There's no escaping the fact that this year has been a difficult one for many across the region. Manchester's hospitality industry is just one of the many sectors grappling with the cost of living crisis as the price of ingredients soar, energy bills rise and recruitment issues continue to plague the industry.
Despite record numbers visiting the city during Manchester Christmas Markets, the region's bars and restaurants are still dealing with the aftershocks of the pandemic. Coupled with the rail strikes before Christmas and the notably harsh winter weather in the lead up to Christmas, keeping up and running is proving to be just as difficult as during the series of Covid-19 lockdowns.
Unfortunately in 2022, we've had to say goodbye to a number of much-loved restaurants and bars as owners and operators made the difficult decision to shutter for good. Below we take a look at the Manchester businesses that have closed their doors this year.
READ MORE: Manchester sandwich shop forced to close just three months after opening as rent doubles
JJ Vish & Chips
It was July when Manchester's first fully vegan fish and chip shop announced it was closing for good. JJ Vish and Chips opened as a takeaway in Manchester in February 2021, after having success with its first venture in Leeds.
The popular spot offered an entirely plant-based menu and had opened to huge acclaim, with vegan diners raving about the variety of food available at the Levenshulme takeaway. Sadly owner Jess Jones, made an emotional statement on social media announcing the immediate closure of both its sites this summer, citing delivery platform fees, rising costs of oil, utilities, fuel, stock and the impact of the pandemic.
Vertigo
All the way back in March, Manchester's vegan restaurant Vertigo closed down all its restaurants after the pandemic 'took its toll'. In a post to Instagram, owners blamed reduced footfall in the city centre and lack of office trade as the reason for the closure.
A statement on Instagram read: “It is with a heavy heart we have to announce Vertigo is no more. Sadly, we have ceased trading at all of our sites. The pandemic really took its toll on us, and trade is still well behind what it was pre-March 2020."
In August, it was confirmed a London-born restaurant specialising in fresh vegan pasta would be opening in the former Vertigo site on Cross Street near to the Royal Exchange Theatre.
The Moor
The much-loved restaurant in Heaton Moor closed down in April, issuing a pained statement on its website citing insurmountable problems with increased overheads, from produce to energy costs. The neighbourhood spot on Shaw Road only opened in 2020, during which time it had received a number of brilliant reviews, with some dubbing its chips the ‘best in Manchester’.
Chef James Hulme said: "We did everything to make this happen but ultimately, for a restaurant that wanted to be as sustainable as possible - from making charcoal, utilising every piece of the animal or fish, having close to zero waste and working with small independents - we believe that moving forward, as a business, this simply isn’t sustainable.”
Lättsam
This Manchester cafe and bar inspired by Scandinavians culture shuttered in August, blaming the issues left in the wake of Covid-19. Lättsam, located between St Peter's Square and Market Street, served artisan coffee and food and was opened by the team behind brewery Beatnikz Republic in December 2020.
Taking to social media to announce the sad news, the cafe's owners wrote: "Thank you to our loyal customers who loved our chilled-out vibes and couldn’t get enough of our gorgeous meatballs. We hope to bump into you in the future. Thank you & goodbye (Tack adjö), Team Lättsam.”
Frost Burgers
Another summer closure came from the team behind Frost Burgers on Portland Street, who blamed the cost of living crisis for its closure. Despite it's popularity, the vegan burger bar closed for good on August 13, though its Liverpool site remained open.
The owners of Frost Burgers took to Instagram to announce the closure and urged regulars to come down and enjoy a final meal before they closed their doors for good. They said: "We knew expanding the business post pandemic had its risks, but with all the support our Liverpool branch had received we were confident Manchester would be a success.
"Then the current financial situation hit: inflation, increasing food prices, energy bills, supplies and the rapid rise of cost of living has forced us into a situation we cannot come back from. It’s a really hard time for any small businesses and we send our love and support to all those still fighting."
Chapati Cafe
Chorlton’s Chapati Cafe on Wilbraham Road, which had been well-known for its home-cooked Gujarati-influenced food, and its daily changing menu of ‘rice and three’ curries, announced its closure in August.
Founded by husband and wife duo Dan Hall and Priti Chauhan-Hall in 2014, it had become a much-loved part of Chorlton’s food and drink scene, and just last year, expanded to a second branch over at MediaCity. Owner Dan took to Instagram to announce the news, writing: "After careful consideration and deliberation, the result is that we are downsizing our business for a while and unfortunately this means releasing the leasehold at Chorlton to allow another business to take advantage of the amazing space."
The Creameries
In late September, lauded chef Mary-Ellen McTague confirmed that her Chorlton restaurant The Creameries would be closing for good. Despite rave reviews from national critics and a loyal following, the chef said the combination of the pandemic and rising costs meant the business was no longer able to continue.
“The whole thing has been awful, but it has been like that since the beginning of the pandemic,” she told the Manchester Evening News . "In September 2019, we started operating just as a restaurant, doing tasting menus, and it was working so well. We had a brilliant Jay Rayner review, it was packed, we were making money, not just keeping afloat. Then the pandemic hit, and we’ve been f**ked since then."
