SleuthSleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to publish. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @mcrsleuth
Iberica Next?
This has been a giddy week for Manchester food and drink with both Hawksmoor and Fazenda confirming moves into the city. Now the hospitality and catering press are smothering themselves with rumours regarding the highly regarded operator Iberica planning to bring its quality interpretation of - as the name suggests - Spanish food to Manchester. The names behind the mini-chain are eye-catching: Executive Chef Nacho Manzano, of two Michelin Star Casa Marcial and one Michelin Star La Salgar. Since Sleuth was wrong last week about Hawksmoor going into the old Monsoon shop on King Street, he yearns for Iberica to take the unit (although bookies are offering 3/1 on a Spinningfields unit and 4/1 on Exchange Square). Otherwise it's likely another chain YAFI (you know what it means) will slump on to King Street.
(As a little postscript to this Iberica Restaurant have tweeted Confidential after the story above, to say, they're definitely coming and will be telling us where very soon.)
Iberica food - thanks to Terence Nahar for pic
James Martin Kissed By Lots Of Tiny Women
Sleuth was walking through the Great Northern past the entrance to the casino Manchester 235 which leads to 'celeb' chef James Martin's restaurant. Suddenly he saw the chef himself, Mr Martin. He was covered in hundreds of kisses from tiny women. Poster love is one of the more arcane aspects of sexuality Sleuth has never understood.
Kiss, kiss, kiss
Thirty Storey Apartment Block For Noma
Here are some official words: 'A joint venture between Caddick Group Plc and Generate Land is exchanging contracts with The Co-operative Group to develop the residential scheme within the 20 acre NOMA masterplan in central Manchester. This is for 450, one, two and three bed apartments on the corner of Miller Street and Rochdale Road in the city centre.' There'll be ground floor retail - cafes, bars and ancillary shops - around a communal garden with accommodation in a 30 storey tower. Tenant facilities will include an 'electric car club, cinema lounge and fitness facilities.' Good, Sleuth loves tall buildings especially when they have electric car clubs, whatever one of those is.
Artist impression of the new 30 stories high building at Noma... This is officially the best visual joke of the week
Tower Of Bland On Harry Ramsdens Site
Yep Sleuth likes tall, Sleuth loves tall. The more tall buildings the better in Manchester city centre. Unless they look like the one below. Occasionally words fail at the ludicrously banal plans that seem to float around for the city centre. The city centre should be the focus of all that is either grand, ornate and florid or tight, sharp and disciplined in buildings. This LQ Development idea for the Harry Ramsdens' chippy site over the River Irwell is a disaster - a right chip shop. Look at the 28 storeys below; as bland and banal as a Premier Lodge at a motorway junction next to a trading estate. Sleuth has hope though. This is clearly a preliminary mock-up, so any self-respecting architect would surely produce a better building if permission were granted. Wouldn't they?
An out-of-town Premier Lodge on acid
Shocking, Awful, Terrible News
On 26/27 July the Wigan night bus will be withdrawn. Sleuth has tried to move things around, jiggle, joggle, juggle his diary, but he won’t be able to make the last 598 Leigh and Wigan. Transport for Greater Manchester has found ‘an average of just six passengers travelling per journey’. So Sleuth will miss out on one of the world’s great journeys akin to The Big Sur or the Amalfi Coast. There’ll be no more 2am views of flatish fields and various semi-detached properties, terraced housing and a smattering of bungalows. Something rare and beautiful has left the world.
Midland Hotel Win Best Hotel In UK Award
In 'the Oscars of the hotel industry' held recently, The Midland Hotel, part of QHotels, is celebrating after being awarded Group Hotel of the Year at the prestigious Caterer and Hotelkeeper Awards 2014. Michael Magrane, General Manager at The Midland Hotel said: “We’ve had an incredible year, our partnership with Simon Rogan has resulted in two amazing restaurants and raised our profile on a national level with the BBC documentary Restaurant Wars, not to mention being shortlisted for City Hotel of the Year at The Food and Travel Magazine Awards where we’re up against The Berkeley, and the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park." Sleuth says well done and its great to see so much focus on the Grande Dame of Manchester hotels.
The Midland Hotel - a winner
Come ‘ed. It’s Your Shirt
Sleuth has been sent by giddy Manchester United fans the latest video shirt ad for new shirt sponsors Chevrolet. It shows men down the ages changing through the various club shirts over the last hundred or so years. Nice - lots of Manchester streets shown and then the BIG REVEAL. Outside the ground, present day players walk forward and in his finest, almost too-perfect Scouse, Wayne Rooney says, “This shirt belongs to you. Always has. Always will.” Sleuth isn't narrow minded but thinks local lad Danny Welbeck from the current team might have been a better choice given the Manc nostalgia of the piece. He would have had the right voice as well.
Lies To Tell Tourists
The Port Street Beer House in the Northern Quarter has a range of false beards men (or women) can hire so they don't feel out of place. A full Victorian is £5 but is said to do 'the necessary and make young people look middle-aged'.
(PS: This 'lie' breaks the Confidential rule not to mention beards and the Northern Quarter as it's become too much of a cliche. But Sleuth actually told some Spanish guests this on a tour after they'd remarked on the number of beards they'd spied. They believed Sleuth. So Sleuth then had to confess he'd lied.)
A full Victorian
