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Manchester institution Joshua Brooks is reopening this month after huge £200K revamp
Joshua Brooks is making the mother of all comebacks later this month
One of the city’s most iconic nightclub venues, Joshua Brooks is set to reopen following a massive £200K refurbishment.
Joshua Brooks first landed on the Manchester nightlife scene in 1993 when it played host to the Chemical Brothers’ first ever residency in the rainy city.
Over the years, the venue has welcomed a whole host of house and techno giants to its brick basement, ultimately earning itself the title as one of the most iconic nightclubs in not only Manchester, but the whole country.
Amid the Covid-19 lockdown, however, the venue was forced to close its doors and was eventually bought out by new owners, Jorge Meehan and Brian Murphy, an entrepreneurial pair renowned in the industry for owning and operating venues such as Wile Out Festival, Southern Sunset Festival, Social Avenue, and Acropolis.
N Chadwick / Flickr
With over twenty years of combined experience, Meehan and Murphy have been throwing their expert attention into breathing new life into Joshua Brooks, bringing the historic venue back to its former glory with an extensive ‘back to brick’ refit.
So, what’s the vision for the ‘new’ Joshua Brooks?
Well, the new-look venue will be a one-stop-party shop for musically minded Mancunians, say the owners, combining drinking, dining and dancing from dusk until dawn. By day, the revamped bar will be a home-from-home for the city’s workers, featuring comfortable seating, exposed brickwork and all of the nostalgic charm for which the venue was known.
It will also be gaining a brand new outdoor terrace, where guests can enjoy ‘al fresco’ drinks as they watch the world go by. For those wanting a taste of the classic Joshua Brooks, however, their brick basement will also be returning, and will continue to host the best house, techno and funk DJs Manchester has to offer.
@joshuabrooksmcr / Instagram
There is also the addition of an on-site food kitchen courtesy of Cubanitos. Well known at festivals across the country, this camper van-food kitchen hybrid will be permanently parked up in Joshua Brooks, offering tantalising Cuban street food from 12 pm-11 pm every day.
Speaking about the exciting reopening, new co-owner Jorge Meehan said: “We are so excited to reopen the doors to Joshua Brooks.
“When we found out it was no longer returning as a club, we felt compelled to take the project on so Manchester did not lose yet another clubbing institution. We have so much love for the space after running events there for over seven years, and we are so proud to be able to open up once again with the new additions of the kitchen, the terrace and, of course, some of the world’s finest DJs.”
The revamped venue will be reopening to the public on Friday July 23rd, playing host to Darius Syrossian – House DJ Mark Knight will follow on Saturday July 24th.
Tickets are priced from £8 – get yours here.
What's On
Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
Can’t wait for this!
Manchester Craft Beer Festival is back for another year, bringing with it more than 80 breweries and 500 different beers to sample.
The fourth edition of the festival will be taking place at Depot Mayfield on Friday July 5th and Saturday July 6th.
Cloudwater, Track, Marble, Northern Monk, Bundobust, Sureshot and Seven Brothers will be there to represent Manchester, alongside other UK stalwarts like Deya, Verdant, Siren and Leeds’ North Brewing Co.
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
Heritage breweries like Timothy Taylor’s, Chouffe and Timmermans will also be there, as well as international breweries from the US, Greece, Spain and Australia.
There will also be some great food options to line your stomach, including bao buns, crispy chicken and katsu tater tots at Bone Daddies, as well as Almost Famous, Bundobust, MorMor and Voodoo Rays.
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
Greg Wells, director of Manchester Craft Beer Festival, said: “It’s been a disheartening year for Manchester’s beer scene so far with closure of the beloved Indy Beer Con Fest and the unsuccessful debut of the International Brewing and Cider Festival, but we’re pleased to announce our return and bring more of what has been loved in the past three years.
“With even more breweries and experiences on offer and larger capacity this year, we’re buzzing to be back to satisfy all the beer lovers out there.
“The addition of a complimentary trade session to our programme is all about promoting this world class beer city and a small gesture to support all the incredible people who work across the drinks and hospitality industries.
“We all have a mutual understanding of the hardships our industries have faced in recent times so we thought it’d be a nice gesture to get everyone together for the love of drinks, food and music to celebrate beer and ourselves!”
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
The entry price includes all your drinks throughout your session, as well as festival glass and access to all the events happening.
And as it’s on during the Euros, it will be screening the football too.
Day tickets cost £57 per day session – with a discount for four tickets – or £145 for the whole weekend. Grab tickets HERE.
What's On
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
Get this one in your diary!
A brand new makers market is coming to Manchester this late May Bank Holiday weekend, with something for everyone.
Taking place at New Jackson – a new urban neighbourhood located at the southern gateway to the city – Manchester Made Market will be held on Saturday May 25th and Sunday May 26th.
Over the two days you’ll be able to browse a selection of local artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region.
Supplied
There’ll be everything, from food produce, homewares, crafts and creations to dog accessories, house plants, jewellery and homemade soap.
Among the traders will be Manchester and Cheshire-based florist and floral artists Dot & Flora, graphic artist Ablott MCR selling music prints, HGT with crochet fashion and homeware designs, and artisan candlemakers Leaves and Prickles.
Elsewhere, there will be essential oils and other treatments from Grounded Wellness, permanent jewellery from Sealed Links, and desserts from Cake With Heart.
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There will be plenty of street food options to keep you topped up while you shop, including The Wild Grill, Food Sorcery, Salvi’s and new favourite Medlock Canteen.
Neighbourhood Brew will be supplying some great drinks as well.
Supported by Renaker, the market is free, but you can upgrade your experience with a limited, free VIP ticket with access to the dedicated bar area.
What's On
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
It’s taking place later this month!
The legendary Manchester Flower Festival is returning to our city later this month, complete with pop-ups, installations and tributes to some local icons.
Taking place over the late May Bank Holiday, the event will be headlined by its ‘Floral Trail’.
This year’s theme is Manchester Icons, with a host of names past and present being honoured in flower form, including the late comedy legend Caroline Aherne, pop star Sarah Harding and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Collaborating with Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow, floral designer Liv Woodward will create a portrait of Caroline Aherne at the Floral Marquee on New Cathedral Street, using sustainably sourced plants and flowers.
Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding will be remembered in a ‘tribute garden’, sponsored by the AO Arena, with visitors able to donate to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal by scanning the QR code at the display.
The homage to Pankhurst has been created by female-led Decordia, featuring an ornate wooden Manchester Town Hall-inspired planter with sashes, posters and colourful icons, alongside a wicker figure of the suffragette herself.
This can be found at the corner of Cross Street and King Street, adorned with purple, green and white plants – the colours of the suffragette movement.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Other local legends will also be honoured with their own installations, including Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta and iconic Manchester brewery Boddingtons .
Fringe events will be taking place too, at locations including Northern Quarter art shop Fred Aldous, The Bridgewater Hall, the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct.
Selfridges Exchange Square, El Gato Negro, Tast Catala, Franco Manca, Grand Pacific Manchester and Urban Playground will also be taking part, with alfresco dining, festival-related dishes and cocktails.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Now in its seventh year, the Flower Festival, which is put together by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, with live entertainment, workshops, and arts and crafts markets.
It all happens from May 24th to May 27th – head over to the website HERE to find more information.
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Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
New apartment development with huge gardens and outdoor space opening this year
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
