Roxy Ball Room has announced plans to reopen its Manchester city centre venues over the next couple of weeks – and there’s some new gaming options and a brand new seated terrace on the way.
Now that ‘Step Two’ in the government’s roadmap to lifting England’s current national lockdown has commenced – which crucially allows hospitality businesses to reopen for outdoor service – Roxy Ball Room has announced it will be opening a brand new seated terrace at its Withy Grove site in Manchester this Thursday.
Both of its city centre venues will then open indoors as soon as restrictions lift on 17th May.
Roxy opened its second adults-only entertainment venue in the city centre last October at the Manchester Arndale amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, taking over the 17,000 sq ft former Birdcage site to create the ultimate over 18s playground.
The outdoor space will be a new addition to the venue, with Roxy’s pizza and drinks menu to be served on the purpose built terrace this spring.
The newest Roxy Ball Room venue at Manchester Arndale – which spans the vast open plan, ground floor unit and is kitted out in the brand’s signature style with UV graffiti wall paintings, all set to an indie rock soundtrack – boasts six full-size bowling lanes and twelve holes of Roxy’s newly-launched game, Crazy Pool.
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There’s also been a Bank Shot Shuffleboard game added to its range of entertainment options while the venue has been closed to the public.
Roxy Ball Room
Both Roxy venues will relaunch with a popular selection of games, including American Pool, Shuffleboard, Olympic standard Ping Pong tables, and Beer Pong battle stations, plus arcade games galore.
As well as the many gaming opportunities, Roxy also offers an American-style food menu with a huge choice of dishes, including loaded nachos, chicken wings and burgers, as well as stone-baked pizzas.
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There are vegetarian and vegan options available as well.
The bars boast an extensive draught beer and cider range, with up to sixteen draught lines – including local craft beers – on offer at any time, and there’s also a full new cocktail menu with a range of classic and signature cocktails at just £7.50 each.
Speaking on the Roxy reopening plans, Joel Mitchell – Brand Development Manager at Roxy Ball Room – said: “Our newest venue was only open for a few weeks last year before restrictions meant we needed to close again, and so this feels like a relaunch for us [and] we can’t wait to welcome our fans back.
“We pride ourselves on offering a fun environment for our customers and staff to enjoy.
“We want to reassure customers that the Roxy Ball Room experience will be safe, but uncompromised, [and] it goes without saying that our venues and staff have undertaken and implemented rigorous risk assessments and hygiene measures across each Roxy Ball Room”.
Roxy Ball Room is currently accepting bookings for up to six guests from 17th May.
All games can be pre-booked, and there will be enhanced cleaning between all games. Guests will be able to order food and drink via the QR code on every gaming table, drinking table, and beer pong table, with orders brought to customers by staff in PPE.
The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess to host ‘Merch Market’ in aid of bands
Thomas Melia
Tim Burgess, frontman of legendary band The Charlatans, is set to launch a one-off ‘Merch Market’ event, and its core purpose is to support bands.
He might have a ‘Jesus Hairdo’ but he’s currently serving as a good Samaritan as The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess is putting on an event solely focusing on funding bands via gig merch and other apparel.
Running across a variety of live music locations within Manchester city centre, the day-long event is called ‘Merch Market’, and it’s encouraging music lovers and bands alike to tag along.
Although ticket sales, album sales and streams are critical in funding the careers of all the artists we know and love, one key drive in securing actual revenue in the music industry is merchandise.
Expect to pick up some rare finds and own some limited edition collections.Band merch will be front and centre at this event which is hosted by The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.Credit: The Hoot/Audio North
‘Merch Market’ is taking place at O2 Ritz as well as adjacent venues Gorilla and Dog Bowl across the road with a special appearance from ‘Tim Peak’s Diner’, the caffeinated brainchild of Tim Burgess.
The whole point of this event is to make sure that bands can receive the full 100% of merch sales without any cuts from any third party.
Fronted by The Charlatans lead singer Tim Burgess, ‘Merch Market’ is building off his 2021 gathering, which had a similar initiative with ‘Vinyl Adventure’ encouraging the sale of physical music and media.
Alongside stocking up your wardrobe with all the latest band t-shirts, hoodies and everything in between, there will be an array of interesting performances and talks happening throughout the day.
Entry to this incredible celebration of bands is completely free of charge and, better still, there are chances to win some seriously cool prizes – including some tasty festival tickets.
Gorilla is one of the live music venues that ‘Merch Market’ is taking place at.The Manc and Antony Szmierek outside O2 RItz, another venue which will be taking part in ‘Merch Market’.Credit: The Manc Group
Expect stalls, live DJ sets, interviews, panels and even a chance to bag yourself VIP tickets for UK festival, Kendal Calling, which Burgess will be returning for 2025.
Burgess is a man of many talents as he will not only be hosting this fantastic initiative, but he will also be hosting a stall of his own and singing a couple of his biggest hits.
Bands don’t have to worry about forking out a fortune for renting a stall either as tables at ‘Merch Market’ are free, the only thing musicians have to bring is their merch and charming personalities.
So whether you’re an artist with leftover stock from your last tour or a music lover who just missed out on snagging a snap back, head down to these three venues on 25 May.
A queer comedy night is coming to Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
A comedy night packed with raunch and hilarious storytelling is heading to Manchester and its fronted by one of comedy’s leading queer comedians.
Titled ‘Queer as F*ck’ (we love a good pun), this night is devoted especially to queer comedy and sees Welsh comedian Morgan Rees taking the wheel with a wonderful roster of acts set to play too.
Taking inspiration from the cult-favourite queer comedy, this leading comedian is no stranger to seeing his work in the limelight as he has written for some of the funniest flagship shows like Mock The Week and The Great American Joke-Off.
Rees also doubles as the co-writer for smash internet hit The Uncle Roger Show, starring fellow comic Nigel Ng, and will definitely be bringing some of his razor-sharp one-liners on the night.
Ben Hodge, the MC for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Morgan Rees, the comedian headlining ‘Queer as F*ck’.Jenny Hart, one of the acts lined up for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Credit: Press Images (supplied)
The event, which has the full title of ‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck comedy night’ will be MC’d by trans-male stand-up Ben Hodge and lesbian comedian Louise Young.
The latter may be a familiar name as she is currently supporting Alan Carr and Tom Allen on their latest tour while also stopping off in Manchester for this very special occasion.
Along with Rees and co., finishing the line-up are two impressive performers ready to raise the roof at this comedy night in Manchester: gay author Martin Dixon and trans comedian Jenny Hart.
Obviously, Rees doesn’t want to give everything away, but he has revealed an insight into what guests can expect to be chuckling away at in their seats.
Morgan Rees is excited to talk about “bad one night stands, growing up queer in a Welsh working class town, coming out late, and starting my first relationship in my 30s – it’s all in there.”
Taking place at Contact Theatre, this much-loved arts space is tucked away just behind the University of Manchester and another impressive city centre venue, Manchester Academy.
And if all this comedy talk wasn’t enough to get you down there, brew will be serving up Detroit-style pizzas with a range of draft beers and ciders – what a night you’re in for.
‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck’ is coming to the Contact in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 April and ttickets are already on sale.
Emily Sergeant -
20th April 2021 
