Sitting on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and surrounded by the Saddleworth Moor on the edge of the Pennines, it’s no wonder the village of Uppermill is one of the most desirable places to live in Greater Manchester.
Once home to wool and cotton mills, Uppermill is now a hub for contemporary bars, restaurants and boutiques. Joining the village’s stellar lineup of dining spots is Grandpa Greene’s, the award-winning ice cream shop, which has taken up residence on King George V Playing Fields on Wade Row.
Located in the former public toilet block on the edge of Uppermill Park, the new venue held a soft launch a couple of weeks back, selling takeaway ice creams, hot and cold drinks, and a range of sandwiches to give customers a “taster of what’s to come”, before opening fully on Thursday (June 15). The new glass-fronted Bistro and parlour perched on one side of the park proved a big hit on opening day, as residents and day trippers queued for a seat overlooking the sun-soaked playing field.
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Situated in the Saddleworth area of Oldham, the park is only small but is steeped in history, housing the site of the former 17th Century abbey, and linking up to walks along the River Tame and the Huddersfield Canal.
It marks the second outpost for the luxury ice cream makers whose flagship parlour and cafe bar is nestled in the rolling green hills of Diggle. The ice cream is all made in Greater Manchester by a family continuing the tradition of their "Grandpa Greene'' who first started making ice creams in the backyard of his corner shop in Salford in the 1920s.
In recent years, it has proven so popular that it's started to go on sale at a range of farm shops across the region, while those who head to the Diggle cafe are more than happy to queue down the street to try one of their delicious ice creams - and it’s even been known to stop traffic.
The team behind the new spot shared on social media their gratitude for all the people that turned out on opening day. "Thank you so much to everyone who has joined us today at the opening of our Uppermill site, whether it be dining in with us or just takeout, the support doesn’t go unnoticed and we really appreciate having you all along on this new venture with us!
"We are absolutely in love with the new location, we truly feel as though it is our second home! Although we couldn’t be more over the moon with the opening, this is just the start and we cannot wait to see where this journey takes us!”
The planning application for the new bistro and parlour initially caused some controversy when residents raised concern over a loss of green space, lack of parking in the area and litter. One of the other main concerns over the venue’s application was the alcohol licence. Some residents were worried about the effect of serving alcohol within the playing fields, but terms were approved and the new cafe is now allowed to serve alcohol from 11am to 7pm from Monday to Sunday.
Now officially open, the airy and light space on the edge of the park feels right at home with Uppermill’s other restaurants and bars. The design of the space features a wraparound glass-fronted exterior, cappuccino-coloured booths and a number of stylish interior details - think trendy mirrors, rattan lamp shades and plenty of green matter.
Food wise, customers can sit or takeaway, and tuck into a range of different dishes spanning breakfast, small plates, mains, baguettes and desserts. From the breakfast menu, there’s classics such as Full English (“£12.50) and eggs benedict (£10.50), alongside bacon and sausage sandwiches (starting from £4.50).
Small plates, served from midday, range from bbq pork belly (£7.50) and spiced corn ribs (£4.95) to southern fried chicken thighs (£7.95), while main plates span chicken caesar salad (£12.50), black truffle and burrata tortellini (£16.95) and pulled harissa lamb flatbread (£15.95). Baguettes start from £9.50 and encompass filings like salt and pepper chicken, caprese, and pastrami with Emmental cheese and rocket mustard mayonnaise.
Desserts, which have proved a hit at Grandpa Greene’s flagship in Diggle also feature, including pancakes topped with Kinder Bueno, Nutella or Lotus (£10.50), and sundaes like the Kinderalla with Nutella and Kinder ice cream, whipped cream and sauce. Speaking of ice creams, the new space also features a takeaway hatch serving up Grandpa Greene’s much loved, handmade ice creams.
Flavours span chocolate, strawberry, vanilla cookies & cream, salted caramel, mint choc chip, Lotus, Biscoff, Bubblegum, and a vegan passionfruit and mango, and come served in a choice of cones and tubs, including an edible tub (£3), waffle cone (£3), chocolate cone (£3.25) and sprinkles cone (£3.50). The portions are sizable, so many won’t need a double scoop of ice cream, but if you’re going all out, an extra scoop can be added for a pound.
The new Grandpa Greene's branch will be open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, and 9am to 7pm on weekends. The restaurant will be able to accommodate 44 covers inside.
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