Box on the Docks is returning to the banks of Salford Quays this summer, and there’ll be flowing beers, freshly-baked bagels, and boozy ice cream.
Coming back for its third year in a row, MediaCity’s popular outdoor dining concept, Box on the Docks, is set for another busy summer on the waterside piazza – but for the first time, it will be taking on a brand-new format, as this year’s event will be in partnership with SEVEN BRO7HERS.
The Salford-based brewing company has been put in charge of operate a rotating residency of the region’s emerging and established independent food and drink pop ups.
There’ll also been an exciting lineup of live music and events for all ages.
Kicking off on Friday 10 June, some of the food vendors already on the highly-anticipated lineup include The Tasty Greek, which’ll be serving up classic Greek gyros, while Beigel will be offering freshly-made bagels with new specials each day.
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Leading North West distillery, Four Sis4ers Distillery, will also be on hand to serve tasty tipples using its handcrafted selection of spirits distilled in the heart of Salford Quays.
A Few Scoops will also be popping-up over the summer – an independent local company that’s made a name for itself by taking two of life’s greatest pleasures, ice cream and cocktails, and thrashing them together to make scoops of flavours such as Old Fashioned, a rich and creamy Piña Colada, and so much more.
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SEVEN BRO7HERS – which runs its popular beer house in MediaCity – will also be taking over the Box on the Docks Bar too, on top of curating the rotating traders lineup.
It’ll be offering its award-winning independent beers, along with a selection of guest beers from local craft breweries including Shindigger, Manchester Union Lager, and Pomona, as well as programming regular live music and events within the piazza.
“This year’s Box on the Docks is set to be the best yet,” said Keith McAvoy, CEO of SEVEN BRO7HERS.
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“The partnership gives SEVEN BRO7HERS an opportunity to make the most of the summer footfall and visitors, and to do what we do best – celebrate great food and drink in the heart of Salford.
“MediaCity has been home to our beerhouse for 12 months, and despite challenges the pandemic has thrown at us, it continues to thrive [so] we can’t wait to expand into the Box on the Docks bar and welcome the whole site into the family this summer.”
This year’s event will be in partnership with Salford-based brewing company, SEVEN BRO7HERS / Credit: Box on the Docks
“There’s a real buzz of excitement as we look forward to another summer of Box on the Docks,” added Josie Cahill – Place Director at MediaCity UK.
“The concept was born from a need to support our local hospitality partners and we are thrilled it has continued to prove such a successful platform for independents on our doorstep and visitors to MediaCity [so] we’re excited to be partnering with the SEVEN BRO7HERS team, who will bring a host of fantastic new food and drink pop ups for visitors and residents alike.”
This summer, Box on the Docks will be partnering with the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, with all money raised being donated towards A Bed Every Night, while the Salford Foodbank’s Gift Box also continues to accept food donations that’ll be distributed to local families in need.
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And if all of that didn’t sound brilliant enough as it is, there’s still more to be announced over the coming weeks, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Box on the Docks
Salford
Popular Manchester name shuts huge six-month-old restaurant with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
A popular name on Greater Manchester’s restaurant scene has announced the immediate closure of one of its most well-known sites.
Unagi has suddenly shut the doors to its huge, beautiful Salford Quays restaurant that has been open for only six months.
Touted as the biggest sushi bar in the north, the brand’s latest location has closed down with immediate effect.
Unagi Media City was the futuristic sushi and Asian restaurant that was the business’s fifth site in Greater Manchester.
It was a stunning space filled with neon and paper lanterns, with an open kitchen to watch the masters at work.
On the menu were pan-Asian snacks, street food, and the brilliant sushi platters that have been the foundation to Unagi’s empire.
Unagi has expanded rapidly in recent years with locations now in Altrincham, Wilmslow, Cheetham Hill and West Didsbury.
Unagi in Cheetham HillUnagi in AltirnchamUnagi in Salford QuaysCredit: The Manc Group
In a statement shared online, the restaurant shared that unfortunately the end has already come for its newest location in Salford Quays, so that they can focus on their other thriving restaurants.
They wrote that they would aim to ‘redeploy’ as many staff as possible to other roles in the business, thanking their ‘amazing team’
They wrote: “Dear friends, sadly, we must announce that we won’t be extending our stay in Salford Quays and will be closing Unagi Media City with immediate effect.
“It’s been a tough decision but it will enable us to focus on our thriving Unagi’s in Altrincham, Wilmslow, Didsbury and Cheetham Hill and get rolling on some exciting new openings in Manchester later this year.
“We will redeploy as many of our amazing team as we can and want to thank everyone for all their efforts and incredible service.
“A huge thank you to all our wonderful team and every guest we have welcomed. Onward we roll!”
Sale Sharks sign highly-rated Harlequins hooker, Nathan Jibulu
Danny Jones
Sale Sharks are investing in youth with their latest bit of transfer business after signing one of the Harlequins’ hottest prospects, Nathan Jibulu.
The highly-rated hooker, who has already nine appearances this season, including more than half a dozen in the Gallagher Premiership, has been exciting plenty of scouts throughout rugby union and is already firmly in national team plans.
Having already been part of the England Under-20 and A squads, not to mention impressing at club level in a relatively short space of time, it’s a big coup for Sale.
From the Quins academy to the right side of Shark-infested waters.
Jibulu joined the Twickenham-based outfit back in 2022 just a year after they won their second English championship (a full decade since their first) after previously attending Seaford College and representing nearby Wimbledon Warriors.
However, now the six-foot and seriously strong forward will be swapping the life near the capital for the North and Greater Manchester, specifically.
Set to join Sale Sharks for the 2025/26 season – scheduled to kick off in September – he’s looking like a really strong addition to their front row and a future squads to come.
Speaking to the club in an official statement, he said: “When I was younger, whenever someone asked me, ‘what team would you want to play for?’ I’d always say Sale…
“I’ve scrummed a lot with Asher [Opoku-Fordjour] and I got to know him pretty well. I always tell him how special and different he is, and I can’t wait to play with him.
“The way the club has developed him and nurtured him to become an established Premiership and England player speaks volumes about the coaching and the support that he’s getting at Sale.
“The entire front row is in the England squad, with the Curry boys too, so that tells you that someone at the club is doing something right. I looked at that and I said, ‘why would you not want to be there?’”
Still just 22 years old and having made just as many appearances for his soon-to-be former club, Sale weren’t the only ones chasing his signature.
Jibulu went on to add: “I love those games where you go toe-to-toe physically, so all of that attracted me straight away, and then speaking to people who are there already, they said all the stuff that I really like so it was a no brainer when the opportunity came about.”
As for his impending coach, Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “Nathan is really driven, he understands what he wants from his life and his career, and he knows how he’s going to get it.
“He’s a young lad but he’s incredibly mature and he’s got the game and the physical attributes to match. I’ve got no doubt he’ll play for England in the future and we’re really excited to bring him to the club.”
Currently sat seventh in the table after another at times promising but somewhat frustrating start to the year, the summer can’t come soon enough for Sale.
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2022 
