Independent food, drink and retail neighbourhood Hatch MCR has now reopened doors just in time for Christmas shopping, haircuts, and takeaway services.
As England’s second national lockdown comes to an end, and Greater Manchester enters into Tier 3 restrictions as part of the UK government’s new “tougher” three tiered regional system, Hatch will be bringing an alternative festive shopping experience to the city centre with all of the neighbourhood’s excellent local and independent businesses opening their doors ahead of the festive period.
The site has been transformed from urban summer escape, to cosy winter wonder-village and offers a unique, twinkly and festive shopping experience nestled underneath Mancunian Way.
Hatch will be open on Tuesdays – Saturdays from 12-8pm.
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As well as Christmas shopping, Hatch’s friendly neighbourhood grooming salons – Portland Barbers and Industry – will also be open to take care of that all-important post-lockdown, pre-Christmas haircut.
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And independent street food will be on the menu too, with a slimmed-down Tier 3 collection of traders opening for takeaway, including inventive sandwiches by Ate Days a Week, Asian street food by Fuku, fabulous takeaway wine by Vin-Yard, Sicilian street food by Tarricrii, vegan dishes from Herbivorous, Vietnamese street food from Hanoi 75, and Cyprian cuisine from Mezze.
All takeaway food can be ordered and collected here.
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The rest of the Hatch crew is gearing up to be back after the next regional tiered review, when it is hoped that the whole destination will reopen for the full Hatch experience.
As Manchester strives to get Christmas back on track, the Hatch teams are encouraging everyone to shop local this festive season and reward loved ones with something unique and extra-special under the tree by supporting local businesses at the same time.
Hatch MCRHatch MCR
With Small Business Saturday coming up this weekend – Saturday 5th December – Hatch is also set to reward customers shopping from any of the destination’s indie traders by handing out Hatch gift vouchers as spot prizes.
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The vouchers will be assigned completely at random throughout the course of the day, with £100 worth given away, and all shoppers need to do to be in with a chance of winning a voucher is to buy local and independent at Hatch on Saturday.
Hatch is also proud to be part of the 50 Windows of Creativity trail, with a mural by Caroline Dowsett having taken over one of the units.
Speaking on the reopening of Hatch MCR, Andrea George – Director of Retail at Bruntwood Works – said: “Hatch has been transformed into a gorgeous, cosy winter wonder village and all our retailers, hairdressers and takeaways are open and ready for the festive period.
We are open Tuesday – Saturday allowing customers plenty of time to come along and support local independent businesses in a safe environment.
“Our businesses have worked extremely hard to be able to open their doors safely within Tier 3 restrictions and we’re all looking forward to welcoming shoppers back to Hatch for Christmas shopping.”
You can find more information and COVID-safe procedures ahead of your visit via the Hatch MCR website here.
103 Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7ED
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd December 2020 
