Beloved Manchester breakfast, butty and late-night boozing spot Bowlers Cafe has quietly closed and is set to be turned into a tapas and pintxos bar next month.
News of the cult favourite closing went under the radar but posters in the window of the now former Bowlers site went up over the weekend, confirming that the popular city centre lunch spot is set to receive a Spanish makeover.
Although the exact September opening date is still unconfirmed, the new small plates and snack bar located just off Albert Sqaure will be called El Kabron and is set to be operated by well-established local restaurant, La Bandera.
Now open for a decade, La Bandera is categorically one of the go-to Latin establishments in Manchester, picking up countless awards including the best Spanish restaurant in the city and being voted among the top three best tapas places in the UK by The Times.
The posters for a new Manchester city centre tapas bar are up. (Credit: The Manc Group)
While the same Spanish-Canarian influences will no doubt be in the mix, you can most likely expect El Kabron to be a more pared-back concept than its parent brand.
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Said to be “inspired by the northern Spanish taverns”, the poster only gives away that there’ll be tapas, pintxos – pronounced ‘pinchos’ in case you were wondering – bocadillo-style sandwiches and lots of lovely cured meats. Give us all the Jamón (ham), por favor y gracias.
Naturally, as a tapas bar, there’ll also be lots of imported beer, sangria, wine cocktails and other boozy options when they soft launch to the public very soon.
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As Bowlers was also known for regularly staying up in the evenings to host live music and entertainment, it no doubt comes as welcome news that the replacement will carry on the late-night culture.
From this……to something more like this.Credit: Bowlers Cafe (via Facebook)/La Bandera (via Instagram)
It remains to be seen whether the new opening will carry on any kind of breakfast service like their predecessors but we can smell a lovely Spanish lunch deal coming winging its way to us very soon.
In the meantime, La Bandera themselves have extended their current 50% off until mid-September, meaning you can make the most of their discounted food and get a better idea of what might be to come from El Kabron.
Huge Manchester street food event postponed amid severe weather
Daisy Jackson
A big food festival that was set to take place in Manchester this weekend has been postponed due to the severe storm warning.
GRUB at The Club, which is set to celebrate 11 years of the street food heavyweights, was meant to be taking place at Fairfield Social club this weekend.
The brilliant GRUB team had planned two nights of great food and DJs to celebrate their birthday, with free birthday cake for the first 50 people through the door on Friday night.
But as Manchester is battered by basically more rain than we’ve seen all summer, organisers have made the decision to postpone the event for now.
Remember when it felt like Manchester would always be sunny, dry and warm? Those days are over, my friend.
There’s a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms today, then a forecast that features a bit more rain than we’d like for a bank holiday.
GRUB have said that this severe storm forecast has made it ‘impossible’ for the event to go ahead as planned, as they prioritise the safety and enjoyment of everyone on site.
They’ve said that the event will be rearranged to take place in September, with the exact date announced very soon.
GRUB posted: “Due to the severe storm forecast this week we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the event. The safety and enjoyment of our guests, traders and team always comes first and this weekend’s weather makes it impossible for us to go ahead as planned.
“We’re gutted. This one meant a lot to us and we know it did to you too. But GRUB At The Club is not cancelled! It’s coming back in September and we cannot wait to do this properly. Keep your eyes peeled for the new date announcement coming very soon
“The launch of FSC’s brand new pizza menu is also being pushed back. But not for long! That one’s coming very soon and trust us, it’ll be worth the wait.
“Thank you for your understanding and sorry for any inconvenience caused. We’ll see you soon.”
Keep an eye on GRUB’s Instagram for the rescheduled dates.
Award-winning cocktail bar in Manchester announces shock closure
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, a Manchester cocktail bar that’s been named as one of the best in the UK, has announced its shock closure.
The beautiful bar on the cobbled Little David Street has said that ‘this Pride will be our last’, with the doors set to close for good on Sunday.
Red Light opened its doors at Kampus in 2023, an inclusive space with great drinks, events, and DJs.
The bar was the brainchild of Deana Ferguson, an adopted Manc originally hailing from Belfast, who created a cosy, welcoming space with a fantastic martini.
But now, the Red Light team have announced that they have just days remaining in their home.
They wrote that ‘sustained financial headwinds’ are partly to blame, along with the challenges presented by operating a late-night venue in a residential area.
Red Light in Manchester has announced its closureThe beautiful bar is on Little David Street at Kampus in Manchester
In a heartbreaking statement, Red Light wrote: “For so many years, this bar has been more than a place to drink. It has been a home, a dance floor, a refuge, and a place where people could find friendship, freedom, love, and themselves.
“We are immensely proud of the community that has grown within these walls, and grateful to every person who has been part of it.”
The statement went on to thank the DJs, performers, neighbours and friends who ‘made this bar what it was’.
Red Light added: “We want our final Pride to celebrate everything we have created together. Come raise a glass, fill the dance floor, and help us give this place the joyful, unapologetically queer farewell it deserves.
“We hope to see you over the weekend, for one last Pride together.”
Danny Jones -
27th August 2024 
