We’re supporting local charities, artists and DJs, as well as local running clubs who want to get involved. Essentially, it’s just about bringing people together, which is what run clubs do, but we’re also in a big city and not everyone wants to go out and just drink at a bar all night.

“You want to keep fit, it’s good for your mental health, but you also still want to be social and enjoy yourself. Run The Streets is that Mancunian through and through but everyone’s invited.”

Sober for five months now, she acknowledged that outlets like this are crucial, insisting: “I don’t want to stop going out and having a good time or meeting new people, so this is a way that you can still go out on a Friday night and enjoy a party atmosphere with no pressure to drink”.

run the streets manchester running social
This is what the start of a night in trainers, hi-vis and glow sticks looks like. (Credit: Supplied)

The ‘by Manchester for Manchester’ ethos

Her partner in crime Liam echoed that party-run description, reiterating that whilst people can still get a bit boozy if they like, it’s all about “providing an alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to drink and want to be included but might have felt a little alienated otherwise”.

A fellow Tameside native, he explained how Run The Streets has already partnered with zero-alcohol brands like Clean Break for their inaugural event back in March and now alcohol-free favourite Lucky Saint for their sophomore social this month.

They’ve also already managed to get sports brands involved in the event, offering giveaways, running shoe try-ons and more, most notably hosting the Fight Day 5k across the city centre in partnership with Matchroom Boxing.

“It’s not about the financial aspect for us”, says Liam, “we only charge for tickets to sustain the event and pay for the talent, hiring spaces and so on… It might be different venues, different charities etc., but as long as we focus on core issues to Manchester with a cultural element that’s important to us, we’re happy with that”.

Sez couldn’t agree more, adding: “At the end of the day, we’re Mancs, we’ve watched the city grow into what it is today. When it comes down to it everyone knows about the Manchester spirit, it’s a hard-working area and there’s such a community to this place – we want to make sure everyone feels welcome.

“We look out for each other. That’s how it’s always been.”

Their recent running event with Matchroom ahead of the Gill vs Barrett fight at AO Arena. (Credit: Run The Streets MCR)

Roots in the running and wider Greater Manchester community

Chatting with Tom Lewis, founder of Manchester’s annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness and Chairman for the Run The Street’s official host club, Manchester Road Runners, he said that they became interested because they “really liked the idea of sponsoring different charities every month”.

Confessing that it felt like “a natural crossover” given MRR’s size and ethos, as well as their own non-profit work with the British Heart Foundation and Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, he said the “overall response from the first event was incredible – everyone just loved it”.

“There were people dancing on the streets as they saw us come past and there were so many videos on social media. That sort of stuff can really help get people into running who wouldn’t necessarily consider it in the first place.”

“I think it’s going to grow really quickly; the first event sold out and I think the next ones will too, definitely. It’s great to see what just a random group of friends can accomplish when we come together.”

This massive Manchester running club where jogs finish at the pub is the best
Manchester Road Runners is helping bring huge numbers to the event already.

Liam himself couldn’t speak highly enough of the Castlefield-based group, insisting that “me and Sez find a lot of happiness and solace” at MRR.

While they are affiliated with others like KOKO (Keep On Keeping On’s Manchester arm) and Stretford Run Club that they want to help promote, the hope is that events like this might help people who run but don’t attend a club might give them a try in the future.

Regular ambassador and volunteer at both organisations, Natasha Barclay – who herself is over a year into her own sobriety journey – described the flagship event as “such good fun, really welcoming” and filled with plenty of people who had never even run before.

Nat also urged people not to be scared if they’re first-timers to run socials or running full stop, reassuring that “no one gets left behind; even if you can’t really run, you’ll always make it back, have a good time and meet others in the same boat”.

She went on to add: “Run The Streets MCR is all about giving back to the running community which I think can often get overshadowed by social media and certain brands. The spirit can sometimes get taken out of it but this run social puts its straight back in whilst helping Manchester business and DJs.”

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When we asked the guys to sum this whole experience up in three words or less that weren’t ‘rave and run’, they came up with some pretty telling answers too. “Community, soul and fun”, “alternative Friday fun” and our personal favourite: “Simply for Manchester”.

It’s also worth reiterating that these guys have done it completely off their own backs and are doing so on an entirely voluntary basis on top of their full-time jobs, sometimes juggling two or three different roles. It’s been built over countless late nights and dinner hours, all for the love of running and the city.

The second ever Run The Streets MCR running social and party kicks off this Friday, 26 April from 7pm at Joshua Brooks, with a light 5k around our lovely city centre starting at 7:30pm before heading back to the venue for more tunes, dancing, glowsticks and general good vibes from 8pm onwards.

You can grab the last few remaining tickets HERE and we hope to see a few of you there on the night.

guy running with a speaker in manchester
Come rain or shine, there’s always tunes to keep you going.
run the streets mcr deaf institue
The turnout at the last Run The Streets Manchester social at The Deaf Institute.
Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Run The Streets MCR

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