Manchesters Pubs, Bars, Clubs, and Restaurants.

[flange]

Originally Posted by neil081273

From MEN


Baa Bar Group to open fourth Manchester venue
May 15,

A north west bar chain is embarking on a national expansion drive which includes opening a fourth venue in Manchester which will create up to 50 jobs, bosses announced today.

Baa Bar Group also said it plans to invest £150,000 this year to upgrade its sites at Deansgate Locks, Sackville Street and Fallowfield.

The group, which has its headquarters in Liverpool, operates nine bars and turned over more than £11m last year.

Founded in 1991, Baa Bar is led by chief executive Elaine Clarke – who started as a bar manager - and chairman Richard O'Sullivan, founder of Millie's Cookies and the man responsible for bringing the Australian Boost Juice Bars brand to the UK.

Baa Bar currently employs more than 320 people nationwide. It is looking to open venues in Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham this year as well as a new bar in Manchester.

Elaine said today: “We have a strong relationship with Manchester after opening our first site here in 2000. As we are looking to expand across the UK, it is a natural step to look for a fourth bar in the city.”

Maybe somewhere around or in The Printworks for the fourth Baa Bar location?

[uklad1979]

Baa bar did have a MoDo bar at Castlefield for a while but it closed down. In the days when it was owned by Tom Bloxham and it moved into the old Quays Bar which didn't last long and the building was demolished in 2007. Shame as it was a nice little building which only lasted 10 years, what a waste.

[Charlesstreet]

Bella Italia on Deansgate was closed as I walked past tonight, looks like they're getting a refurb.

[flange]

Reopens next week.

Please note

Bella Italia Deansgate will close for refurbishment from Monday May 14th, and will reopen on Thursday May 24th. We look forward to welcoming you to our newly refreshed restaurant.

http://www.bellaitalia.co.uk/italian...nsgate#details

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by uklad1979

Baa bar did have a MoDo bar at Castlefield for a while but it closed down. In the days when it was owned by Tom Bloxham and it moved into the old Quays Bar which didn't last long and the building was demolished in 2007. Shame as it was a nice little building which only lasted 10 years, what a waste.

Yeah, and a Stirling Prize nominee for Stephenson Bell...

[Cobbydaler]

Review of L'Entrecôte:

So we order the starter and the main.

"How do you want the steak cooked?" asks the waitress.

"Medium-rare," I say.

"We have blue, rare, medium and well-done," she says.

"I bet that chef gets bored all day just cooking chips and steak, I bet he'll do it any way just to keep himself awake," I say.

I'm trying to joke here, fishing for a softening of the service reaction.

"No, only blue, rare, medium and well-done," says the waitress without a smile.

Link

[neil081273]

Work has started on th new Alchemist on New York Street.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Originally Posted by Peeks

Something like this - http://www.sheffieldtap.com/ - at Victoria or Salford Central would do nicely.

Agreed, there is also one in York now too, and of course Huddersfield, Stalybridge and Dewsbury all gave great real ale pubs within the station, so lets get the transpennine ale trail extended to Manchester!

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Yeah, and a Stirling Prize nominee for Stephenson Bell...

knocked down for two glass apartment buildings wasn't it? Was a good bar too. There is (or at least was in 2009) still a Modo cocktail bar in Liverpool.

[flange]

Almost Famous becoming a permanent fixture?

Socio Rehab / Almost Famous

Socio Rehab / Almost Famous, 100-102 High Street, Manchester, M4 1HP

Application Type: Premises Licence (New)

Proposed licensable activities to be carried on at the premises:

This is an application to combine the existing premises trading as Socio Rehab (currently licence no 51276) on the ground floor with the Almost Famous food led burger concept on the first and second floor.

