Hatch is getting ready for Christmas with new shops and street food – here’s what to expect

Speeding through freshers, with the summer seasons far behind us, the team at Hatch are getting ready for Christmas. With more and more sellers joining the Hatch family, this independent retail space is expanding quick.

Located on Oxford Road, Hatch first opened in December 2017, with an exterior not dissimilar to that of London’s Box Park.

The quirky pop-up destination continues to grow and expand, providing the people of Manchester a unique shopping experience and a food-lovers heaven, to put it simply. 

Food options at Hatch are in no shortage, with nibbles ranging from corndogs to Vietnamese sandwiches.

There are currently 17 different food and drink traders in the block, including a brand new French Creperie.

Setting up shop in the courtyard, customers can get their sugar fix with sweet (and savoury) crepes and waffles with lashings of toppings, all from the window of Panquake’s vintage 1975 Citroen van. 

Tapping into the Mediterranean cuisine is new arrival Abeja Tapas, an independent contemporary tapas bar serving up the most delectable Spanish flavours and dishes from the Granada region of southern Spain.

An exclusively curated wine list, plus food inspired by generations-old recipes is an equation for success in our opinion. 

Turkish-slash-Cypriot bar and kitchen Mezze has transported into a much bigger venue, boasting two stories of kebabs, halloumi and heaps and heaps of hummus.

The father-daughter team have even created an extra-special ‘doggy dishes’ menu, to cater for the community of pooches that find continuously themselves at Hatch. How sweet!

Last but not least, after an extremely successful summer, Hatch welcomes Parmogeddon into a new, much bigger space.

Dishing up mountains of fried chicken goodness, covered in a rich and creamy béchamel sauce, the pop-up kitchen has moved to a permanent unit in the centre of Hatch to serve you your cheesy fix.

With both meat and vegan options, everything at Parmogeddon is made from scratch from the freshest ingredients, all sourced locally. 

And for the shopaholics out there, Hatch have welcomed a range of new retailers to help you smash that Christmas shopping.

First off – This Thing of Ours. Inspired by his travels across the globe, Tim McTavish set up his own men’s clothing and lifestyle store in hatch earlier this year, selling garments from Japan and Korea, that are not easily found elsewhere. 

In fact, Tim is one of only two sellers in the entire United Kingdom to be selling some of the brands available at This Thing Of Ours, including Japanese brand ‘Comfy Outdoor Garment’.

Designed with a fashionable yet functional mindset, the Harajuku clothing line is perfect for the city of Manchester, making this store a great find for the winter months, and a perfect fit for Hatch, too.

“I think that retail is changing a lot, and when people come out shopping, they are looking for more of an experience, not just a basic retail experience, which they can get online,” said Tim.

“So Hatch really gives us the opportunity to have [other] things on one site, and capture that audience that are really after a day out and not just shopping anymore.”

Just two doors down is Shmyls, the Santa’s grotto of the Hatch community. Lining the shelves with precious jewellery, homewares and cards, Shmyls is the perfect destination for stocking fillers and gifts for mum.

And everything is ethically made, so you can pick up some sustainable, guilt-free gifts this Christmas. 

“I spend a lot of time trying to source things, finding newer independent places. Everything is ethically made, ethically sourced, and it’s all sustainable, and all the textiles are made for recycled cotton, which is quite important to me,” said Sarah.

Coming soon, Sarah will be introducing her specially selected Xmas hampers, containing a gloriously-soft throw blanket, a scented candle and a ceramic mug all of your choice. Almost like a pick and mix for adults, we’d say.

Other noteworthy mentions include Bulb Flower Studio, who have now taken on a larger unit at Hatch to showcase their wonderful range of plants, pots and flowers.

This indoor greenhouse is the perfect place to find your shrubbery, or even just pop down to bask in all of its green glory.

Run by young people for young people, Bulb Flower Studio brings customers creatively modern arrangements at an affordable price. Talk about hashtag plant power. 

Another brand new arrival is Gold Panther Tattoo, which has just set up shop in the rear of the Hatch park. Home to renowned studio artists Kendel Nicholson and Becky Pope, the tattoo parlour is the new pitstop for ink-addicts.

So whether you’re looking to add more to your collection, or lose your tattoo virginity, get down to hatch and Gold Panther will welcome you with open arms. And some needles…

Hatch is open from 8am-11pm Monday to Friday, staying open until midnight on Saturdays. Sunday hours run from 11am-6pm, and the best bit: Hatch is dog friendly! So feel free to bring down your dogs and let them indulge in a bit of puppy shopping themselves.