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Bask is BACK – bosses confirm return to ‘golden era’ of popular Stockport spot
Danny Jones
In brilliant news for Stopfordians, Bask is officially coming back, as current boss Jon Fitzpatrick is bringing back one of the key core members of the OG owners and staff, co-founder Benji Taylor.
Very exciting times for the town centre.
While local DJ, musician and entrepreneur, Jon, is the man behind the Irish-American bar and grill reboot under his surname that began in June of 2025, the business has gone on to become more of a morning and afternoon venue in the time since then.
However, with the help of Benji returning after a bit of well-deserved time off and having spent a period working on other ventures, they’re looking to dip back into the evenings as well and make this more of an all-day spot.
Writing a statement in the caption of the post, the duo said, “We couldn’t be more proud to announce that Bask is back, and we are pleased to reveal one of the original crew returns to help our team return it to the golden era.
“Live music, great bands, entertainment all week, and non-stop fun. We’re not a late-night venue like it was recently; we want to keep it mature and [aim] to enhance the experience for our customers.
“Our daytime, sport and relaxed atmosphere won’t change, and our kitchen will actually be open later than it is now! We have many goals, but our main aim is to put credible, exciting live music back on the Stockport map. With Benji and Jon’s experience, it’s gonna be a magical time for Stopfordians.”
We met face-to-face with the prolific pair last week, and they made it clear that their shared vision is simple: marry Fitzpatrick’s steady daytime trade with the initial magic of that very first iteration of Bask.
Get it right, and they could very well create a new all-seasons superpower on the Stockport bar scene, as the brand certainly had a taste of that when they first captured attention with inside that packed-out unit just outside the train station.
Speaking to The Manc, the Bask boys admitted it was a “real shame” how things transpired towards the end of the previous setup, acknowledging that trouble with some problematic punters (especially in the early hours of the morning) effectively “spoiled” what became a weekly pilgrimage for many others.
That’s why, although they’re opening well into the evening and nighttime – with a full schedule of regular events such as live music, stand-up, karaoke, quizzes, darts nights and more already lined-up – they haven’t gone for a late license this time around, as they want to preserve what made it special.
Set to fully re-launch on 1 May from 5pm onwards, we’re expecting them to be off to the races the second the word about the comeback spreads.
Ben and Jon also still believe that in the era post-Bamboo in Hazel Grove closing, Stockport hasn’t really had a well-known and reliable night out, comparable to that kind of experience. Other than here.
Now, Bask isn’t a club, nor was it ever supposed to be; it was a bar that, on its day, was one of the biggest parties in all of Greater Manchester, and although it won’t be ’till two’ this time around, we can’t wait to see the gang get back to their best.
Locals will also be glad to hear that borough favourite Stock Party will also be returning this summer, and you can bet on seeing some familiar native faces taking part.
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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Bask (supplied)
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Shed Seven announce 10th anniversary of ‘Shedcember’ tour
Danny Jones
Music veterans, Shed Seven, are set to bring a special edition of their ‘Shedcember’ live shows to Manchester as they celebrate 10 years of the now annual tour.
The beloved British band has been around for more than three and a half decades at this point, and for nearly a third of those, the alternative rock group have been putting on regular winter gigs for their loyal fan base.
Having developed a fervent cult following during that time, Shed Seven‘s dedicated run of November and December dates has become a bit of a phenomenon, and since 2025 was one of their most significant 18-month periods ever, they’re toasting recent success at the end of this calendar year.
If you’re ‘Shed Head’, you’ll already know all about this event; if not, get to know…
Announcing this year’s 10th anniversary tour – fittingly dubbed ‘Shedcember X – alongside a new short film/teaser written and directed by long-serving guitarist, Paul Banks, those who have been listening since the start
Equally, thanks to this would-be trailer, even those who’ve never been to one of the shows or are yet to fully dive into their discography have had their attention caught.
Focusing on their die-hard crowds who now make sure to attend each Shedcember night, if not every single one of their gigs whenever they come to town, the mini social media movie captures just how passionate their audiences are even after all this time.
Part of the reason that the York-founded outfit has been enjoying somewhat of a resurgence of late is as a result of back-to-back number one albums
Notching the top spot for their A Matter Of Time in January 2024, a whole 29 years on from their maiden release (the longest gap between a debut and a no.1 record in UK history), they then did it again with Liquid Gold, which saw some of their biggest hits remastered and reimagined with orchestral backing.
These two massive and long-overdue moments of recognition arguably deserve a tour all of their own, but we will absolutely take Shedcember X.
In case you missed it earlier ……. Shedcember X … on sale Friday 10am! 🌈 pic.twitter.com/0jW5LOJKrb
— Shed Seven (@shedseven) April 20, 2026
Announcing an extensive run of performances for the de facto festival, the 10th anniversary edition of Shed Seven’s – we’ve also highlighted all of the Northern dates for you.
Shedcember X tour dates – 2026
- Fri 13 Nov 2026 – Nottingham Rock City
- Sat 14 Nov 2026 – Birmingham O2 Academy
- Tue 17 Nov 2026 – Norwich The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA
- Thu 19 Nov 2026 – Aberdeen Music Hall
- Fri 20 Nov 2026 – Glasgow O2 Academy Glasgow
- Sat 21 Nov 2026 – Edinburgh Usher Hall
- Mon 23 Nov 2026 – Leicester O2 Academy
- Tue 24 Nov 2026 – Brighton Dome
- Thu 26 Nov 2026 – Cardiff University Great Hall
- Fri 27 Nov 2026 – Sheffield Octagon
- Sat 28 Nov 2026 – Newcastle O2 City Hall
- Mon 30 Nov 2026 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
- Tue 01 Dec 2026 – Bristol Beacon
- Thu 03 Dec 2026 – Stockton Globe
- Fri 04 Dec 2026 – Liverpool Uni The Mountford Hall
- Sat 05 Dec 2026 – Manchester O2 Apollo
- Mon 07 Dec 2026 – Lincoln Engine Shed
- Tue 08 Dec 2026 – Stoke-On-Trent Victoria Hall
- Thu 10 Dec 2026 – Bournemouth O2 Academy
- Fri 11 Dec 2026 – London O2 Academy Brixton
- Sat 12 Dec 2026 – Leeds O2 Academy
Pre-sale is now open to those signed up to the band’s mailing list, and as for general admission, tickets for Shedcember X go live 10am on Friday, 24 April; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
We had the pleasure of speaking to lead singer and songwriter, Rick Witter, not too long ago, and it was great to hear how motivated he and the gang still are.
Read more:
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- ‘If only Ian was here’: Peter Hook as Joy Division and New Order join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Audio North/Press shot (supplied via SJM Concerts)