Oldham has a few connections with the American West. During the noughties, Greater Manchester established a ‘friendship agreement’ — whatever that means — with Los Angeles, and one plucky business owner, and colleagues, erected a Hollinwood sign on the side of the M60, mimicking Hollywood’s iconic landmark. We all laughed, until the Highways Agency removed it for fear of distracting drivers, and then destroyed the evidence. Today, the town is also home to a hidden Wild West-themed restaurant, which uses a classic 1982 Bluebird International yellow school bus as its kitchen.
Born in 2016 as a pop-up outside a Failsworth pub, The Old School Bus BBQ quickly established itself as one of the region’s most prized street food operations, then became a victim of its own success. An expansion was needed, and this happened when a new site in Hollinwood was found. Setting up at Alford Street permanently, the operation now offers a covered and heated outdoor-indoor dining room, fully stocked bar and regular live music and comedy events. Not to mention a host of Western-style features and decorations. Think wagon wheels and booze barrels, and star-spangled Banners.
Of course, the heart and soul is still where it began, in the BBQ food. And that means starters like donut onion rings, rattlesnake sites (spicy bread-crumbed mozzarella, tequila and lime sour cream), and Spam fingers. Burgers like The Houston (smoked streaky bacon, American cheese, lettuce, Northwest sauce), San Antonio (butterfly chicken breast, bus rub, OSB BBQ sauce), and Get in My Belly (panko-fried sticky pork belly slices, hoisin sauce, Asian slaw). 8oz Sirloin or 10oz Kansas City Strip steaks. Loaded fries with Irn-Bru chicken, footlong hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, soft tacos (buffalo fried shrimp, salt & pepper chicken), 12 hour pulled pork, and The Hollinwood Hangman — tender chicken breast seasoned in cayenne pepper rub, jalapeños, chilli cheese, and OSB Hangman hot sauce. Milk available for those who need it. The list of meats and styles could go on, but we wouldn’t have room to mention the corn grain booze they’re making to boot — Rage Moonshine, produced in partnership with Oldham’s own Calentillo Spirits.