Everybody knows The Font. It’s been part of the fabric of Manchester’s bar scene for more than 20 years, famed for its insanely affordable cocktails.
All these years on, you can still get a cocktail here for £1 – admittedly, only during Happy Hour, though even outside that deal you’re only looking at £3 a drink.
When the New Wakefield Street venue first opened in 2000, its niche wasn’t much of a niche at all – it was a cheap watering hole with colourful walls where students would grab a vodka and coke before heading on to the clubs.
But over the years, and with the input of all the faces who’ve worked behind the bar since, its identity evolved into something clearer.
The Font has been loved by generations of students – and beyond – for its cocktail menu, full of candy floss garnishes, sweet toppings, and ice cream cones.
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Its creative menu currently includes jelly shots topped with edible photos of Andy Burnham, a honey-inspired cocktail made with cereal flavoured milk, and a ‘Unicorn Juice’ topped with a twisted edible unicorn horn.
Current specials at The Font. Credit: The Manc Group
The Font is unusual in many ways, one of which is the amount of time it’s hung on in Manchester for while other bars – including its long-lost neighbour Sound Control – crumbled.
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Dan Rinaldi, general manager, has worked here for 15 years and remembers a very different city.
“The bar scene in Manchester was loads smaller,” he says. “The Northern Quarter was maybe just Common, Trof had literally just opened, and maybe Odd? The Ancoats of now didn’t exist. The scene was so limited in some ways.”
So what exactly has given The Font the legs to keep going, even in the tumultuous times the hospitality industry has faced in recent years?
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It’s a combination of authenticity, value, fun, and family atmosphere, Dan says.
Credit: The Manc Group
“It’s all fun, it’s all about fun, we’re definitely not a serious place.
“We encourage everyone to feel at home here, you can do what you want, come as you are and join in, as long as you’re not causing hassle for anyone else. It’s a safe place.
“One thing we’re very proud of is that if you meet anyone who’s been a student in Manchester any time in the last 20 years, they’ll know us. Everyone knows The Font.
“It’s the perfect starting point to people’s night out, and we get to see everyone at the start of their night when they’re all excited and get them ready to go. That’s our favourite thing.”
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Another remarkable thing about The Font is that their cocktails have only gone up £1 in the 22 years they’ve been open – something Dan admits is ‘difficult’ to maintain.
He says: “We got really nervous when we put our prices up 50p a few years ago and we were really worried, but most people were like ‘What? That’s still so cheap don’t worry about it’.
“In the current climate we still want to be the place where you can get good value, and we still feel like we can do that well enough, especially with happy hours.”
He continues: “The cocktails, and that’s really what everyone knows us for, were only actually introduced about four or five years after we opened, and the idea came from the staff basically. They decided they wanted to make some cocktails and give it a go, and it all evolved from there.
“Our owner is very good at letting whoever is working here come up with ideas and push them forward – he’s an owner that gives us the chance to express our ideas and influence, and what we pick up from other bars and cities.
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“We can really express ourselves through what we sell and what we do and how we decorate the place and even the music that gets played.”
Part of the magic of The Font is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously – and for those who are new to cocktails, it’s the most fun possible introduction.
Looking back on the history of The Font and its many, many years in the city, Dan has a few fond memories.
The artwork left over from Eurocultured festival new The Font. Credit: The Manc Group
He says: “Way back there used to be a street festival on new Wakefield street called Eurocultured, it ran for quite a few years.
“The street was closed and there was a big stage under the arches near Gorilla, and we’d have bands and DJs on in here, a lot of the artwork on the street is left from the last one of those. It was chaos on the street and chaos in here and it was just so fun.
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“One of our proudest moments was our recovery from Covid – we had outside seating for the first time and it was packed, straight away, and it felt so good to come back from that.
“And all our staff were brilliant and stuck with us through furlough and all that and they all came back, all of them. We managed to keep everyone together which is crazy. It was a very proud moment.”
In the coming weeks, The Font will welcome the next generation of freshers and students, all getting their cocktail crash course.
