The city’s hospitality industry had done a fantastic job of making their establishments COVID-secure, and apart from the odd ‘covidiot’, these new rules were followed en masse by punters, making for a successful day all round and one to be proud of.
The typical North West weather may have put a damper on ‘Super Saturday’, but the good news is we’re set for the return of some much-needed sunshine this weekend, with clear skies and high temperatures of 21°C across both days, so there really couldn’t be better time to get out and support the varied selection of independents and hospitality businesses that we’re so lucky to have here in Manchester.
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Here’s a few of our top picks for places to enjoy some socially-distanced sunshine in the city this weekend.
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Impossible MCR
Great Northern
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Impossible MCR may be best known by night, but with a sun-trap outdoor seating terrace at the heart of Peter Street/Deansgate, it’s also perfect for daytime dining and drinks.
The Impossible MCR kitchen has teamed up with Vietnamese-inspired street food geniuses South Manny Flavaz to deliver dishes “like you’ve never tasted before” and they even offer a sensational Sunday Dinner too, that features everything you know and love about the traditional roast, but with a seasoned twist.
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Impossible MCR is open from 12pm-late this Saturday and Sunday, and you’ll need to book for drinks/dining via the website here.
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A number of other popular Great Northern hangouts have also already opened their doors, or are planning to do so in the coming weeks too.
Mark Schofield, Centre Director at Great Northern, said: “We look forward to welcoming Manchester locals to the site as lockdown begins to ease and as our fantastic range of resident brands begin to reopen for business. Everyone here as pulled together to make sure the site is a safe space in which to relax, wine, dine and enjoy some much-needed leisure time.”
“We’ll be monitoring government guidelines around social distancing and other safety measures closely to ensure we’re implementing the latest advice and are excited to see the Great Northern come to life once more as each of our residents reopens over the coming weeks”.
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For more information, including updates on individual brand opening dates and safety procedures, please visit the Great Northern website here.
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20 Stories
Spinningfields
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If you’re looking for a touch of class to go along with your sunshine this weekend, then you really can’t get much better than the one-of-a-kind rooftop terrace at 20 Stories MCR.
Sitting right at the top of No.1 Spinningfields, sky high dining is always on the cards at 20 Stories, come rain or shine, but this weekend’s sunny weather is sure to brighten up your evening.
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Advanced booking is required, which you can do so here.
For more information, as well as COVID-safe guidelines ahead of your visit, visit the website here.
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ZOUK
Tea Bar & Grill – Manchester
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ZOUK offers some of the most authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine in Manchester, but it also boasts a large outdoor seating area – which now follows all necessary social distancing guidelines – making it top of the list for anyone after a hearty meal to enjoy in the sunshine this weekend.
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Our mouths are watering just thinking about it.
Booking in advance of your visit to ZOUK is required, which you can do so here, and you can specify an outdoor terrace table too.
For more information, visit the ZOUK website here.
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The Oast House
Spinningfields
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There isn’t a sun-trap quite like The Oast House elsewhere in Manchester.
Whilst the usual buzz of those large crowds may be a little on the quieter side this year in the name of safety and social distancing, that summertime Oast House experience and classic Mancunian spirit is sure to have not gone away, and the same great food and drinks menu is still going strong.
Booking ahead is required – which you can do so here – and for more information, visit the The Oast House website here.
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Foundry Project
Northern Quarter
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Foundry Project is a beloved Northern Quarter hotspot for a reason, and the outdoor seating terrace – which catches every spot of sunlight that shines down on the city – is just one of its many highlights.
Whether you fancy wining and dining, or just grabbing a bite and a pint, you can now book your table at the Foundry Project, specifically for the outdoor terrace, here.
For more information and safety guidelines ahead of your visit, head to the Foundry Project website here.
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PLY
Northern Quarter
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Ever-popular Northern Quarter hangout PLY opened its doors to the people of Manchester last weekend and it’s set for round two today, only this time, it’s debuting a new socially-distanced outdoor courtyard, so it’s the perfect place to hit up if your after a pizza and a pint in the sun this weekend.
There’s also a NEW brunch menu that’s well worth checking out too.
Here’s a sneak peak at that outdoor courtyard.
