Manchester has been hit by yet another gutting hospitality closure as The Bar at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, formerly known as Three Little Words, has confirmed they have shut down effective immediately.
The stunning spot set up as The Spirit of Manchester Distillery’s dedicated, customer-facing city centre venue and second home under the arches, opened back in 2019, offering a cocktail, gin-making and tasting experience, as well as a restaurant.
But fast forward six years, and now the once-beloved Three Little Words bar has sadly closed, largely citing the same economic pressures everyone has faced post-pandemic.
Writing an emotional farewell post on LinkedIn, Spirit of Manchester co-founder and master distiller Seb Heeley said: “This is a post I never thought I’d have to write. 9 years ago, we set out with a dream to build something that would represent the spirit of Manchester from the humble beginning in our dining room.
“We were fortunate enough that people embraced our vision, and 6 years ago we embarked on an over million pound project to bring 6 forgotten, abandoned arches beneath the iconic Manchester Central back to life to show the best the city has to offer.
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“Unfortunately, COVID changed the playing field 5 years ago, and over the last 2 years, running a city centre hospitality business, we have been hit with a perfect storm of rising costs, taxes and pressure on customer wallets that has ultimately led to an unsustainable business model.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to close our customer-facing operation on Watson Street today. It’s the amazing team that I feel most sorry for, as it’s their commitment over the last 6 years that has made this building feel like our forever home.”
Heeley goes on to say: “If anyone on my network is looking for new recruits, I couldn’t speak highly enough of our whole team. Please get in touch with me about any opening you may have.”
Writing a further statement on the bar’s Instagram page, they described the moment as ‘heartbreaking’, adding that they “couldn’t be prouder of [their] team” and the accolades achieved over the bar’s lifespan, both as Three Little Words and in its most recent iteration.
Seb and his wife, Jen Heeley-Wiggins, say they saw the stunning Watson Street site archway as the “forever home” for the business – it’s not hard to see why.
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Having also housed local culinary offerings like Etana, too, it’s sad to see such an eye-catching part of the city’s dining scene fall victim to the ongoing industry pressures and cost-of-living crisis.
Even if you’ve never been, you’ll have passed a bottle of Manchester Gin countless times. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
The pair signed off by saying: “While this is the end for our experience centre site, Manchester Gin will continue to be made in the city and hopefully enjoyed for years to come.
“Obviously, this is a difficult time for all of us, so please bear with us while we go through this transition. Thank you.” Online orders have also been briefly paused as they look to lay out clearer plans for the future, and we can only hope they come through the other side more stable.
In what has been a heartbreaking start to the week, this marks the third high-profile food and drink casualty in central Manchester alone in the space of just the last two days, with the news of Salvi’s shutting their Deansgate Square location being followed up by another NQ closure barely hours later.
Safe to say it’s more apparent than ever that our hospitality sector needs better support and fast.
Inside Prologue, Stockport’s brand new independent bookshop, cafe, and wine bar
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Stockport is celebrating the arrival of a stunning new bookshop, which doubles up as a cosy café by day and a swanky wine bar by night. What more could we possibly ask for?
Created by the team behind Bramhall’s award-winning independent bookshop, Simply Books, you know we’re in good hands – with a selection of literary events, book clubs, and comedy nights, as well as live music, language classes, and writing workshops all under one roof.
Prologue can be found nestled inside Weir Mill, the new Capital&Centric development by the River Mersey, which houses 253 homes inside Grade II-listed cotton mills and industrial-style new builds.
It’s described as a meeting point for readers, writers, and creatives to connect with like-minded people, learn new skills, and explore new authors or music – with at least two live ticketed events a week.
This new bookstore concept is a welcome addition to the growing selection of independent local businesses popping up across Stockport in recent months, providing further space for the community to thrive.
Upon entering, you are met with every literature-lover’s dream bookcase – a 10m wall of books equipped with two rolling ladders, stocking every kind of genre imagineable, alongside a stylish bar area.
A miso martini and mango picante at ProloguePrologue will host events all week roundBasket of books
The ‘best book sellers in town’ are also doing things a little differently with a concierge desk for buying books, joining clubs or asking for recommendations, instead of a regular checkout.
However, the centre piece of the space is definitely the purpose built stage to accommodate a range of speaking events and live music, contrasted by the cosiest reading nooks lining the perimeter.
Not to mention a lovely outdoor area which will be absolutely perfect in the warmer months.
Prologue has a wide selection of specialty coffees on offer, seamlessly flowing into a sleek wine and cocktail bar in the evening, with drinks like a miso martini and a mango picante.
This one isn’t just for adults, there are also plenty of children’s books stocked making it the perfect location for a waterside café family day trip, down under the viaduct.
Cosy reading nooks at PrologueA huge range of curated books
Ben Johns, co-founder of Simply Books and Prologue, said: “We’ve always believed that bookshops are a place of connection. With Prologue, we wanted to create something special for Stockport – somewhere everyone can feel right at home. We can’t wait to get to know a whole new community of readers.”
If you like it as much as we did, there is also the opportunity to join the Prologue Society. As a member you gain presale access to all events, treats throughout your membership like a free birthday book or coffees and tickets for quarterly special events such as supper clubs and bookshop lock-ins.
Not to mention exclusive access to new releases and early entry to events.
Opening Saturday 3 October at Prologue, Weir Mill, Stockport, SK3 0GS.
Bar Fringe – The decades-old eccentric Manchester pub with one of the city’s best beer selections
Harry Quick
If you’re looking for some of the best European beers in Manchester, there’s one quirky boozer you need to know about.
This is Bar Fringe on Swan Street, and it’s been serving Belgian and continental beers since 1996 – meaning a very happy 30th birthday to this absolute cult classic.
The whole place was built around a love of North European beer culture, bringing a bit of that classic Belgian café feel to Manchester.
And while the beer list is always changing, at the minute they’re celebrating Oktoberfest, so the German stuff is very much the flavour of the month.
And the beer really is the star of the show. You’ll find a huge selection of Belgian and continental bottles, Trappist ales, lagers and changing cask beers, with plenty of interesting and unusual options you’re unlikely to find in your average pub.
It’s also earned a proper reputation with CAMRA and real-ale drinkers over the years, so if you’re serious about your beer, this is definitely one to have on your radar.
But there’s much more to Fringe than what’s behind the bar.
Look around and you’ll find cartoons, pink elephants, a motorbike and an old jukebox firing out everything from vintage metal to indie classics.
Bar Fringe is an eccentric pub specialising in European beers in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
And then there’s the beer garden.
Tucked away at the back, it’s a surprisingly chilled little spot, packed with plenty of nooks and crannies to settle into with a pint.
And with such a huge selection behind the bar, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be drinking something you’ve almost definitely never tried before.
So, if you’re into European beer, slightly eccentric pubs and places with a bit of proper Manchester character, put Bar Fringe on your list.
Danny Jones -
13th August 2025 
