The Station Hotel is no new name on the lips of Altrincham natives or those in and around Greater Manchester; chances are, plenty of you have either been or at least seen the late 19th-century pub after getting off the tram around the corner, but it’s been reborn following major renovations.
Not satisfied with a simple lick of paint or a new menu, Alty’s beloved Station looks, by and large, totally brand new, from the bar itself and every single piece of tiled floor to the brand new sports space.
There’s not only a shiny new glow coming from the soft-lit remodel; there’s now an added sense of warmth to The Station, and they’re looking to extend that welcoming feel not just to locals but the wider sporting community as well.
Having already been a go-to pre- and post-match pint spot for Manchester Storm and Alty FC, both of whom are seeing a huge surge in popularity of late, the team are looking to capitalise on those crowds and go one further.
As for catering to that audience, there’s no better example than the dedicated sports room, where, besides several of a dozen total screens, there are two fresh and premium standard pool tables, as well as one of the best examples of pub sports we’ve come across, maybe ever.
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If you’re wondering what we’re on about, they’ve got actual interactive darts that don’t just give you some nice visuals, but that can be played head-to-head, against bots (yes, you can set the computer difficulty) and even online.
How does that work? Well, thanks to a built-in function on the display, you can literally face off against another player somewhere else in real-time.
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So, say you happen to be throwing a few arrows in The Station comes the weekend, another punter happens to be at the oche in another Blind Tiger Inns venue – The Grosvenor over on Oxford Road in Manchester city centre, for instance – you can challenge them to a number of different games digitally.
Very cool.
Better still, the darts and the pool are completely free to use Monday to Friday right up until 7pm, and a mere £1.50 at the weekend. No wonder they had a busy opening night.
And then there’s all the deals on drinks: two for £12 on spritzes, £14 bottles of prosecco throughout the week until that same cut-off time, as well as £4 beers and large glasses of wine for as little as £6.
Be rude not to for those prices…
We especially love how the section of the pub where the old pool table and single darts board used to live is no longer the cold, almost cut-off section of the pub that used to be – it’s now one of the cosiest and most colourful parts, with a 360-padded seat, bright new mural, and one that opens out onto
Arguably the best bit, though, is one we’ll have to wait to see in its full glory just yet: the transformed patio area, with wall-to-wall bi-folding doors that will no doubt prove perfect for the summer and for when the World Cup rolls around.
Blind Tiger have, rather fittingly, played an absolute blinder with this one, and we expect the place to start a whole new chapter and fresh new reputation.
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See you for a few scoops before a Storm game soon!
‘Theatrical’ rotisserie chicken restaurant to open just off King Street
Daisy Jackson
A new ‘bold and theatrical’ restaurant with dishes cooked over fire and a full-scale rotisserie is opening in Manchester later this year.
Plans have been revealed for The Counter, a 62-cover new restaurant inside a new building on John Dalton Street.
When it launches, The Counter will offer all-day dining, from breakfast flatbreads to rotisserie-led feasting, large sharing plates and nostalgic desserts like a knickerbocker glory.
It comes from Open Restaurant Group, a hospitality collective led by restaurateurs Sam and Emma Morgan alongside Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan.
Set to launch in September, The Counter hopes to be a ‘bold, theatrical and unmistakably Mancunian’ destination for long lunches, late-night dinners, and cocktails.
The 1,700 sq metre space, designed by the Open Restaurant Group, will feature polished concrete, aged brass, leather finishes and dramatic lighting.
At the centre of the restaurant will be towering four-metre elm trees, plus curved booth seating and a brass wine display.
There’ll be space for between six to eight guests at a chef’s counter, plus room for 20 more customers out on the terrace outside.
The restaurant will also feature dedicated meat and fish dry-ageing cabinets alongside a full-scale rotisserie, showcasing traditional rotisserie chicken, large joints of meat, whole cuts, seasonal game, slow-roasted fish and changing produce-led specials cooked over fire.
The Counter is opening in Manchester this autumn
The rotisserie will also be the star of The Counter’s Sunday lunch experience.
The team behind the restaurant want it to be an ‘ambitious, design-led restaurant that genuinely feels built for Manchester’s creative community’.
Sam Morgan said: “Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world for music, creativity and culture. We wanted to create a restaurant that genuinely reflects that energy.
“The Counter is about atmosphere as much as food. It’s glamorous but still grounded. High quality but relaxed. Somewhere people can come three times a week, whether that’s for breakfast, drinks, dinner or a long Sunday lunch. We want this to feel like a restaurant Manchester can really own.”
Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan added: “The food at The Counter is all about cooking the things we genuinely love eating.
“We want guests to order naturally, share everything, stay longer and enjoy the experience. It’s ingredient-led, produce-led and chef-led, but most importantly it’s fun.”
The Counter Manchester will officially open in September 2026.
Authentic pizza restaurant Proloco to open inside luxury Manchester apartment building
Lydia Mastrolonardo
A new modern pizza restaurant is coming to town – say hello to Proloco.
Opening inside One Port Street in the city centre, Proloco is set to have a seasonal menu and a weekly rotating selection of sharing plates, gelato made in-house daily, and pizzas crafted with ingredients from local suppliers across the North West, as well as the best quality tomatoes and oil imported from Italy – naturally. Have we said all of your buzz words yet?
Sharing a chef with Honest Crust Sourdough Pizza too, it’s guaranteed to be good.
Priding themselves on fantastic food, unfussy drinks, outstanding hospitality, and a love for music – which is at the heart of everything – Proloco will be a welcomed addition to the city.
Some of the seasonal dishes currently available include succulent grilled lamb chops with anchoïade, salt-baked beetroot with ricotta and dill, and radicchio agrodolce with stracciatella.
CGIs of Proloco, set to open in Manchester city centre / Credit: Supplied
The main event – being their selection of 18-inch pizzas, of course – includes one with porchetta, whipped potato, and fennel pie, charred seasonal greens with anchovy pie and a tomato butter pie with marjoram.
Finally, the question on everyone’s lips – the drinks list. You can expect honest wines, locally sourced quality beer, aperitivi, and the star of the show, their £7 Negronis. No, we can’t wait either.
“Proloco is about cooking food I genuinely love with the best people and produce around me,” commented co-founder, Richard Carver. “I want it to feel effortless – warm, a little bit fun, and always worth coming back to.”
Danny Jones -
30th January 2026 
