City Centre

Northern Quarter institution Shack is slashing prices in January – including in its new basement bar

Shack and its basement bar Lost Weekend have launched some massive discounts for January.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 12th January 2022

The first month of the year is always a good time to grab a bargain meal out, with restaurants and bars across the city slashing their prices to entice us all out of our post-Christmas slumber.

The Northern Quarter institution Shack – which moved across to a new site on High Street a couple of years ago – is no exception.

The popular bar and grill is knocking its food bills in half throughout January if you dine between Monday and Friday.

That means 50% off burgers (including the massive Shack Attack burger and the Salt and Pepper chicken stack), buttermilk chicken, loaded fries and mac and cheese bowls.

  • Food at Shack in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group
  • Food at Shack in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group

It also means half-price brunches, with full breakfasts, chicken and waffles, and French toast all on the menu.

The 50% off discount is available to anyone who books in advance, though even if you fancy a walk-in Shack will knock 20% off your food bill.

Shack’s usual deals – like its happy hour drinks offers and the weekend bottomless disco brunch (£30 per person with prosecco, mimosas, bellinis and selected beers, or £40 to upgrade to bottomless pornstar martinis and frozen margaritas) – are still available too.

The fun carries on in its new basement bar, Lost Weekend, too.

  • The Lost Weekend basement bar at Shack in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group
  • The Lost Weekend basement bar at Shack in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group

The underground late-night bar is kitted out with pool tables, beer pong, air hockey and more – and they’re offering free gaming all month.

Visit between Thursday and Saturday and you can play for free, and enjoy two cocktails for £10 all night long.

There’ll be a small food menu on offer at Lost Weekend too.

Read more: A bakery in Manchester has created these incredible giant Rolo cookies

Looking ahead to next month, Shack is planning a massive Superbowl party.

They’ll be screening the all-American sports event through the night (kick-off isn’t until 11.30pm UK time), including the half-time show which this year will star Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.

You can see the full Shack menus and make a booking for 50% off food at shackbarandgrill.co.uk.

Featured image: The Manc Group

City Centre

The first-ever Horrible Histories live concert is coming to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Horrible Histories live concert Manchester tickets

Any fans of childhood favourite Horrible Histories in the house? Well, you might want to pay attention because the iconic kids’ show is bringing its first-ever live concert to Manchester.

The beloved educational comedy by CBBC was, for many of us, the first time we showed a proper interest in history, and we’ll confess, we still go back and comfort-watch it from time to time.

Running from 2009 until 2014, it featured countless funny faces that went on to become stars in the UK comic scene and even spawned a smash-hit live show, which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.

With that in mind, to help celebrate the milestone, the team behind the cult classic are putting on a special a pretty extensive series of live shows to bring the music of Horrible Histories to domestic audiences, including two right here in Manchester.

horrible histories live show
horrible histories the concert tickets
Credit: BBC/Supplied

Teaming up with Birmingham Stage Company and Lion Television, the BBC and Horrible Histories crew will soon be playing all the hit songs from the TV programme in the flesh.

Based on the books, CBBC show and the success of the theatre show, this unique music-driven live format is written by the TV series’ writers Ben Ward and Claire Wetton.

Led on stage by the Horrible Histories song master, Richie Webb, himself – who has written all the songs from the smash-hit BBC series – you’re getting the full, authentic experience.

Featuring a live band performing the sensational TV songs, including guest appearances from Charles II, Dick Turpin and a bunch of Vikings that we couldn’t stop barging through the stage door, this is one show you don’t want to miss.

