Food & Drink
Lunya is closing its Manchester restaurant for good after five years in the city
They won’t be reopening after lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Lunya is to close its Manchester branch after the restrictions are lifted due to COVID-19.
Lunya Manchester is one of three Lunya sites in the North West, and the owners have stated that: “the impact of COVID-19 has been profound on our business and we cannot survive the future with three restaurant sites.”
To try and remain open, Lunya discussed with landlords, lenders and government agencies to secure additional funding and support but have been unsuccessful in any of these.
Lunya states: “In the close to five years that we have been open, Lunya has been taken to heart by Mancunians, supporting us every step of the way.
“Our highlights being awarded the MEN City Life restaurant of the Year in our first year of opening and being listed in the Good Food Guide for every year we have been open. We have been successful on so many levels and have loved every minute of it.”
The statement from the owners also explains that Brexit has had a hugely negative impact on their business, stating: “The last two years since the Brexit referendum have presented additional challenges for everyone in the hospitality industry, and especially us as a hugely import-focused business.
“With declining consumer confidence, a huge drop in the Euro exchange rate and large increases in business rates, general costs and overheads, this has meant significant cost pressures and taken together with the devastating impact of the closure from the Coronavirus, it has made Lunya Manchester financially untenable, and our current site too expensive to operate from for as long as we can see.”
The two Liverpool sites will remain open with the statement explaining that ‘we think we can manage with two sites opening with partial covers, whenever the government allows us to’.
Back in March, Lunya shared an impassioned tweet to the Prime Minister about the action from the government needed for businesses. It was seen by 2 million people.
The Manchester staff remain furloughed and Lunya promises to maintain this for as long as possible, envisaging this to finish at the end of August.
They have started a statutory redundancy consultation and have urged any other restaurants looking for chefs, waiters, retail staff, bar staff and managers to look to their huge talent in their team.
The statement finishes with: We have wonderful customers and hope through our online, local deliveries and other events we will still enjoy their support and serve them – just in a different way. It will be more ‘hasta pronto’ rather than ‘adios’. Manchester hasn’t seen the last of us.
Food & Drink
Restaurant famed for ‘cheese wheel pasta’ and ‘towering lasagnas’ looking to come to Manchester
A taste of la dolce vita could be coming to Manchester
The ‘OTT’ group famous for its pasta served in a wheel of cheese and 10-level lasagnas is reportedly looking to open a new Italian restaurant in Manchester city centre.
French-based Big Mamma Group, which owns over-the-top Italian restaurants in London – Gloria, Carlotta, Jacuzzi, Ave Mario and Circolo Popolare – will open a new venue in Gary Neville’s under-construction St Michael’s development off Deansgate.
Its restaurants are known for their flamboyant, retro interiors, resembling vintage maximalism Italian eateries, as well as US-style red sauce joints.
The regularly changing menus feature a variety of Italian classics, including fettuccine alfredo al tartufo, spaghetti with meatballs, a famous ’10 level’ lasagne and carbonara served in a huge cheese wheel.
The Manchester restaurant will be the first UK venue to be located outside of London and will – sit alongside the also announced Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Chotto Matte, also to be built at St Michael’s.
The move follows a host of other operators in the capital choosing to open new sites in Manchester.
Soon to arrive in the city will be the likes of Caravan, Flat Iron, Soho House and Blacklock.
Big Mamma – which was founded in 2013 by French entrepreneurs Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux – has more than 20 restaurants across Europe including Paris, Monaco, Milan, Madrid and Berlin.
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Food & Drink
High-end Japanese restaurant MUSU offering 30% off in March
Take advantage of vibrant Japanese dining experience
High-end Japanese restaurant MUSU is offering 30% off in March for customers who sign up to its new free rewards programme.
The contemporary Japanese eatery, nestled in the heart of the city centre on Bridge Street, is launching its own membership rewards programme.
The scheme is free to join and will give members 30% off their food bill throughout March upon signing up.
Rewards customers can enjoy discounted prices on menus including the Omakase – the theatrical, educational sushi experience which is served individually to diners at the restaurant’s six–seat omakase counter.
This also includes the full Land of the Rising Sun tasting menus, which take in a range of cooking styles from all over Japan, devised by chef-patron Mike Shaw.
Then from April, members of the programme will be able to take advantage of a series of other rewards, including 30% off any food bill when dining at lunch time, 10% off when dining at dinner on any menu, and a 10% discount on private hire and private dining.
The restaurant has a closed-off area for its private dining experience for guests to enjoy, which is regularly used by celebrities and food critics alike.
On top of this, members celebrating their birthdays at MUSU will receive a complimentary drink, and every reward programme member will be entered into a monthly prize draw to win a 12-course Land of the Rising Sun experience, complete with wine pairings.
You can get early access to the restaurant’s special events, like its live tuna cutting experience, where a whole bluefin tuna is carved in front of diners, while its expert sushi chefs talk you through the provenance of the fish and the skills displayed in this ancient craft.
You can sign up to MUSU’s free rewards scheme, HERE.
One lucky winner can win free cocktails for life at a Manchester Tiki bar to celebrate 15 years of being open.
This April will mark 15 years of Hula – the Northern Quarter’s basement 1950s-style beach bar lounge – and to celebrate, the venue wants to offer one lucky winner a life-long prize to say ‘thank you’ for supporting them over the years.
Many Mancunians will have memories of being in this vibrant late night party hideout at some point, even if they are a little sketchy through a cloudy cocktail ridden haze.
April 12th and 13th will be the bar’s official birthday weekend and they have some exciting plans for their guests.
As a special treat, Hulu is running a competition online where one lucky winner will be treated to free zombies for life.
All you have to do is visit @hulatikimcr on Instagram, like the post, follow the page and share to your stories for an extra entry.
In a post on Instagram, Hula wrote: “So… April will mark 15 years of Hula. I know crazy! Every one of us has memories of being in Hula at some point (some we’d probably like to forget)
“It may have gone through some changes throughout the years but Hula remains standing.
“April 12th & 13th will be our official birthday weekend and we have some exciting plans in place… more on that later. So as a special treat to celebrate, we thought why not give back to those who have kept us here all these years.
“We are giving one lucky winner free zombies for LIFE! Like FOREVER!”
Stay tuned for further details of Hula’s 15th birthday celebrations across April 12th and 13th. You can find Hula hidden below Quarter House and The Fitzgerald at 11 Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter.
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