The hours applied for mirror those already permitted under the Socio Rehab licence

Proposed trading hours for the supply of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises:
Sun to Wed 1100 to 2400
Thu 1100 to 0100
Fri and Sat 1100 to 0200

Proposed trading hours for the provision of regulated entertainment (live music, recorded music):
Sun to Wed 1100 to 0030
Thu 1100 to 0130
Fri and Sat 1100 to 0230

Proposed trading hours for the provision of facilities for making music:
Sun to Wed 1100 to 0030
Thu 1100 to 0130
Fri and Sat 1100 to 0230

Proposed trading hours for the provision of late night refreshment:
Sun to Wed 2300 to 0030
Thu 2300 to 0130
Fri and Sat 2300 to 0230

Proposed opening hours for the premises:
Sun to Wed 1100 to 0030
Thu 1100 to 0130
Fri and Sat 1100 to 0230

Non Standard timings (all activities)
From the start of permitted hours on New Year's Eve to the end of permitted hours on New Year's Day
On the morning that British Summer Time commences, one extra hour.
An additional hour on Sunday preceding Bank Holiday Mondays.

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/50...applications/4

[flange]

A new planning application has gone online for a new shopfront for Revolucion De Cuba on Peter Street, it will be one big job and looks rather good actually.

Central Buildings 11 Peter Street Manchester M2 5QR

Elevation alterations to include a new shopfront and awnings and elevation alterations to the rear of the building.

http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-a...=M2QAQ5BC01D00

[flange]

Splash Of Dutch Courage For Atlas Bar

Rachael Heslehurst talks to Sue Rand about the re-invention of a past trend-setter

BENEATH the railway line in the manic midst of Castlefield sits Atlas Bar, a bar being re-invented by new manager Sue Rand – all in aid of her big, gin dreams.

Atlas Bar was a booming success in the 1990s and enjoyed a thriving following of fashionable, urbane people. The late radio host and presenter Tony Wilson regularly spent time in the bar and often used the space as a swanky, chilled-out location to conduct his interviews.

However, in recent years, Atlas Bar lost its cool identity, which is where Sue comes in. She plans to save the day by refurbishing the space and giving the bar a taste of Dutch courage and specialising with a gin menu.

But why gin?

Sue says: “We chose to focus on gin because it may have Dutch origins but has become an English spirit and seems to have been forgotten. It hasn’t been discovered by a younger drinker and has always been perceived as an older drinker’s drink. We think it's a drink for everybody. There seems to be a lot of interest in gin – there are gin bars in London, Leeds and Newcastle but none in Manchester."

Sue believes the gin which best represents the bar is "definitely the ‘6 o’clock" – the gin which was the winner of Gold Best in Class in the 2011 International Wine and Spirit Competition. The judges described the drink as a 'breezy blend of fresh citrus and lovely notes of elderflower, which is full flavoured but beautifully balanced'.

Sue says it represents Atlas Bar best because people finish work at that time – and that can only mean gin o’clock.

The Atlas Bar’s gin menu consists of 33 different types of gin and features other specialities such as Bloom and Berkeley Square, which Sue says she hasn’t seen anywhere else in Manchester.

“This is just the start. We intend to increase the collection and already have a following of people who are experimenting and developing favourites. The most popular apart from the Bloom and Berkeley Square are The Botanist, Monkey 47 and Death’s Door.”

For each individual gin on the menu, there is a tasting note to accompany it, which allows the customer to discover more on the flavours and texture of the drink and shows how much goes into distilling the gin in order to get it right.

As well as the gin Sue is working on other aspects of the bar such as the music policy. This now covers as many bases as the gins. There's soul, R'n'B, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

One thing Sue won't be changing much is the south-facing terrace. This can seat seventy people and stretches out behind the bar.

Despite all Atlas's recent troubles the terrace has always been one of the best in the city. It comes complete with exotic plants and stylish shrubbery and gives the impression of the comfort of a garden rather than the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

Sue says she’s looking to launch the newly refurbished bar in early June when she's happy with the changes. For nostalgia buffs the 'look' of the place will be very different from the simplicity of the original with newly, plush velvet and dark woods.