You can bet they’ll never forget this place.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Smash-hit sandwich shop Earl’s is set to open another site in Bolton
Danny Jones
Yes, beloved Bolton butty shop and bar, Earl’s, is set to open up their second location in the Greater Manchester borough, taking the food from the town centre over to Farnworth.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a metropolitan expansion either this year or next, but for now, we’re just glad to hear we’re getting more of the good stuff.
Earl’s Day and Night Deli, to give them their full name, is the latest name to join the lineup of new foodie faces joining the culinary boom over at the Farnworth Green development.
Soon, the stacked sandwiches, quality coffee and laid-back vibes will be coming to one of the best up-and-coming new neighbourhoods.
Founded by two local lads, Jonny Eckersley and Andy Partington, the first venue only opened back in December of 2024, but has gone on to become a North West-wide sensation.
Carb connoisseurs will literally travel for this scran, and having tasted it for ourselves a couple of times now, it’s no wonder.
Taking inspiration not only from regional food and drink, but also from the wider atmospheres and culinary cultures of Lisbon, Sydney, Antwerp and more, if they can translate even half the levels of chill from the OG Earl’s into this soon-to-open sister site, we’re sure it will hit the ground running.
As per an official press release, fans and those who’ve never tried it before can “expect a menu packed with freshly made sandwiches, alongside a line-up of hot and cold options available for both grab-and-go and delivery.”
Crucially, they’re also looking to carry over that feeling of a seamless transition between services, blending everything from morning coffee runs and the lunch rush with casual evening hangs.
Co-founder Jonny said in a statement: “We are staying true to our roots by bringing a second Earl’s in Bolton. This new venture helps to fuel our expansion plans and widen our catchment area so even more local people can enjoy the Earl’s experience.
“We have big plans for the space and can’t wait to get started.” An exact opening date hasn’t even been confirmed yet, but we’re already getting excited.
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital and Centric (the developers behind Farnworth Green) added: “We back standout local operators, and Earl’s is right up there – great food, loads of energy and a proper following already behind them.
“Farnworth Green is shaping up to be a neighbourhood with real character, and Earl’s is only going to add to that. Expect it to be busy.”
Crown and Kettle set to take over another former Northern Quarter bar
Danny Jones
The team behind beloved Ancoats pub The Crown and Kettle have announced that they are set to take over another former bar and restaurant location in nearby Northern Quarter.
We were gutted to see the old place go, but at least we can’t think of many better to take over the unit.
The historic watering hole on the corner of Oldham Road and Great Ancoats Street is said to have stood in that spot since the 18th century, but now the present owners have confirmed they’ll be taking on a third venue, having also opened The Rat and Pigeon back in June 2024.
Many of you may have been to one or multiple of its previous iterations of the site in question over the years, but most recently, it was the Calcio sports bar – and soon it’ll become ‘The Badger’.
Revealing the news online last week, Crown and Kettle wrote: “We’re delighted to announce that our new pub, The Badger, arrives on Dale Street this spring!
“Once home to Calcio, Allotment & Nickelbys, this beautiful old building first served as The Haunch of Venison public house back in the early 1800s. Over the past few months, we’ve been hard at work, quietly bringing it back to life & returning it to its roots as a community pub.
“With The Badger, we’ve set out to create the kind of place we love most, warm, welcoming, full of character, with all the charm of a great countryside pub in the heart of the city.
“Expect cosy corners, traditional pub foods, fine ales & the warmest of welcomes. Made for regulars. Open to all. Worth returning to. We can’t wait to welcome you to your new city centre local. GET SET(T)…” Oh, very good indeed.
We visited Calcio many times over the past couple of years, both for work and pleasure in our own free time; it was a great place to watch the footy, enjoy some matchday scran and roll back the years with retro videogames.
As mentioned, though, not only did it used to be one of multiple Allotment vegan and vegetarian eateries in Greater Manchester – thankfully, their presence still remains in multiple buildings – but it has a past long before that which many people bring up on social media.
Insert, “I remember when…’ post.
While we might not know much about what they have in store for this next chapter, knowing how much we love their current city centre favourites, we’re very excited.
As it stands, we’re also yet to hear anything about a more precise opening date, but at least we know it’s coming sometime soon, and we have every faith they’re going to smash it.
Daisy Jackson -
8th September 2022 
