A new bar is set to open on Deansgate soon, promising an intoxicating combination of ‘cocktails, dreams and disco’.
This is Simmons, a wildly successful name from down in London, and it’s finally making its way up north to Manchester.
You can’t miss the location – they’ve slapped a gigantic mirror, daubed with neon pink writing, outside the site where the bar is being built.
Now the capital’s go-to party palace, Simmons will bring the ‘biggest happy hour’ in Manchester to Deansgate when it opens its 400-capacity venue.
That means two-for-one cocktails, £2.50 spirit and mixers (or £5 doubles), £3 beer and wine, and £12 bottles of wine, plus cocktail teapots for £15.
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The Simmons happy hour runs until 9pm Sunday to Friday, while on Saturdays it’s two-for-one cocktails and £15 teapots until 9pm.
The brand is famed for its kitsch, colourful interiors, with hot pink neon lights, bold wallpapers, and always a disco ball.
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There are already 22 locations across London but this will be the first Simmons bar to open outside the capital.
An existing Simmons bar in London before it heads to Manchester. Credit: Simmons
On their website, Simmons says: “Hi my name’s Simmons, I’m well known for being the best bar group in London (and probably the world).
“I’m a late night cocktail bar offering you the perfect place for after work drinks or a cheeky dance, people like me because I look real good and sell nice drinks.
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“People say I am sexy and good looking but I just shrug it off and don’t let my ego get too big, no one likes a show off.
“I am located in lots of different places across London, I can be hired out for private parties and I have a notoriously eclectic musical taste; ranging from hip-hop, to disco, to funk, to 80’s, to 90’s to classic party bangers!
Simmons happy hour deals in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupInside another London Simmons. Credit: Simmons
“Come check me out, sip on a cocktail in a teacup and play on my SEGA Megadrive.”
Owner Nick Campbell said: “Manchester leads the way when it comes to nightlife, and we’re excited to be able to be a part of it.
“We are keen to launch as we mean to go on, with a series of high-energy parties, including our famous free bar, which is first come, first served.”
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Sneak peeks of the work taking place in Manchester show that the former Botanist site will be transformed with Deansgate’s biggest dance floor, surrounded by raised stages for dancing.
If you head down to Deansgate and scan the QR code outside the bar (or, you know, just click this link) you can secure your spot on the list for their free bar launch parties.
Yeah, we said free bar.
Simmons will open on 24 October on Deansgate in Manchester city centre.
The award-winning gastropub an hour from Manchester at the end of a beautiful valley walk
Daisy Jackson
Sundays don’t come much better than a beautiful walk in the countryside followed by a top roast dinner – and there’s an award-winning pub less than an hour from Manchester that should hit the spot.
Head across to this route in West Yorkshire and you’ll find yourself strolling through surprisingly varied and very green countryside, with stunning valley views, before resting your weary legs beneath the table of one of the UK’s top gastropubs.
If you haven’t guessed it yet – we’re off to the Shibden Valley, just outside Halifax, where your gentle hike will lead you straight to the warm embrace of the Shibden Mill Inn.
The walk begins in the car park beside the pub, but don’t get tempted in for a pint just yet.
There’s an easy-moderate 5.6km circular that will lead you along a country lane, dropping down to cross a brook, then heading back up a gentle incline towards the top of the valley.
The views along the Shibden Valley from here are beautiful – lush green fields dotted with trees as far as the eye can see.
Views on the walk to Shibden Mill Inn
Then the route takes you along some wide open fields, with plenty of wildlife to spot along the way, before heading into peaceful woodlands.
You can take a break here to paddle in the stream before continuing on through farmland, with friendly horses to say hello to.
Then you’ll find yourself back at the Shibden Mill Inn, a pub that’s consistently finding itself in the prestigious Top 50 Gastropubs list.
Dating back to the 17th century, it’s a pretty white building converted from a former mill, with ivy climbing all up its walls.
There’s a sizeable beer garden – with a live musician playing when we popped in – but it’s hard to resist the cosy charm of the pub’s interior, where staff have to duck beneath the low ceiling beams and no surface feels totally straight.
The beautiful Shibden Mill InnSunday roast at the Shibden Mill Inn in West Yorkshire
The Shibden Mill Inn’s Sunday roast offering does a set menu, with two courses for £40 or three for £45, changing seasonally.
You’ll find pub classics on the starters, like chicken liver parfait and homemade soup, before delving into the main event – the Sunday roast.
We love a pub that gives you both mashed AND roasted potatoes, which the Shibden Mill Inn does, along with roast seasonal veg and a towering Yorkshire pudding.
There’s roasted salt-aged sirloin of beef, cooked perfectly pink (though they’re happy to give it a bit longer if you prefer your meat to not be blushing); or an excellent wedge of belly pork with crispy crackling.
And on the side, a portion of cauliflower cheese that is actually more cheese than cauliflower. Perfect.
Puddings are a nice mix of heavy winter favourites and lighter, fruitier desserts – but we go full stodge, with a chocolate fondant dessert topped with torched marshmallow, salted caramel, and sugared pecans, and have no regrets.
If you want to replicate this Sunday walk and roast, you can see the full circular route here.
Glamorous new Salford restaurant speaks out as controversial resident parrot is rehomed
Daisy Jackson
A new riverside restaurant and shisha lounge has addressed the live parrot that was living in the middle of the restaurant.
Gardens Lounge in Salford opened last week, bringing Mediterranean dining to the banks of the River Irwell, just across the water from Manchester city centre.
But among those admiring the stylish decor were many issuing an outcry over Rio, a beautiful blue macaw displayed in a glass box at the heart of the restaurant.
A loud online campaign, Free Rio, was launched this week, including a petition that’s gained more than 10,000 signatures, which described his conditions as ‘suffering’.
The petition said: “Rio is a highly intelligent, wild animal who is being kept in wholly inadequate conditions. He is being used as a prop and décor to attract customers, this is not an appropriate or acceptable use of a living, sentient being.
“His current conditions cause us serious concern: His cage is entirely unsuitable for a macaw of his size and needs. He has no room to fly. He has nowhere to hide or retreat from the loud music and flashing lights he is subjected to for hours on en
“Macaws are highly social animals who mate for life and live in large family groups, Rio has no mate, no companionship, and no ability to express any natural behaviour whatsoever.
The restaurant has since been working closely with those campaigners – Protect the Wild and Vegan Manchester – and has made the decision to rehome Rio the parrot, saying that the bird has always been ‘a much-loved member of the Garden Lounge’s family’.
Gardens said that the parrot’s welfare has always been ‘of the utmost importance’ and stressed that his living conditions have been fully assessed and approved by the RSPCA.
In their full statement, Gardens said: “The welfare of Rio has always been of the utmost importance to everyone at Garden’s Lounge Manchester.
“Throughout his time with us, his health, wellbeing and environment have been thoroughly monitored and fully assessed and approved by the RSPCA.
The cage that housed Rio the parrot visible from the front door of the Salford restaurantGardens Lounge in Salford is open now
“Following extensive discussions and careful consideration, including conversations with members of the Manchester community whose views we greatly respect, we have made the decision to relocate Rio to a sanctuary environment, where he will have the opportunity to fly freely while continuing to receive specialist care and attention.
“Rio has been, and always will be, a much-loved member of the Garden’s Lounge family, and this decision has been made with his best interests at heart.
“We are proud of the love and care he has received over the years and are grateful to everyone who has shown him such affection and support.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Garden’s Lounge Manchester soon and thank our customers, friends and the wider community for their continued support.”
Daisy Jackson -
27th September 2024 
