Your bumper briefing of news and what to look out for
Shaun Moffat leaving Edinburgh Castle
In surprise news Shaun Moffat is stepping down from his role as head chef at Ancoats’ Edinburgh Castle. He has spent two years building the reputation of a restaurant every local loves to recommend to out of towners, to the extent that esteemed of out-of-towner Jay Rayner gave a very positive review in The Observer.
For a review closer to home, here’s ours.
Shaun posted on Instagram earlier today to deliver the news, saying: “This weekend marks my last few days at Edinburgh Castle.
“After 2 years at this corner of Ancoats, I’ve made the decision to move on.
“Thanks to all the teams past & present for all the hard work and drive, to the suppliers who put incredible produce into the venue and of course to all the customers that came and dined
“Together we achieved a great amount; a national review, getting into the Top 50 and awards and accolades I’ll forever be grateful for - and long may the success continue here.
“If you’re around this weekend swing by for a pint.
“To the pub that does THAT chip butty, it’s been a pleasure!”
The Martlet opens at Rochdale Town Hall
Rochdale Town Hall has officially reopened, and with it a beautiful new restaurant, The Martlet Kitchen, which will serve lunches in the week and on Friday and Saturday evenings will serve a fine dining menu.
Led by executive chef Darren Parkinson, The Martlet Kitchen's fine dining menu serves up dishes such as Mackerel & Whitby Crab with pickled cucumber, Granny Smith apple, sorrel, and sourdough croutons, North Sea Halibut with Masala-spiced pumpkin, saag aloo, tandoori onions, and purple sprouting broccoli and the ‘RTH’ Fillet Rossini ‘featuring Lee Horsley beef fillet, truffle, duck liver pâté, wild mushrooms, rosti potato, and wilted spring onions.
Keep a lookout for our resident Rochdalian Jonathan Schofield’s review of the restaurant in the coming weeks.
Members Club or a club for members?
The Press Club on Lloyd Street was a place of legend back when newspapers still bothered to have offices in Manchester city centre.
Now in news that will delight soapstar rubberneckers and general footballer-adjacent drones, Queen Street Members Club is set to open in the same site.
Queen Street or Lloyd Street? In case you’re confused, it’s by the Caffe Nero off Deansgate.
Memberships will range from £300 to £500 a year, it opens from 5th October and expects to keep hours of midnight to 6am.
Apply for membership (subject to a sodding interview) here
But before you consider hawking your possessions on Facebook Marketplace to make up the fees, remember the words of Groucho Marx.
“I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member”
Greens, Stanley Square closes
Nine months after the sudden closure of Greens in Didsbury, Simon Rimmer’s long standing vegetarian restaurant, the same fate has befallen his site in Sale’s Stanley Square.
In an Instagram post the restaurant announced: “It is with deep regret that the board of director and shareholders have decided to close the doors permanently on Greens Sale with immediate effect.
“We’ve done everything possible to make this work, but it is now clear the business is untenable.
“We’d like to thank everyone, team members and guests, who have been on the Greens journey with us.”
While just over two years is not quite the journey of 33 years that the Didsbury site had, it’s long enough to have given it a fair whack.
Unless a rebirth of the restaurant ever occurs, it’s fair to say Greens is now gone.
Firehouse Supper Club Wednesdays
Firehouse is hosting supper clubs every Wednesday in October, which it has described as “a midweek feast that's all about mates, meats, mezze and margs”.
There’s also pichana steak cooked over coal and wood and whole Firehouse Peri Chicken served with peri gravy Put down your pasta bake and give this a whirl one upcoming Wednesday. To book a table, and see more of what Firehouse has planned for Autumn, visit their website.
Thief Street opens in Media City
Asian-inspired street food kitchen Thief Street has opened in The Dockyard at Media City, its third site in its home city along with spots in Stockport’s Produce Hall and The Gasworks on First Street.
Serving Asian fried chicken, burgers, sides, waffle fries and vegan boxes, this Mancunian-made kitchen is the latest addition to this side of town that proves places like Salford Quays don’t need to be full of Pizza Expresses.
Fashion and footwear at Union Co-Living
On Saturday (28 September) there’s Souls Sampled, a fashion and footwear pop-up at Union Co-Living, just by Aviva Studios.
The free event will celebrate the best of Manchester's clothing and sneaker scene with rands and retailers including Old Town General Store, Hikerdelic, Buetti and Kiht.
Buy your free tickets here.
Stockport celebrates Sarah Harding with special fundraising event
A special event in memory of Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding will take place on Sunday 6 October in Stockport town centre. The event, as part of The Stockport Music Story Walking Tours, will raise funds for The Christie Charity and the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, dedicated to identifying young women at increased risk of breast cancer.
In honour of Sarah’s life and music legacy, a special plaque will be unveiled on High Street close to the Little Underbank in Stockport. The unveiling will be part of the Stockport Music Map Tour, created and hosted by John Barratt, renowned for his work promoting Stockport’s rich musical heritage.
The tour will finish at Thread Bar around 1.30pm where a Girls Aloud themed party will take place and screenings of their performances will be shown. Thread Bar are also kindly donating 20% of their takings to The Christie Charity and the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.
Tickets are £15 for this event, which includes a Christie wristband and pin badge, the plaque unveiling, guided music tour and entry to Thread for the party.
You can buy tickets here
Click here to donate to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.
Two of Us at HOME
Two of Us, a play dramatising the final meeting between John Lennon and Paul McCartney in 1976, is on at HOME today (Friday 27 September) and tomorrow.
I watched it last night and loved it. A tender two-hander which managed to bring to life the greatest creative partnership in modern music without caricature or impersonation, it’s worth a watch this weekend.
Tickets here.
A new play at The White Hotel
A new play by emerging Lancashire playwright Charles Abbott arrives at Salford's The White Hotel
‘A Quiet Room’ is a two act drama founded, I’m told, on “the collective unease”.
Here’s a bit of what to expect.
“Four people have been given a job. To remain in a room and watch, observe. They are to look for changes and report their findings to their organisation. When a seemingly random fatality occurs, virtue rears its head from the undergrowth.”
There will be two shows, taking place on Tuesday 8 October and Wednesday 9 October. Doors at 7:30pm, for an 8:30pm start. The evenings will be set in motion with wordplay, music and visual art.
Tickets can be bought here.
Access to the industry
Adidas and Factory International have partnered to deliver Originals Creator Network North, a six month development opportunity for 20 underrepresented young creatives, living in Manchester and Greater Manchester.
Gain access to industry-led masterclasses, mentorship, work experience (including opportunities to work with adidas and Factory International), free technology and equipment, a £600 bursary and much more.
Here’s the crucial dates for your diary
Deadline to apply: Monday 14 October, 12pm
Open Recruitment Day: Tuesday 22 October
Second Interview: Tuesday 29 October
Picture of the week
Another one from our own Hayden Naughton - it’s the now 24-hour V1 service from MRI to Leigh, and doesn’t it look just magical.
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