You can find all the 32 ‘Horrible Histories: Live (And Dead)! – The Concert’ UK tour dates down below:

Early 2026Spring 2026
– Fri 23 January, Darlington Hippodrome 
– Sat 24 January, Darlington Hippodrome 
– Fri 30 January, Bristol Beacon 
– Sat 31 January, Bristol Beacon 
– Sun 1 February, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre
– Fri 6 February, Manchester Opera House
– Sat 7 February, Manchester Opera House
– Fri 13 February, Liverpool Empire
– Sat 14 February, Liverpool Empire
– Tues 17 February London Royal Festival Hall
– Fri 20 February, Birmingham Alexandra
– Sat 21 February, Birmingham Alexandra
– Fri 27 February, Milton Keynes Theatre
– Sat 28 February, Milton Keynes Theatre
– Sun 1 March, Cambridge Corn Exchange
– Sun 8 March, Sheffield City Hall
– Fri 13 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Sat 14 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Sun 15 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Fri 20 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal		– Sat 21 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal
– Sun 29 March, Nottingham Concert Hall
– Thur 2 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Fri 3 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Sat 4 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Mon 6 April, York Barbican 
– Tues 7 April, York Barbican 
– Thur 9 April, Brighton Concert Hall 
– Fri 10 April, Brighton Concert Hall
– Sat 11 April, Brighton Concert Hall
– Fri 17 April, Sunderland Empire
– Sat 18 April, Sunderland Empire
manchester opera house
Credit: The Manc Group

Coming to the city centre and the storied Manchester Opera House for two evenings early next year, if you’re a fan of the series or the live theatre act, this one has to be on your list.

The whole cast for the tour is yet to be fully confirmed, but you can expect plenty of humour and talent from start to finish.

ATG+ presale has just gone live, and general admission will be available from Friday, 11 July, with prices starting from £18 and school tickets costing just £13.50

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BBC/The Manc Group

City Centre

The sunny new Manchester cafe tucked beside a pottery studio

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Kolab Kitchen is now open at Kampus in Manchester

A sunny new brunch, lunch and coffee spot has opened in the Kampus neighbourhood in Manchester, wedged between a pottery studio and a beautiful lifestyle store.

Kolab Kitchen has opened as part of the Makers Quarter, a hub for creative businesses, workshops and studios.

You’ll be eating your brunch off plates made just next door in the pottery studio, with sun streaming in from those huge Kampus windows.

And now as well as fuelling your creative juices, they’re feeding you too, with a menu of top-quality brunches, lunches and coffees.

You’re going to be feasting on dishes like roasted mushrooms on toast with a homemade green hollandaise; butterbean grilled cheese with three different cheeses involved; and ‘The Copenhagen’, a wholesome plate of jammy eggs, roasted tomatoes, cheese and rye toast.

There’s also a gigantic truffle hash brown, with soft poached eggs on top. Yes, please.

Kolab Kitchen is also home to a salad bar and a hot plate bar, stuffed with seasonal, local platters you can mix and match from.

Even the plates you’re eating off are local – they’re made just next door in the pottery studio.

Roast mushrooms and green Hollandaise
Roast mushrooms and green Hollandaise
The Copenhagen breakfast
The Copenhagen breakfast
A spread of breakfast dishes at Kolab Kitchen
A spread of breakfast dishes at Kolab Kitchen
Inside Kolab Kitchen
Inside Kolab Kitchen

Whether you perch inside the beautiful space, build a salad box to go, or take your lunch up to the sunny terrace, make sure you pay this one a visit.

Kolab Kitchen joins Markets Quarter’s lifestyle store and pottery studio, serving breakfast, lunch and speciality coffee six days a week.

Stephen Hobson, Co-Founder of Makers Quarter, said: “We’re excited to launch the next phase of Kolab. Our business has always celebrated independent creatives and producers.

“We’ve crafted a sustainable and localised menu — right down to the ceramics your food is served on, made in-house by our talented pottery team.

“Our guests can even add a pottery-making class to their visit, with sessions available all weekend and in the evenings.

“Our drive is to grow our creative community further, what better way than gathering for some great food?”

The open plan restaurant features 30 covers with a further 40 available on their expansive sun terrace overlooking Kampus gardens.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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