PLY
Booking is always advised ahead of your trip to PLY – which you can do so here.
For more information, as well as details on social distancing measures and COVID-safe guidelines, visit the PLY website here.
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Home Sweet Home
Northern Quarter
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Home Sweet Home, sitting in the heart of the Northern Quarter, always has a selection of outdoor tables available all year round, but has recently debuted its “shiny new outside area” after reopening doors to the public last Saturday.
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and some sunshine in mind, get yourself down to Home Sweet Home this weekend.
It’s always best to book ahead, which you can do here, and for more information ahead of your trip, visit the Home Sweet Home website here.
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Bunny Jacksons
Manchester
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Bunny Jacksons, tucked away on Jack Rosenthal Street, is of course home to the famous ’10p wing’, but it’s also home to a popular sunny, (and now socially-distanced), outdoor seating area that’s perfect for catching a few rays this weekend.
There’s never any need to book at Bunny Jacksons, so just rock up, remember to adhere to all social distancing guidelines, and hope for the best.
For more information, visit the Bunny Jacksons website here.
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Haven’t found somewhere that takes your fancy? For a full list of bars and restaurants that have now reopened their doors to the good people of Manchester, you can have a read of our rundown list here.
The Manc is helping local businesses and venues get back on their feet after lockdown with our #BuzzingToBeBack campaign – offering as much support and exposure for Manchester hospitality as possible.
Read more about what we’re doing for the industry here.
The best Christmas party food and picky bits from M&S this year
Daisy Jackson
Clear the tables, pop the oven on to pre-heat, and set the paper plates – it’s Christmas, and that can only mean it’s party food season again.
No one does silly little festive nibbles quite like M&S, with their Christmas party food range getting more and more extravagant every single winter.
2025 is absolutely no exception – expect the likes of cubed rice, snowman-shaped bao, tiny Yorkie puds and plenty more delicious madness besides.
We’ve been down in the aisles of everyone’s favourite posh supermarket to see exactly what concoctions they’ve conjured up this year, and did not leave disappointed.
This is not just party food, this is M&S Christmas party food.
A very Marbella Christmas
Have you ever seen a square paella before? No? You haven’t lived mate.
These angular rice bites are one of three Spanish-influenced picky bits in M&S this Christmas, alongside tiny tortillas and patatas bravas stacks (tiny potato rostis topped with tomato sauce and chorizo then served with a garlic sauce on the side).
Don’t be put off by the hot pink prawn curled up on the rice bed like a dog that’s been bought a bed two sizes too small…
A little fishy on a little dishy
Everyone knows that the M&S salmon and potato salad is one of their most elite items, so those hot smoked salmon rosti bites are going STRAIGHT in my basket.
If you like your fish dishes really bite-sized, there’s also the smoked salmon appetisers that look like they’ve been lifted right out of a 1960s cookbook.
And of course, tiger prawns wrapped in various shapes and sizes of pastry, too.
Jingle baos
If you’d told me three years ago that bao would become a staple on every posh Christmas buffet, I’d have sent you to the hospital.
But they’re back for a third year in a new novelty festive shape, and this time, M&S has gone to new heights.
Presenting – double decker bao in the shape of a snowman, complete with cosy green scarf and a veggie pad Thai filling.
Some of them look like they’ve been through the wars, don’t they?
Pam Shipman would buy these
If you’re not a Gavin & Stacey fan, just imagine the following section being read aloud by a flapping (ideally Essex) mother with a fresh blowdry and a waft of YSL Libra about her.
“Those, Bryn, are M&S mushroom vol-oh-vohnts.”
“A little goat cheese tart for you, Smithy?” (“Who you calling a tart Pamelarrr you minx!”)
Basically, these are the posh little nibbles your mums will gravitate towards to show off their hosting gravitas.
Merry Texmexmas
M&S always seems to lean over to the States for inspiration for its party food and this year is no different.
They’ve got a real Tex-Mex flavour going on in 2025, with Christmas party food including mini vegetable tacos filled with peppers and sweetcorn.
There are also those impossible-to-eat-why-are-you-sliding-everywhere miniature beef burgers, back to piss me off for another year.
Ee by gum it must be Christmas
‘Ey up! Has M&S recruited an actual Northerner to help put together the party food for Christmas this year?!
