For several years, Prestwich has revelled in its reputation as the ‘next place to be’ in Greater Manchester. Estate agents have spent the better part of a decade branding the area as the most exciting part of the region, urging homebuyers to get in on the ground floor and join the up-and-coming community in the north.
It seems they might have been onto something. Head into Bury today, and there’s evidence to suggest that Prestwich is flourishing in a way that the experts were anticipating.
The town enjoyed a £2m high street makeover in 2017, with trendy bars and restaurants pitching up in the area before the local council acquired Longfield Shopping Centre as part of some big redevelopment plans.
But for all the colourful new neighbours moving in over the past couple of years – brunch spots, lively bars, intriguing restaurants – there’s been one thing Prestwich still didn’t have: A place that served genuinely authentic South American cuisine.
That’s where four locals saw an opportunity – and Gorge was born.
Gorge has been launched in Prestwich / Image: Gorge
Drawing on the culinary knowledge of his Brazilian partner, Steve Vickerstaff and his wife Luciana teamed up with another couple to launch Gorge – an authentic Latin restaurant that would serve as an exotic new piece in Prestwich’s crystallising international jigsaw.
Battling against a series of setbacks enforced by rolling lockdowns, the quartet have realised their ambition and opened a stylish eatery on Bury New Road where diners can tuck into bonafide Brazilian food in rustic surroundings of bare brick, polished wood and artwork.
Immersing guests in what the restaurant calls a “true South American dining experience,” Gorge presents popular staple dishes from the continent such as Picanha na Chapa, Salgadinhos, Vegeterian Moqueca & Pao de queijo.
The restaurant specialises in Latin American cuisine / Image: Gorge
And of course, there’s a real medley of meat dishes to try – all supplemented by a glorious rainbow-like array of cooked vegetables.
Skilled mixologists have also whirled up some cocktail creations to pair with the meals – such as the Caipicoco, Espresso Latini & the Floresta Tropical, alongside an array of classics.
“We’re planning to offer something Prestwich has never had before – something new and exciting with a really nice vibe,” says founder Steve.
“But at the same time, Gorge will be independent and family-owned – fitting right in with the vibe of the community.
“We’ve fully rewired the venue from top to bottom. Everything’s been designed and built from scratch.”
Gorge is the first restaurant of its kind on Prestwich high street / Image: Gorge
Now the hurdles have been cleared and the doors are finally open, Gorge’s focus is on delivering a new experience for the increasingly multicultural Prestwich community – complementing the food with a Latin soundtrack.
The Gorge team added: “It’s been a long road for us as a business due to COVID, however, to finally be open and working on a dream that started in a household kitchen in Brazil is truly amazing.
“We’ve been given such a warm reception by the public so far, and we are super excited about our future.”
It’s been a long wait. But a local taste of Latin America is finally on the menu in Prestwich.
And it looks terrific.
Head over to the Gorge website to learn more and book a table.
Featured image: Gorge
Bury
Loads of legendary retro steam trains will be travelling through Greater Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
History will be rolling through Greater Manchester next month as loads of legendary steam trains will be showcased.
East Lancashire Railway‘s (ELR) Legends of Steam event is back again for the second year after proving so popular last spring, and this time around, there’ll be loads of iconic locomotives with ties to both film and royalty on display.
Returning from Friday 14 – Sunday 16 March, as part of the heritage railway’s ongoing 200th anniversary celebrations, well-known historic steam trains such the LNER A1 Peppercorn Class 60163 ‘Tornado ’ and the LMS Black 5 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ will be on display, alongside a pair of ‘Bulleid’ light pacifics too.
‘Tornado’, which is the fastest steam engine to run since the 1960s, is also set to hit the tracks in a couple of weeks too.
This particular train has famously transported royals, and has appeared on TV shows and films, such as Top Gear and Paddington 2.
Fans of the ‘Jacobite’ steam train, which was made famous by its appearances over the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the much-loved Harry Potter film series, also have the chance to ride behind one of the regular locomotives from the Ian Riley fleet, 45407.
Rounding out the packed lineup is the instantly-recognisable pair of Southern Region Light Pacifics, 34092 ‘City of Wells’ and the recently-arrived Battle of Britain Class, 34081 ’92 Squadron’.
There’s also a number of dining experiences to make the most of too.
Rail enthusiasts can either enjoy an authentic ‘Golden Arrow’ menu on Friday 14 March aboard a traditional Pullman-styled carriage hauled by one of the Southern locomotives, or even take the unique opportunity to ride the iconic ‘Tornado on Saturday 15 March and indulge in fine dining options while travelling through the picturesque Irwell Valley.
East Lancashire Railway’s Legends of Steam festival will be back next month / Credit: ELR
“We are very proud to continue welcoming a great number of iconic locomotives to the ELR,” explained Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of the East Lancashire Railway.
“It is such a privilege to provide access to these express steam engines to the thousands of rail enthusiasts and families across the country, and also a great opportunity to introduce these legendary locomotives to first-timers wishing to experience the magic of rail travel.”
East Lancashire Railway’s Legends of Steam returns on Friday 14 – Sunday 16 March 2025.
Both day ticket and dining options available, and you can find out more information and grab your tickets on the ELR website here.
Featured Image – ELR
Bury
Legendary Bury Black Pudding reveals secrets – including powdered blood
Daisy Jackson
Bury Black Pudding is one of Greater Manchester’s most famous and excellent exports, creating a breakfast staple that puts the borough on the culinary map.
This familiar sight on a full English breakfast has been being made using a traditional time-honoured recipe for generations.
And while this delicious blood sausage might not be to everyone’s tastes, Bury Black Pudding is the king of them all.
It’s the leading brand in the UK, with a gold medal-winning recipe dating back more than 100 years, and has a whole variety of flavours including chilli, gluten free, vegetarian and white pudding varieties.
Recently, Bury Black Pudding revealed some of its secrets, allowing the BBC unprecedented access into its factory in Bury for an episode of Inside the Factory.
The series, hosted by Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey, went beneath the surface of this heritage brand, from production all the way through to packaging.
Viewers have been stunned to learn what goes into Bury Black Pudding, and it really isn’t as much of a bloody mess as your imagination might’ve led you to believe.
In fact, most of the ingredients are cereals – only 5% of it is blood.
And the blood in the blood sausage? It’s powdered.
Bury Black Pudding on BBC’s Inside the Factory. Credit: BBC
In the episode, production director Richard Morris (who has worked for Bury Black Pudding his whole life, following in his grandfather’s footsteps), said: “There’s no big tubs of blood.
“To actually transport it, it needs to be dry. And there’s also no bacteria in it, so we can use this over a 12 month period.”
Inside every delicious slice you’ll also find oatmeal, pearl barley, rusk, onions and pork fat.
Another surprising thing is the sheer size and volume of the black puddings before they’re portioned and packaged for our homes.
A 600kg batch will make about 3,000 black puddings, with the mixture added to a vacuum filler before being pumped under high pressure into recyclable plastic casings.
Hundreds of these tubes are cooked into a steam oven for an hour and 20 minutes, then sliced into the black pudding we recognise in an ultrasonic slicer.
3,000 sticks a day, five days a week, are sliced up for the shelves into around 120,000 slices.
Speaking of the opportunity to appear on Inside the Factory, brand and marketing manager Matthew McDermid said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the heritage and passion that goes into making our black pudding.
“We are incredibly proud of our history and our role in bringing this traditional product to consumers, we can’t wait for the nation to see how the UK’s leading brand of black pudding is made.”
The Manc -
19th August 2021 
