By Neil Sowerby
TUMBLEWEED is about to blow down those mean food streets. We’ll all be shaving off our beards and using proper cutlery again come autumn. A little premature perhaps, but the countdown to the end of the Friday Food Fights feels like the end of an era.
They’ve been running at the at the Great Northern Warehouse since October and organisers B.Eat Street say it’s time to pause the hugely popular event, which was originally meant to be just a series of two 12-week runs. The last three will be held on July 10, 24 and 31 with a grand closing party scheduled for Saturday, August 1.
With friendly pop-up rivals Guerrilla Eats on hiatus after their own 12-week residency at the Wonder Inn, Shudehill, there’s left a yawning dawg, burger and pizza party void. But fret not, the Empire of the Streets is fighting back.
Guerrilla Eats is launching a series of courses to guide aspiring and developing street food traders into the industry, at the innovative Cook:Manchester facility in Old Trafford. New and existing traders alike will have the option to attend a three-hour crash course or an intensive course depending on their needs. The first crash course is 11am-2pm on Sunday, July 12 (book here), with the first Intensive course date is on Sunday, July 26. Further courses are planned for October and January with places going fast
Meanwhile, B.Eat Street are not sitting back, promising a top secret project they aim to launch in September or October. It will be fascinating to see how these street food party pioneers tweak the tried and tested formula of ‘eats, beats and booze’.
This week’s line-up features Big Grillie Style, the Fabulous Burger Boys, Sugar Dumplin and Ginger Tart and DJ Mat Lake on the decks. Entry is free and it is open from 5.30pm to 11pm.
B.Eat Street will continue to operate the Great Northern venue as a private events space until the end of the year.
How to plug the gap? Check out that permanent pop-up, Kitchens Spinningfields – a TOM fave. Read our review.
