Almost Famous Burgers, Footy Museum's Great Start, New Skyscraper

Sleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to publish. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @Sleuth

The Clever Burger Boffins Are Back

The people at Almost Famous, those sneaky burgers selling the best buggers around (Sleuth may have got some words mixed up there), is moving back into its nest on High Street. Sleuth can't wait for today's, Friday 20 July, opening. Loved the place last time. But can they keep up the mystery with a permanent spec? (Read the review here for prior madness.) The Boozy Milkshakes hint they might still prove originals rather than cover versions. And meanwhile with job ads like this, click here, they clearly still retain the ability to shock some of readers who emailed and tweeted to complain. 

Burger nosh good

National Football Museum: It's Better In Manchester

In its last year of occupancy of part of the Deepdale Stadium at Preston, the National Football Museum (NFM) had 106,000 visitors. In its first ten days in Manchester it had 18,000 visitors. So in about eight weeks it will have exceeded the Preston figure. Not bad given that this isn't the football season and there are no floating fans occupying the city's hotels twice a week. Sleuth wonders if there's anybody out there who still laments the loss of Urbis and would wish NFM away? Manchester's all the better for a proper pop culture visitor attraction reckons Sleuth. 

Sleuth's Massive Put Down Of The Week

This came from a guest at the launch of Kaleido restaurant at the National Football Museum this week. He was talking about another person well-known to the diners and the description went. "He’s the sort of man who keeps the One Show going." Devastating.

Sleuth's Outdoor Experience Of The Week

Sleuth appreciates the screen in Spinningfields and the way it does special summer showings of movies. On Thursday it featured 'Singing in the Rain'. Sleuth loves an immersive cinema experience.

Just like the Sahara

New 40 Storey Skyscraper For The City

Ian Simpson must have been sworn in as Manchester's Official Tall Buildings Architect while we weren't looking. He seems to get much of the tall stuff. Anyway Sleuth is pleased to see he's had approval for a 40 storey tower block bordering the Mancunian Way, on the city side of Princess Parkway. This is a minute away from his excellent Parkway Gate student accommodation scheme and will share city skyline with Beetham Tower also by Simpson, 400 metres as the crow flies north west.

The tower will contain 600 serviced apartments commissioned by Chelmer Developments. At least Simpson won't have to move. When he built No1 Deansgate he took the penthouse. When Beetham was finished he moved into the top floor there. The man's getting higher in the sky. But the new tower will only be 410ft, much lower than Beetham's 554ft. No need for Ian to move then. 

40 Storey Lovesong

Sleuth's Great Obvious Signs Of Our Times

Sleuth loves an obvious sign as much as he likes oysters on Friday. This one below is a cracking example from the Midland Hotel.

Great obvious signs of our time

Sleuth And The Bacon That Wasn't

Sleuth was at the launch of Solita on Tuesday, which also opens to the public (as Almost Famous Burgers does - see above), today, Friday 20 July. We featured this place in the food and drink round-up this week for its crazy menu. There's so much to praise not least the delightful Cabrelli's vanilla ice cream with bacon candy (£3.90). Sleuth reckons the Cohen brothers of Manchester cooking, Dom and Franco Sotgiu have produced a very exciting city addition on Turner Street in the Northern Quarter.

Solita Cabrelli's Ice Cream With Bacon Candy