It feels like we’ve been saying this for a while now, right? But with less than a week to go before it finally rolls around, the big day is bound to be here before we know it.
We all know by now that the festive season is gearing up to be a little different this year though, with the UK government having sadly conceded that “Christmas cannot be normal” amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and while it has been announced that up to three families can form a Christmas bubble between 23rd – 27th December, for a lot of people, this still means there will be friends and family members they are unable to spend time with.
This is probably why we’re all putting a little extra thought into our gift giving this time round, but for some of us though, even with all the best intentions, there are still a few presents yet to be bought.
Luckily, The Manc Store is the perfect place for those who are always on the last minute.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to shop local and support small business this Christmas, there’s a wide range of Manchester-themed apparel pieces stocked on our site, and if you get your orders in by 17th December at 11.59pm (for Standard Delivery), or the same time on 19th December (Express Delivery), then each of these items will arrive to the front door of all UK customers before Christmas Day.
Get ‘Gail Platted’ this Christmas whether you’re drinking or not with what is possibly the greatest Coronation Street-themed jumper on the planet. With ribbed collars, cuffs and hem, this sweatshirt is a cosy solution to the cold, and is perfect for layering.
This unisex jumper is available in sizes S – XXL, and comes in a range of four festive colours.
Coming in a stylish fit and made out of 100% cotton, this is classic t-shirt is by far one of our most popular products for kids, as is the babygrow – which is soft and cosy, fully machine washable and with lap shoulders to change your baby’s outfit easily – and are both a must-have for showing off their passion for our city.
Both the unisex t-shirt and babygrows are available in a range of sizes and colours.
Our popular ‘Worker Bee’ range comes in all sorts of variations, but one of our most popular pieces has to be this relaxed fit hoodie, which features ribbed cuffs and a front pocket, and even has a small hidden opening for earphone cord feed too.
This is our favourite hoodie of the season, for sure.
This unisex hoodie comes in a classic fit, and is available in sizes S – 5XL.
This is your chance to rep your city in our hugely-popular ‘Rainy City’ gear.
A wardrobe staple – coming in a classic style for men, and a semi-fitted style for women – these relaxed-fit t-shirts will update any look, and are part of our best-selling range, which also features sweaters, mugs and tote bags too.
There’s no better way to fly the flag for Manchester.
This t-shirt is made out of 100% cotton, and is available in sizes S – 5XL.
A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK
Emily Sergeant
Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.
That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.
Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.
So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.
The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.
Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.
You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.
This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.
“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.
“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”
Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.
The Manc -
16th December 2020 