We all know the deal with British pub food – a little bit stodgy, very comforting, and incredibly filling. Okay, now picture that, but not remotely filling.
M&S has brought back a couple of its miniature bites inspired by classic British fare – pies that fit in the palm of your hand (beef and ale, or chicken and leek), and Yorkshire puddings so small they must’ve been baked in a cupcake tin. Cute.
The most important picky bit of the day
Whether or not to bother with breakfast on Christmas morning seems to be a bit of a hot topic – what’s the point in a bowl of cornflakes when you’re readying to slam the biggest meal of the year in a matter of hours?
Well, M&S is making sure the most important meal of the day infiltrates all the way through to party time with these two.
A stack of miniature pancakes and slivers of bacon, plus pint-sized ham and cheese croissants. Has anyone ever handed you a croissant on a dancefloor before? This might be the year.
Better than your mum’s turkey curry
Oh now we’re cooking with tandoor! Not one, but two picky bits inspired by Britain’s national dish – curry. And the most British curry of all, a chicken tikka masala.
For Christmas this year M&S has created the world’s smallest naan breads, which are topped with tikka chicken and pickled pink onions.
And in the other hand, there are spiced potato and spinach dosa rolls, which we have literally never seen on any buffet spread before ever, but sure.
Get it before it’s scone
If your hand impulsively twitches towards a Christmas sandwich every time you’re shopping for a meal deal, get a load of this – tiny mini turkey feast toasties. Yay!
These tiny square sarnies have got pulled turkey, stuffing, ham hock, Emmental cheese, cranberry sauce AND gravy in them, somehow. When did M&S unlock a cheat code to overcome sandwich physics?
There are also miniature mature Barber’s cheddar scones, with honey and mustard pulled ham inside. They sound like a sheer winner.
That’s not a hambush, it’s a charcutertree!
Oh, look who’s back to make a mockery of your flat cheese board again. It’s the Christmas Charcuter-tree. Sigh.
Real fancy people present their cured meat and cheese selection in the shape of a Christmas tree (obviously) and M&S have got a build-you-own kit available for £23 (that’s actually two quid cheaper than last year).
I can only begin to imagine the meltdown I’d have as another piece of salami refused to act like tinsel and unravelled onto the table.
UK’s ‘happiest’ job is recruiting and will pay you £30k to travel and review holiday cottages
Emily Sergeant
Looking for a career change? Is 2026 the year you finally want to get yourself a side hustle? We might have just what you’re looking for.
That’s because holidaycottages.co.uk is on the hunt for one lucky individual for what could, quite frankly, be the dream job and is launching a nationwide search to find the UK’s first ‘Joy Seeker’ – a year-long content creator role offering £30,000 to explore the nation’s happiest destinations and share the joy along the way.
What exactly is a ‘Joy Seeker’ then? Well, the lucky applicant will become the face of the holiday cottage rental company’s new Happy Place campaign, and will embark on a 12-month journey to the UK’s 10 happiest destinations as voted for in a recent survey.
This will include stays at properties in some of the country’s most-popular holiday destinations like Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, and North Yorkshire.
The role requires the successful individual to share their adventures through photography, long and short-form social media content, and blog writing, all with the aim of ‘showcasing the joy’ of these places through ‘authentic’ storytelling.
From wandering the cobbled streets of Devon’s coastal villages, to hiking hidden trails in Welsh national parks, the role is about uncovering local stories and the country’s most unique charms.
All throughout 2026, the Joy Seeker’s content will be shared across holidaycottages.co.uk’s social media channels.
The UK’s ‘happiest’ job is recruiting and will pay you £30k to travel and review holiday cottages / Credit: Marie M (via Unsplash)
As part of the contract, the chosen candidate will receive a £30,000 content creator contract, get to stay for free in a minimum of 12 stunning holiday cottages, and have all travel expenses covered in the process.
Thinking of applying? You’ll need to be a confident and creative storyteller with a passion for travel, the outdoors, and celebrating local culture within the UK, and you’ll also need to be experienced in creating engaging content across various formats.
“This is more than just a job,” said Sarah Pring, who is the Digital PR Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk.
The Manc -
10th July 2020 
