Manc brewery and pub chain, Joseph Holt, are offering punters the chance to have a nearby boozer named after themselves, and if you’re pretending that wouldn’t be mint then you’re lying.
The idea of having a pub named after you is usually reserved for legendary local heroes and important figures throughout history, but this is your one chance to rub shoulders with people worthy of having a watering hole christened with their title.
This special promotion has been created to help mark Joseph Holt‘s 175th-anniversary celebrations, with the business going from strength to strength over six different generations.
Today, the chain now reaches across Greater Manchester and beyond, with a total of 127 locations in the North West.
Two Joseph Holt pubs in Manchester city centre (Credit: The Manc Group/Joseph Holt)
So, what’s the catch? Well, the renaming won’t last forever; the winner of this unique little competition will have a pub share their namesake for two whole weeks if they complete a simple but admittedly extensive challenge.
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As part of a series of commemorative events, the brewery has released 16 individual beer mats, with each one offering a nugget of information about the history of Joseph Holt and the timeline of its 175-year journey as well as featuring a QR code.
The full range of beer mats will be available at all of Joseph Holt’s 127 pubs across the North West, but only those who collect all 16 of them will be entered into a draw where the winner will then have a pub of their choice named after them for two weeks.
After the success of their £1.75 pint offer as part of the anniversary, we can already see this going down a storm too.
The competition to collect all 16 beer mats runs until Thursday, 31 October and once you’ve collected them all, you need to take a picture of the full set and email it to [email protected] to prove you’ve completed the full sweep.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Joseph Holt (via Instagram)
Food & Drink
Glitzy Spinningfields bar famed for its bottomless deals shuts down
Daisy Jackson
Popular cocktail bar group Banyan has suddenly closed its glitzy bar in the heart of Spinningfields.
The restaurant and bar, which is part of the Arc Inspirations group that also operates Manahatta and Box, has shut down with immediate effect.
A sign has been posted in the window of the Spinningfields site of Banyan confirming its closure.
Banyan opened in 2018 and was the second site for the brand, which has been operating out of the Corn Exchange since 2015.
Inside, the huge 7,000sq ft space was split into spaces for drinking, dining and dancing, including a large mezzanine and a huge white marble bar.
Banyan is famed for its bottomless deals, whether that’s a classic bottomless brunch or their bottomless Sunday roast (endless Yorkshire puddings, gravy, wine, and roast potatoes).
It also offered two-for-one cocktails, all day every day.
The bar stands on the side of Spinningfields, directly opposite The Ivy and alongside The Alchemist.
Banyan in Spinningfields has shut downThe note in the window of Banyan
But now it has permanently closed its doors, thanking people for their custom over its almost-decade in Manchester.
The sign on the door says: “Banyan Spinningfields is now permanently closed.
“Thank you so much for your custom over the years, we’ve loved being part of this wonderful city and have made so many friends.
“Don’t be a stranger, we’d love to continue to welcome you to our Banyan bar in the Corn Exchange. Team Banyan.”
Bangkok Diners Club moves out of Ancoats just months after Michelin Guide win
Daisy Jackson
Bangkok Diners Club, the critically-acclaimed restaurant above the Edinburgh Castle pub, has closed its restaurant space.
The Thai restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide last October, not long after taking over the upstairs of the popular pub.
It also received a rave review in The Guardian from restaurant critic Grace Dent, who said it would be ‘one of Manchester’s hottest dining tickets’.
But now Bangkok Diners Club has decided its time in Ancoats is up, and has closed its beautiful restaurant space with immediate effect.
In an email sent to customers with reservations, they wrote that Bangkok Diners Club ‘sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle’.
Owners and husband-and-wife team Ben and Bo Humpheys aren’t leaving things there though, announcing plans to move into the Exhibition food hall on Peter Street.
Co-owner Ben Humphreys outside Bangkok Diners Club. Credit: The Manc GroupThe food earned them a place in the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
They’ll be joining MoreJoy and pasta concept Anatra in the space, but bidding farewell to their own dedicated restaurant for now.
The email sent to customers reads: “We have just noticed that the system has allowed you to make a reservation during a time that we are closed. We apologise that this has happened.
“Ben and Bo are cooking at Exhibition during 2026 and Bangkok Diners Club sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle.
“Sincerest apologies for all the inconvenience caused.”
Danny Jones -
9th July 2024 
