Sleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious @mcrsleuth
TEACUP FOR SPINNINGFIELDS
Sleuth's been following the fortunes of the Leftbank folly (pictured above and below) since it began taking shape in Spinningfields at the back end of last year. Initial plans involved an oyster bar, then a Brazilian cocktail bar, then a kind of urban rainforest-cum-cinema featuring bamboo, herb gardens and a 72" LED screen. The screen didn't materialise. The bamboo did. The landscapers laughed all the way to the bank.
Now Sleuth hears Spinningfields have forged a new plan for the Leftbank folly, inviting Northern Quarter tea and cake specialists, Teacup (who've just taken on the Manchester Museum cafe, with plans to do the same in the Town Hall extension on St Peter's Square) to establish an indefinite pop-up in the space. Teacup told Sleuth they'd 'be offering take-away artisan coffees & teas, plus cakes and patisserie freshly made in our Teacup kitchen'.
Sleuth thinks adding a bit of sweet to Leftbank's growing food and booze medley is a good idea indeed, but wonders where the spider monkeys will live...
Teacup plan to open their Leftbank pop-up in 4-5 weeks - but what about the spider monkeys?
THE MYSTERY OF THE HANGING POO
Sleuth was stunned this week to learn that people are hanging bags of dog poo from trees in Chorlton (read all about it here). What baffles Sleuth most, in all of this, is why you'd go to the effort of buying these bags, stuffing them in your pocket, scooping up your pup's cack, tying up the bag, carrying it over to a tree, fastening it to a branch, before buggering off. It beggers belief. Surely if you're that unconcerned about leaving other people to deal with your pet's excreta, you'd just leave it lying on the floor, waiting patiently for Sleuth to come trampling through on his way to work. So Sleuth's calling these people out. Who are you? Explain yourselves. Is this some weird newfangled Chorlton compost collective Sleuth is unaware of? Is it a protest at the lack of dog poo bins? Or perhaps these stinky trinkets are warding off malevolent spirits. Sleuth must know. Tweet @mcrsleuth
Confidential freelancer Maria Roberts with an offending bag in Chorlton Water Park
PEELED AWAY
Seems despite pressure from local resident groups and campaigners to retain Manchester's wild 22-acre Pomona Island as an open green space and protect some 33 rare flora species, Peel have rattled on with their controversial Pomona Wharf scheme - which could eventually see up to 3000 new flats erected on the site. Some 1665 people signed a petition to halt construction and have Peel consider the frankly poor proposals and some small but grand green gesture to appease those who regularly used the island for leisure. Peel didn't listen. Below you can see the result. A crying shame, says Sleuth.
Before
After (image credits Childzy)
BUY TWO BONE MARROW, GET ONE FREE?
Sleuth was in Hawksmoor on Deansgate snaffling a split bone marrow with onion like...er...well like a dog with a bone. His colleague said, "How can you eat that? It's disgusting." Loads of people baulk at bone marrow. Sleuth had an idea when the waitress approached. "Given so many people are scared of the texture and notion of bone marrow," he said, "you should offer a third halved bone if the diner manages to eat the first two in their entirety. A little reward, you know." The waitress looked stern and thought not. Sleuth pursuing the idea like...er...a dog with a bone, repeated it when she came back. "I'll ask the management," she said drily, "to create a loyalty card like in coffee bars and we'll stamp it every time you come in and on the ninth time you get a free half." Dear Hawksmoor, promote the woman immediately.
Who Ate All The Bone Marrow?
SLEUTH'S BIGGEST LOVE SHOCK
Sleuth was in Chetham's Library and Medieval Buildings, describing their remarkable authenticity to visitors, how these 1421 buildings have remained largely unchanged. The famous Pevsner architectural guides describe these buildings as 'the best examples of their type and date in the country'. He turned a corner into the Baronial Hall and said, "Oh, well, that bit's new..."
Love in an old climate
BITTEREST (OR MOST ACCURATE) PROFILE OF THE WEEK
Susie Mathis used to be a feature of TV and Radio in the seventies and eighties. She was also a singer and actress, settling in the North West from her southern home. She is a well-known fundraiser for the Francis House Hospice particularly active during the Kirsty Howard appeal. Sleuth isn't sure about her Twitter profile though which reads: 'X Ballet Dancer X Singer X Radio Presenter X Wife'. Crikey.
SLEUTH'S PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Sleuth was in the Lamb Hotel in Eccles. He took this picture and he's proud of it. Two old timers along the same wall reading the papers, both heads bent, both with specs, both with a pint half full (or half empty if you're Susie Mathis). Sort of timeless, ain't it?
Picture of the week
SLEUTH'S TOURIST DESTINATION OF THE MONTH
This is the Lamb Hotel in Eccles. It's one of the loveliest pubs in all England with astonishing preservation of details from the golden age of pub extravagance around a hundred and ten to a hundred and forty years ago, in this case 1906. Mahogany bar and fireplaces, fantastical Art Nouveau tilework, loads of rooms, a full sized snooker table in a proper grand games' room. The bitter is classic Holt's bitter, there are whiskies galore and no doubt wines. Sleuth wants everyone to visit, perhaps we could all go together because it's the easiest place to get to and stagger away from. It sits about fifteen metres from the Eccles tram stop. As Sleuth was taking some pictures, he attracted the eye of one old timer, "Lovely pub this eh? said Sleuth, indicating the extravagant decor. "It is," said Jim, "it keeps its beer beautifully."
The Lamb Hotel, Eccles
