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
Spinningfields Finds Americana In The Neighbourhood
Details are swinging Sleuth’s way over the opening of Neighbourhood in Tower 12 in Spinningfields. The place is styling itself an ‘NYC eatery and bar’. A sneak menu preview includes ideas (not totally settled yet) such as lobster tacos and grilled cheese, smoked bacon and tomato soup dumplings, steaks, wagyu sliders and crab fried oysters. Americana rules it seems in 2012 - it's the on-trend food fashion. Neighbourhood is the creation of James Hitchen who has already opened Southern Eleven in Spinningfields. As somebody said to Sleuth, a New York, venue should go down a storm. Sleuth pointed out that was a bit sick.
Sleuth’s Ever-Changing Bar Of The Week
It’s been Ostara, Charango, Scott’s Hill and now it’s going to be The Beagle. The troubled Chorlton location is styling itself a 'beer house with dining rooms'. The team behind it, is the team behind Common and Port Street Beer House. In a site that’s not had the best of food luck, they seem an ambitious lot. They’ve teamed up with Laurence Tottingham of Aumbry in Prestwich and will have ‘playful takes on colonial relics, British exports and foreign imports, anything that influenced the British palate over the last couple of hundred years is fair game. There may even be some fair game.’ Nice. Sleuth's mouth s watering already.
Rossendale Taxi Invasion – Beware The Lack Of The Knowledge
Sleuth got in a mini-cab the other day, and said, “Manchester Town Hall please.” He was already a bit puzzled because the private hire vehicle was red, and in Manchester they have to be white. “Could you give me directions?” the cabbie said. Pause. Silence. Sleuth then spent five minutes spluttering vigorous indignation at the driver.
“How would I know?” said the cabbie, “I’m from Rossendale.” Turns out that drivers with hackney licences in say, Rossendale, can be private hire drivers anywhere in the country. This loop hole means that cabbies who pay massively less for their licence and plates than Manchester drivers and don’t have to conform to vehicle colour and vehicle age or undergo any 'knowledge' test, can pick people like Sleuth up from their doors and not have a single clue where to go. Confidential has a full story about this next week.
As for Sleuth he had to give meticulous instructions at every junction to the Town Hall. As he got out of the car the driver said, “Excuse me. Just had a job radioed in. Where’s the University on Oxford Road?”
Does anybody know what this building is?
Sleuth’s Wonderful Cathedral Suggestion
So Sleuth was amongst the great, the good, the not so great and the not very good, at the opening of the Albert Square Chop House this week.
He was talking to the charming Anthony O’Connor, the director of fundraising and development at Manchester Cathedral. Anthony also arranges the events. These cover everything from wine tastings to Alicia Keys gigs.
Sleuth suggested that a real splash of fund-raising publicity would be made if the Cathedral invited, Russia’s jailed Pussy Riot to perform for their first gig after release - that would fit beautifully with Manchester's radical tradition.
Anthony O’Connor looked very interested, although he might have choking on the mini-Eccles’ cake canapé doing the rounds. Anyway watch this space. Sleuth’s sending an invite now.
Cathedral
Sleuth And The Labour Plotters
Council Leader Sir Richard Leese pulled the celebratory opening pint at Albert Square Chop House. “It's fantastic to see this place open again. I remember when it was the Square Albert pub,” he said. He then pointed at Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton and a Confidential columnist. “I remember back in the eighties I spent many a happy hour in here plotting with Graham.”
Graham Stringer, the council leader before Leese, confirmed this. “In 1984 half the Labour group met in the pub to decide how to take over the council. I’d voted against the whip on an issue so was banned from meetings in the Town Hall. It was so loud in the pub and so many people wanted to have their say that we ended up late at night with a group of forty councillors debating out on the street. Then we went into the Town Hall and I was voted Council Leader by three or four votes.”
If people can’t remember, it was under Graham Stringer that the city seriously began to wake from its post-industrial hangover.
Roger Ward, proprietor of Albert Square Chop House, edges behind Sir Richard Leese, Council Leader
Sleuth And The Alarming Confession
Sleuth was leading a Haunted Underworld tour in the city last Saturday. Suddenly a pair of ruffians charged past pursued by a police officer and a security guard. The latter caught up with the baddies in the Barton Arcade. One of Sleuth’s guests on the tour looked shaken. “That was my best mate,” he said. The rest of the group stared at him. Sleuth articulated what they were all thinking, “What, one of the lads arrested?” The young man went red, “No, no, the police officer.” Sighs of relief all round.
Sleuth's Jolly Graffitti Of The Week
Somebody, bless 'em, has taken it upon themselves to add Beatles lyrics to the help points round the city. This is the one on Portland Street. So all together now....
Portland Street sing-along
Sleuth's Gratuitous Picture Of Food
Here's some of the nosh available at Umezushi, underneath the arches at Victoria Station. Sleuth's put it here because he's hungry and he's going off to eat some. It was good food Japanese food. Full review next week. Website here.
Umezushi
