CityLife

It could be chocolate heaven for Manchester

SPOILING US: The World Record Ferrero Rocher Eating Contest at the fest

CHOCOHOLICS could be in for a sweet treat in the very near future – as CityLife can reveal plans for Manchester’s first chocolate festival.

The scheme is the brainchild of husband and wife restaurateur team Paul and Emma Morris, who organised the inaugural Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival.

And it could have foodie aficionados trekking from all over the country to get a taste of the fun, if their ‘Rammy’ event was anything to go by.

Organised as a small marquee event in the Market Place, the festival attracted so many thousand visitors from outside the town that some shops had to close their doors for health and safety reasons.

“We had no idea it would be this busy,” says Paul – who had to turn customers away from his own shop, The Chocolate Café.

“We just wanted an event to celebrate all the great chocolatiers of the north west and all the great food and drink that Ramsbottom has on offer at the moment.

“Now it’s been such a big hit we’re after world domination – with the next stop being Manchester. We want to set up a chocolate festival there this time next year.”

The couple, who set up their confectionary café just one year ago, have already signed a lease to open their next chocolate hot spot on Deansgate. With plans to be serving the city’s sweet-toothed shoppers by mid-May.

Coronation Street

Which is good news for some of the shop’s celebrity fans – as I hear several famous faces are already regular customers to their current store. Including several Coronation Street and Emmerdale stars, as well as a few footballing names.

Recent celeb spots include Emmerdale’s Sammy Winward and Lisa Riley.

It’s just the latest culinary credit for the town, near Bury, which is fast gaining a reputation as the gourmet hotspot of the north west thanks to a run of recession-beating new restaurants opening in the past few months.

Not to forget the town’s other famous fashion exports – supermodel Agyness Deyn and designer Henry Holland. Both of whom will be invited to the planned Manchester event.

“We’ll be having a big opening party and there may even be a few famous faces,” says Paul. “We’ll be showing the people of Manchester what real chocolate is.”

Now, there’s a goodie bag worth looking forward to…