TNQ and Liam Fray are opening a new ‘all-day drinks and dining venue’ in Northern Quarter
The Courteeners' lead singer is teaming up with local club owner Jobe Ferguson and chef Anthony Fielden for the venture - which is set to take over Teacup Kitchen on Thomas Street.
The Courteeners’ lead singer is launching a venue in Nothern Quarter / Image: what_liam_saw
Liam Fray has teamed up with TNQ to launch a brand new all-day drinks and dining venue in Northern Quarter.
The Courteeners’ lead singer has partnered with Jobe Ferguson (TNQ, The Liars Group) and esteemed chef Anthony Fielden for the venture – taking over a vacant building on Thomas Street.
Titled ‘The Smithfield Social’, the cafe-bar’s concept is inspired by the multipurpose work-and-play brunch venues found over the pond in New York City – serving freshly-sourced grub in a laid-back setting from dawn ’til dusk.
Specialising in high-quality breakfasts, gourmet sandwiches and small plates, the venue will open from 8am to 1am every day – doubling as a morning hangout and late-night drinking den.
Construction underway on the new Smithfield Social venue.
Just like there’s a story behind every Courteeners song, The Smithfield Social says there’s a tale behind each of their dishes.
The venue has committed itself exclusively to “local, seasonal, ethically-produced items”, with specially-cured butcher’s bacon, brioche buns, organic avocados, and the “Rolls-Royce of eggs” all included on the breakfast menu (which will run until 4pm).
Other plates include top-quality corn-fed chicken wings, lasagne with buffalo mozzarella, meatballs, lamb kofta and smoky Baba Ghanoush.
Fresh-pressed juices, healthy ginger shots, loose-leaf teas, and Indian coffee blends (offered in collaboration with local roastery Heart and Graft) will be available to order in-house for a working lunch or on-the-go.
A newly-renovated bar will also be serving wines from around the world (with owners promising an option for every pocket size) – including a chardonnay named ‘best in the world’ and a specially-curated Bloody Mary menu.
Cocktails and low ABV drinks will be up for grabs, with local brewery Cloudwater taking up two draught taps.
Food dishes will also be available for click-and-collect to tuck into at home.
Smithfield Social will take its place on NQ’s main strip / Image: David Dixon via Geograph
Fray is the latest local musician to dive into the hospitality scene, with The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess announcing a collab with Koffee Pot to bring his Tim Peaks coffee concept to The Deaf Institute last year.
The Courteeners frontman has been a familiar face in NQ for over a decade – harbouring a close friendship with the TNQ team for several years.
As well as having an award-winning food & drink team behind the project, Fray is also inheriting a building with deep roots in Manc music; with the most recent occupant Teacup Kitchen owned by legendary Manchester DJ Mr Scruff.
With the venue lying dormant for several months since Teacup’s closure, The Smithfield Social has swiftly stepped in to take its place on the NQ main strip.
Thomas Street was redesigned in summer 2020 to create extra space for its bars to stretch out and offer al fresco dining (considered a safer option during the pandemic). The whole street is set to reawaken in a matter of weeks when outdoor hospitality restrictions are lifted – and is being widely tipped as the go-to spot for summer drinks now that pedestrianisation in Northern Quarter is becoming permanent.
Despite its status as the ‘new kid on the block’, The Smithfield Social is unlikely to find making friends a problem – with Courteeners fans likely to flock to the bar from its launch date on April 12.
Despite his great achievements on stage, The Smithfield Social represents Fray’s first foray into the hospitality sector. But with a multitalented and widely experienced team behind him, it sounds like all the ingredients are there for an exciting new venue…
The Smithfield Social will welcome customers on April 12 when outdoor hospitality returns to action.
A full opening is planned for May 17 when indoor venues are permitted to trade again.
Table bookings go live tomorrow – with a link available on The Smithfield Social Instagram page @TheSmithfieldSocialNQ.
Owners have announced they are currently recruiting for roles at the new venue, including bar staff and kitchen workers (email nq@thesmithfieldsocial.com for more information).
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
10th March 2021 
