One of Manchester’s oldest and most iconic pubs has been listed for sale at a cool £1.4 million, leaving some wondering whether developers might swoop in and take one of our favourite city centre boozers away.
However, operators have confirmed they are not going anywhere – and even hinted at plans for a second site opening later this year.
The Grade II-listed Crown and Kettle pub in Ancoats has been a boozer since the early 19th century, but the building itself dates back to 1734 – having operated as a courthouse prior.
Famous for its historic ceiling, It was fully refurbished in 2020 after it cut its old brewery ties and came under the management of Alex Daw, also behind Sheffield arts venue Sidney & Matilda.
His company, Crown & Kettle Ltd, has occupied the building for about three years and has a long-term lease on the site with 20 years remaining.
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A spokesperson for the business confirmed to The Manc that the sale would not affect the pub, which continues to do a roaring trade from its Ancoats perch.
In fact, they revealed that the team has spent the past year and a half working behind the scenes to expand The Crown and Kettle – and will soon be submitting planning permission to extend the pub’s customer seating after purchasing the building next door.
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Image: The Crown and Kettle
Image: The Crown and Kettle
Edwards & Co Surveyors is marketing the sale of the business for the building’s owner, but the pub itself will continue to trade as normal.
Speaking to The Manc, a spokesperson for the pub revealed that operators were in the advanced phases of planning guest accommodation upstairs after purchasing the site next door.
They also revealed that Crown & Kettle Ltd has taken on a 20-year lease of a second historical pub site in Manchester city centre.
A Crown & Kettle spokesman said: “We have bought outright the building that’s immediately next door, and we’re going to expand the pub so the customer area will be larger.”
They added that the process had taken a year and a half due to the listed status of the building, but they were now ‘just about ready’ to put in planning permission and, all being well, start renovations.
If successful, the application would see the pub add two floors of guest rooms upstairs in order to future proof the business.
There’s a new summer terrace in town with a weekend spritz happy hour
Daisy Jackson
There’s a new summer terrace in Greater Manchester that’s the ideal spot to soak in some rays – and enjoy a few discounted spritzes while you’re there.
Over on Chapel Street – just across the river from Manchester Cathedral – you’ll find Embankment Kitchen, which has opened up its terrace for the season.
This stylish spot is part of the CitySuites aparthotel, and has a menu rooted in the warm spirit of Northern hospitality.
It’s worth a visit all year round for their seasonally-focused, local-as-possible menus, but the summer terrace at Embankment Kitchen is a real added bonus in spring and summer.
And following that spell of absolutely glorious weather, they’re opening up two hours earlier every day too for maximum sun-soaking from 2pm.
At Embankment Kitchen you can tuck into a drinks and nibbles menu from 2pm until 5pm, and Happy Hour drinks deals from 4pm until 7pm.
That means two-for-one cocktails, plus discounted wines, prosecco and beers – an ideal post-work haunt.
Cocktails at Embankment Kitchen in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupSmall plates on the Embankment Kitchen terrace. Credit: The Manc Group
It’s usually almost impossible to find a happy hour in Manchester at weekends, but these guys are doing two-for-£12 spritzes every Saturday and Sunday between 12pm and 4pm, with flavours including Aperol, Hugo, and limoncello.
Drinks on the menu include signature cocktails that are inspired by the city’s industrial roots, like The Emmeline, Manchester Exchange (a take on an old fashioned), and the Atomic Zombie, as well as classic cocktails such as an espresso martini, limoncello negroni, amaretto sour, and strawberry daiquiri.
As for nibbles, tuck into treats like garlic bread, edamame beans with smoked salt, garlic and parmesan fries, salt and pepper tater tots, and halloumi fries.
Surrounded by lush plants and gigantic parasols, it’s hard to believe you’re just across the river in Salford when you’re soaking up the sun at Embankment Kitchen. To find out more, head HERE.
‘Hidden’ Manchester cocktail bar shuts down after only six months
Daisy Jackson
A cocktail bar in Manchester city centre that opened only last December has reportedly closed down, with its final service today.
Ego Death, a ‘hidden’ speakeasy-style bar in the Northern Quarter, told CLASS magazine that they were told by backers that they would have to close.
It opened under the steer of acclaimed bartender Cressida Lawlor, co-founded by Beau Myers, who also founded the original Almost Famous.
The bar is beneath newcomer smash burger joint Super Awesome Deluxe and accessed through an unmarked door within the takeaway.
Shortly after Super Awesome Deluxe opened, Almost Famous went through a high-profile closure of all of its restaurants this year, later bought out and reopened by D2.
And now just six months after launch, Ego Death looks set to be closing for good.
Cressida told CLASS: “The team here is wildly talented so the goal now is to get them into jobs so they can pay their bills and keep a roof over their heads.
“No one wants Ego Death to die and I think we’ve made enough of a stir in the six months that we’ve been open to find a new site and investment.
“Our last day is going to be Sunday, so anyone who can get here for one final party should come down.”
She later added on Instagram: “Truly gutting but there is always light in any form of darkness. Come see us this Sunday for the final service as we go through a true ego death.”
Ego Death came from the same team behind Socio Rehab (which if you remember it from 2004 was a bit of a local institution) and had a cocktail menu inspired by the speakeasy bars of New York City.
Behind the bar the stars were bourbon and champagne, plus cocktails inspired by the Big Apple – including one named after Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones.
Beau Myers, co-founder at Ego Death said at the time of its opening: “It’s been 20 years since we opened Socio Rehab so it seems pretty poignant to be opening another amazing cocktail bar. We changed the landscape of cocktail bar culture then and that’s something we’re trying to do again.
“We’ve partnered with Cressida Lawlor to make this dream happen. She’s a total firecracker and reminds me a lot of myself 20 years ago, she’s the future of cocktails and bartending and has that maverick spirit.
“Together we’ve created Ego Death, hidden in a basement behind an unmarked door at the back of a burger shop will be this cocktail haven. An underground escape throwing out the best classic cocktails, bourbon, and champagne from top level bartenders.”
Georgina Pellant -
19th July 2023 
