Planning is set to be a big part of nights out in the “new normal.”
Restaurants, bars and pubs won’t be getting as many spontaneous walk-ins as they did pre-lockdown – with customers putting serious thought into choosing a time, date and venue before leaving their homes.
Some want to find a great table at a classy restaurants and enjoy its culinary delights for the first time in months. Others just want to park up in the corner of their local boozer and rediscover the taste of a pint poured fresh from the taps.
But, in every case, venues will look and feel a little different.
An array of hygiene measures and social distancing protocols will be intact when hospitality reopens, and this upcoming chapter promises to be a big adjustment for owners and customers alike.
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Aura, an app developed right here in Manchester, is helping local nightlife take the leap into new territory.
Aura
Described as an “artificial intelligence-based nightlife assistant”, Aura helps people plan their perfect route through Manchester’s diverse and eclectic hospitality industry – which could prove invaluable in the current climate.
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Users can browse a list of locations on the app or send a text to Aura – who curates a list of venues with accompanying info, directions and transport.
Not only do users obtain access to all the information they could possibly need before heading out (which is more important than ever right now) – they can also use Aura to discover hidden gems in the city they might not have known about before.
The more you speak to Aura, the better it learns your tastes – allowing the app to pinpoint perfect venues for any occasion, be it a romantic date or late-night pub visit with pals.
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It’s night out prep made easy.
Additional features such as built-in taxi booking, linking up with friends via the app and free drinks at sponsored venues are also being developed as we speak.
Founder of the Aura app, Will Poole, told us: “Aura was planned for release before lockdown, but with the coronavirus pandemic hitting the hospitality industry hard we put out a slimline version.
“This had a focus on takeaway and delivery venues.
“Now, with some light at the end of the tunnel, we are ready to release the full Aura to Manchester – and we’ll be using it to find beer gardens and delicious food in the sun with everyone else.”
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William continued: “The motivation behind Aura stems from both my love of technology and my love of Manchester; with everything the city has to offer.”
“Too many apps encourage you to stay at home and scroll – we wanted to build an app that showed you where great memories could be made and then got out of your way so you could get on with making them.”
As we get ready to tiptoe back out into the night for the first time in months, there’s probably never been a better time for an app like Aura – which helps us plan our every move.
Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
The Manchester restaurant serving bottomless curry for just £20 during National Curry Week
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s leading curry houses is bringing back its bottomless curry offering very soon.
For just £20, diners can tuck into unlimited curry, rice and naan at Zouk Tea Bar & Grill, stuffing yourself silly on authentic dishes from from all over the Indian subcontinent.
There’s nothing quite like getting the gang together for a proper curry, and Zouk is making it even easier to do exactly that this October.
They’ll be bringing back the £20 Bottomless Curry deal for National Curry Week 2026, running for five nights only, from Monday 5 October to Friday 9 October, with tables available between 5pm and 10pm each evening.
Guests can choose one curry from a daily selection of four, with meat, vegetarian and vegan options available throughout the week.
Once you’ve picked your curry, you can then order as many portions as you fancy during your 90-minute booking.
Rice and naan are unlimited too, so there’s no shortage of carbs to mop up the curry with.
The dishes on the menu include some of Zouk’s favourites, such as Chicken Karahi, Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka Masala, Dall Makhani, Chicken Handi and Gobi Manchurian.
The exact four-dish selection varies by day, giving curry fans a reason to head back more than once during the five-day promotion.
And yes, you can go back for another helping.
Zouk owner Tayub Amjad said: “National Curry Week is always a great excuse to celebrate the food we love.
“Bottomless Curry has become a real favourite with our customers, so we’re excited to bring it back for five nights. It’s relaxed, great value and perfect for getting friends together for a proper curry night.”
Advance booking is recommended – you can book your table for the Zouk Bottomless Curry nights HERE.
The Manc -
2nd July 2020 
