It's the Caribbean takeaway beloved among England footballers and Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown. But Mama Flo's, in Stockport, has not forgotten its roots.
Throughout the summer holidays, the shop is serving up free meals to scores of hungry schoolchildren. Owner Florence Coke said she had made the generous offer to ease the pressure on struggling families during the cost of living crisis.
Yet just days into the school break, even she did not anticipate how many people would take her up on it. "Yesterday (Tuesday), was jammed," she said.
READ MORE: Everywhere kids can eat FREE or for £1 in Manchester in the summer holidays
"They were queuing out on to the road. It was like a whirlwind. People have been taking meals out too."
With kids now off school for the summer, the prospect of rising food and energy bills is one facing many families. There is concern that the added financial pressure could plunge even more households into hardship.
To help people save some cash, several supermarkets and restaurants have committed to providing free meals to children this summer. Yet for a tiny takeaway like Mama Flo's, is taking the same step not a huge risk?
"It's hard but I have to help them," explained Flo. "I know people are struggling. I have seen it and heard it.
"I talk to people secretly. Customers come in and say 'Mama Flo, I'm struggling. That's all I have'. I don't even count it because I know it's not enough but I give them the meal."
The free meals, which are available between 12.30pm and 3pm from Tuesday to Friday, include a range of chicken dishes served with chips, rice and peas.
As well as a hot home-cooked meal, children also receive a goodie bag. Unlike the majority of offers made by restaurants or supermarket chains this summer, Mama Flo's does not require a paying adult or a minimum spend for children to eat for free.
In recent years, Mama Flo's has forged a reputation as a go-to takeaway for the rich and famous. Among the well-known faces to have popped in are Manchester City's Kyle Walker and United captain Harry Maguire.
Other regulars include West Brom’s Kyle Bartley, local Stockport lad Will Mellor, Edwina Currie and Stone Roses icon Ian Brown.
Florence, who used to sell copies of the Manchester Evening News outside the newspaper’s former offices on Deansgate, gave up her job on the perfume counters at Selfridges in 2010 to open her first takeaway in Gorton. She moved to the current premises in Buxton Road, Stockport, in 2013.
During the lockdowns, the grandmother-of-seven came to the community’s aid, providing hundreds of free meals to hospitals, care homes, and schools, as well as NHS staff and keyworkers. She would often wake at 4am to start cooking for her 'Free Food Mondays', when she would provide meals for nurses, police officers and ambulance crews.
Despite her success, Flo says she has always tried to lend a hand to those less fortunate.
Local mum Tracey has brought her two young children to Mama Flo's for the second day in a row. She decided to check out the offer after seeing a post about it on Mama Flo's Facebook page.
"You don't see this sort of thing often," Tracey explained. "It seemed too good to be true.
"The kids have loved it. They are missing their school meals and this is a lovely, fresh home-cooked meal for them.
"When you come in here, you don't feel embarrassed. Flo is happy to see the children and tells you to come back. I have four kids and she lets me take food home for them."
During term time, Tracey's children are eligible for free school meals - a lifeline that guarantees them at least one nutritious hot meal each day.
Over the school holidays, Stockport council says it had provided a £30 voucher to primary and pre-school children who receive free school meals, while eligible secondary school children have received £45. Yet as grocery bills soar week-on-week, such amounts are unlikely to provide much relief for parents like Tracey.
"A lot of people will not cope without them [free school meals]," said Tracey. "People are struggling.
"Prices are going up everywhere. I have had to cut back and just get the essentials.
"I tell my kids to turn their chargers off when they are not using them. It's worrying but somewhere like this is a godsend."
However, Tracey says she has had to warn her daughter not to tell anyone about the free meals as she fears it may lead to her getting teased.
"Children get teased so I've told them not to tell their friends they are getting free food," Tracey explained. "It puts them in a certain bracket and I don't want them to be labelled."
While Flo is happy to continue giving what she can to those in need, she would also like to see other hospitality businesses follow suit this summer.
She explained: "I put on my Facebook page saying 'for the food traders, if it's only one, two, three, please help your community'.
"The more I give, the more customers I get in my shop. It's always overflowing.
"I love to give because I remember when I was growing up, food was always there abundantly. That's why I have to help others. I will not stop, I can't."
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