V Rev
Also in September, the hugely popular Northern Quarter restaurant V Rev said its final goodbye - just a few days after announcing reduced opening hours to keep the business running. The restaurant issued a statement saying that the issue was "now out of our hands and we're absolutely gutted".
V Rev had been a popular eatery in Manchester for the past ten years - and was one of the first establishments in the city to serve a 100 per cent vegan menu. Explaining the decision, they wrote: "The past few years with lockdown and restrictions brought us to a point where we're not able to financially recover and stay operational. Obviously, this isn't how we wanted things to end - this is now out of our hands and we're absolutely gutted.”
Blackshaws
A Stockport restaurant next to the market hall confirmed its closure in September - but said it would be back in a new guise at a later date. Blackshaws originally opened as a family bakery and confectioners and was later transformed into kitchen and bar by hospitality operator Steve Pilling who also owns the town’s Produce Hall.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News at the time , he said: “It is closed for a makeover and will reopen as an evening restaurant, which will build on Stockport’s booming food scene with many of the fine-dining chefs from the Damson days of Heaton Moor and further afield. We believe that there needs to be more food-based businesses in the town centre and we would like to be at the forefront of this - it’s all very positive for Stockport in these difficult times."
The Albany
Before the cost of living crisis really began to bite, The Albany, a hotel and restaurant in Heywood, was forced to close due to the ‘ridiculous’ rise in utility bills from ‘greedy’ energy firms. The venue functioned as a hotel and a pub and restaurant named The Orchard.
The owners sadly announced the news via social media, stating that it would have to close due to 'circumstances out of our control'. The post read: "So to stop the rumours there’s no buyer, it's not been put up for sale or sold for flats! It’s closed only because of the ridiculous rise in utility bills the last two months. So please do everything as Heywood people do want to keep the remaining shops, pubs and local businesses open!"
District
A few months ago, District, the Thai-inspired barbecue celebrated by the Michelin Guide for its cutting edge menus, confirmed it would be closing, but re-opening at some point as a bar - which it re-launched this December. It said ‘extreme economical pain’ was the reason for the closure of the restaurant.
The Oldham Street spot let customers know about the changes through an email sent in its own quirky manner. It read: “Recent events have taken their toll and we are facing extreme economical pain. A final coming together of the off-world vigilantes to overthrow tyrannical rule is the only route to survival.”
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News at the time , owner Danny Collins said: “There must only be a small handful of restaurants in Manchester breaking even right now. The cost of ingredients has gone through the roof and there is only so much we can charge for a meal before people stop coming in.”
Peck & Yard
Earlier this year, an award-winning chicken restaurant shuttered for good, saying goodbye to its team and customers via an emotional farewell video. Peck & Yard served chicken dishes with an Asian twist, and was launched in 2018 by friends Ed Cayton and Bovies Chee.
In a caption accompanying the emotional farewell, the Peck & Yard owners wrote: "So, that’s a wrap from us. It’s been tough and we did our best but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. The hardest thing was saying goodbye to our loyal staff members. We just have to go back to the drawing board and come back stronger."
Not too long after, the team announced that they would re-open their restaurant as a ramen restaurant and bar. Called Shogun Ramen and Bar, it serves up hearty bowls of ramen and sushi.
The Spinn
In September, Emmerdale star Adam Thomas announced the shock closure of The Spinn restaurant in Gatley. Waterloo Road and I'm a Celebrity star Adam confirmed to the M.E.N. that the restaurant had closed while he and the team concentrated their efforts on other parts of their burgeoning hospitality business instead.
Adam told the Manchester Evening News: "Unfortunately we have decided to close The Spinn. We did what we had to do with The Spinn and we learnt so much building our first venture and more importantly we had an absolute blast.
"But after 3 years we felt the time was right for us to move on. We are now focusing on the next chapter of The Spinn … The Spinn off and Oh My Glaze. With the success The Spinn Off is having and Oh My Glaze, we wanted to concentrate on building and expanding them and in order for us to do so we had to close The Spinn."
Boujee
In early October, signs went up saying Manchester's all-pink Boujee restaurant and bar was 'closed'. A note reading 'closed, so sorry' was taped to the front door of the Bridge Street venue in the city centre.
Carnival, its Caribbean and Latino-inspired pop-up on the restaurant terrace, also appeared to be shut with a note placed outside the venue reading 'we are extremely sorry but due to unforeseen circumstances we are left with no other options to close the venue'. The 'instagrammable' venue opened inside the former historic Freemasons Hall in May 2021 and served served sushi and small plates from an array of bar and dining spaces, including a selfie room complete with pink 'private jet' and Barbie and Ken boxes.
Super Happy
Just before Christmas, the popular sandwich and burger spot was forced to close its doors after its rent soared in price. Super Happy had been serving its popular sandwiches from a kitchen counter at Ducie Street Warehouse since September - and recently launched a new burger concept named 'Now That's A Burger'.
Despite its popularity, the owners announced just a couple of weeks ago that its rent has "essentially doubled", and that they had tried to 'find a way to make it work' but the numbers didn't add up. The shop closed just before Christmas and is taking a break while they try and find a new location for the business.
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