But if gin is your thing, then give Atlas Bar a try. Forget the myth that gin makes you cry, this gin won’t. And even if it does, let's hope it's tears of joy.

"We recognised there was a gap in the market," says Sue. "We want to fill it with gin and let people enjoy it in comfort."

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co...ar-Castlefield

[neil081273]

Originally Posted by flange

A new planning application has gone online for a new shopfront for Revolucion De Cuba on Peter Street, it will be one big job and looks rather good actually.

http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-a...=M2QAQ5BC01D00

Looks very impressive. Especially compared to the existing mess. Let the Peter Street regeneration continue...

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by Irish Blood English Heart

knocked down for two glass apartment buildings wasn't it? Was a good bar too. There is (or at least was in 2009) still a Modo cocktail bar in Liverpool.

It was demolished because it was unsafe after becoming derelict I think. Still empty ground there today.

Link

[flange]

Originally Posted by neil081273

Looks very impressive. Especially compared to the existing mess. Let the Peter Street regeneration continue...

Yes definitely a marked improvement on the Square frontage, lets hope we hear word on the new occupier for Chicago Rock Cafe unit soon, It surely cant be too long, what with all the units around it now filling up with new bars or restaurants.

[boyaloud]

I think the Chicago Rock could be Wetherspoons, as could the new bar at Piccadilly!

[flange]

The new bar at Piccadilly is due to be run by TRG Concessions, with it rumoured to be called Piccadilly Bar.

[flange]

Centro reopens as Tib Street Tavern next Friday 25th May.

@TibStreetTavern

Tib Street Tavern will be officially opening to the public next Friday 25th May! More details to come very soon, please retweet #tibsttavern

[flange]

Most of this information already known, but we know have an opening date for Dog Bowl and All Star Lanes.

Plans approved for Black Dog bowling venue

17th May 2012

By Mike Fahy - Assistant Editor

THE owners of the Black Dog Ballroom business been granted approval to build a new bar-cum-bowling alley in the former Cocotoo Italian restaurant unit at Whitworth St in Manchester.

An investment of £650,000 will be made in converting the space into a new "boutique" bowling alley, known as Dog Bowl, after permission for change of use of the space was granted on Monday. Conversion of the space is likely to take three months, with the venue opening in September.

The Black Dog Ballroom empire is co-owned by experienced bar operator Ross McKenzie, The Northern Quarter restaurant owner Jobe Ferguson and by Dabs.com founder David Atherton, who has a number of business interests after selling the e-commerce retailer to BT for £30m in 2006.

The trio opened the first outlet under Afflecks in the Northern Quarter in 2009 and a second at New Wakefield St in the former Space unit last week. They also own a cocktail bar known as The Liars' Club on Back Bridge St.

An application submitted on behalf of the company by planning consultants Paul Butler Associates states that the Dog Bowl venue will trade from midday-2am for 7 days a week and is likely to create eight full-time and nine-part time jobs. The unit will have five bowling lanes and seating for 95 covers.

Mr Mackenzie said that both the New Wakefield St venue and Dog Bowl were in an area which is becoming increasingly vibrant. The new Student Village tower containing 520 bedrooms sits between the two sites, while the former Green Room theatre in the adjoining arch to Dog Bowl is also being converted by the company behind the Trof chain.

"We've not really promoted the venues to students yet, but we've got a few things planned for Jubilee week. But the Black Dog brand is strong and a lot of our customers have already come to visit us at New Wakefield St."

He said that the idea for Dog Bowl came from an article in the New York Times on boutique bowling venues, which was followed up by research trips to the city.

Dog Bowl is set to open in the same month as London-based All Star Lanes launches its boutique bowling alley at Manchester's Great Northern Warehouse, but Mr Mackenzie said the venues would be "complimentary".

"We don't see them as a threat. They're going more for the corporate market whereas we're targeting the going out crowd. We think that by launching at the same time there'll be a real focus on them."

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/

[neil081273]

Just heard a rumour that Fire - big gay club in Vauxhall - has got Essential.