It’s been in the works for quite some time now, but award-winning sports bar BOX has announced it finally open its doors in Manchester at the end of November.
BOX is aiming to bring the city a new spot to eat, drink, watch live sport, play and party all under one roof.
After first being teased back in July 2020, the “game-changing” 8,000 sq ft sports bar – which already has three successful sites in Leeds – will now open on Deansgate (opposite Spinningfields) and be spread across two floors, boasting over 20 screens to watch live sports matches, two 21-foot European Shuffleboard tables, plus Apres Ski-style live bands, DJs playing floor-fillers, and Bandeoke – giving you the chance to take to the mic and join the house band on stage.
The ground floor features an island bar that’s surrounded by 20 top-of-the-range TV screens, which can be seen from any seat in the venue, and upstairs, there’s a more relaxed and premium viewing experience, with booth-seating and luxurious finishes for parties and private viewings.
It may be a sports bar at heart, but that’s not all BOX has to offer.
ADVERTISEMENT
BOX is aiming to bring the city a new spot to eat, drink, watch live sport, play and party all under one roof / Credit: BOX
As mentioned, there’s also live DJs, Apres Ski-style bands, and Bandeoke on hand ready to bring the party every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Those looking for a tipple or two won’t go thirsty either as there’s beer tanks filled with fresh Budvar, handcrafted secret recipe Pornstar and Espresso Martinis available on tap, BOX’s larger-than-life Cocktail Steins, and four-litre beer towers and shot boxes to make for the perfect group drinks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Some of the country’s finest craft beers – including some of Manchester’s own – will also be available, as well as a selection of cocktails, wines, and fizz.
And if you’re looking for something to soak up all the alcohol, BOX is also known for its high-quality food menu.
Inspired by world street foods and only using the finest ingredients cooked on site by a talented kitchen team, you can tuck into pizzas made using double fermented dough, signature hand-formed burgers, marinated kebabs, and the famous BOX platters – with mini burgers, mozzarella fries, crispy popcorn chicken, and succulent BBQ ribs.
ADVERTISEMENT
BOX is also known for its high-quality food and drinks menu / Credit: BOX | The Photo ProjectBOX Deansgate is spread across two floors and boasts over 20 screens to watch live sports matches / Credit: BOX
There’s also an outdoor terrace for alfresco lunches and drinks in the sun right in the heart of the city centre.
BOX Deansgate marks the fourth Manchester opening from bar group Arc Inspirations, following Banyan Corn Exchange, Banyan Spinningfields, and the smash-hit Manahatta branch – which has lit up Deansgate since 2018.
“We’re delighted to finally be introducing our BOX brand to Manchester for its much-anticipated launch,” said Martin Wolstencroft, CEO of Arc Inspirations.
“It’s exciting to be opening the doors next month to guests, especially after what’s been a challenging time for everyone [and] we’re confident the good folk of Manchester will enjoy BOX’s high-energy experience and overall, come to us for some great fun.”
You can find more ahead of BOX Deansgate’s opening here.
Featured Image – BOX
Food & Drink
An alternative Christmas market with flaming mulled wine and independent food traders is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
There’s a new Christmas destination worth your time in Manchester this winter – and it’s a very different offering to the traditional Manchester Christmas Markets.
This brand-new winter venue will include a 200-capacity heated tent, bars serving flaming mulled wines, and will have a food and drink offering that features some of our city’s top independent businesses.
Christmas at St John’s will be operated by GRUB – and if you love to spend your spare time in a market setting, you’ll already know you couldn’t be in more trustworthy hands than this.
The GRUB team, champions of independent food and drink in Manchester, will be teaming up with St John’s on this lively winter hideaway.
At the centre of everything will be a Feuerzangenbowle bar, serving flaming mulled wines, with pop-ups from resident favourites like Trading Route and Stables Tavern as well as Good Wines and Verdant brewery.
Expect a revolving door of the region’s most exciting chefs and traders, serving unique festive dishes you won’t find anywhere else.
There’ll be eight rotating street food traders across the month-long event. Some of the names taking part include Soots (the Altrincham Market plant-based pasta kitchen that recently opened its first restaurant in the Northern Quarter); BAB with gormet kebabs; and Akin Club serving Middle Eastern small plates.
Soots. Credit: The Manc GroupKnight’s BBQ. Credit: SuppliedJim’s Table. Credit: SuppliedSome of the traders taking part in Christmas at St John’s, an alternative Christmas Market in Manchester
There’ll also be a Jims Table x Good Wines small plates and wine pairing collab, plus Knights BBQ with Jamaican flavours, and Yorkshire legends Spud & Bros with poutine too.
This alternative Christmas Market will have you tucking into open-fire cooking, hand-rolled pasta, tandoor dishes, nostalgic Christmas comfort food, and GRUB’s take on classic bratwursts.
Christmas at St John’s is promising to be a ‘celebration of creativity, quality and culture that brings together everything Manchester does best: independent food, crafted drinks and a sense of community you won’t find anywhere else’.
You’ll even be able to reserve and collect your Christmas tree from here, right in the centre of town.
There’ll be live entertainment all season, like Matty White’s festive food quiz, comedy nights, alternative choirs, and more.
How Christmas at St John’s could look. Credit: Supplied
It will all take place with a cosy 200-capacity heated tent and 60-metre custom-built event space.
Bailey, GRUB’s Director, says: “We’ve pulled out all the stops for this one. Calling on our trusted partners from years of delivering street food events across Manchester, we’re creating something truly unique this Christmas.
“You won’t find these offerings anywhere else. Christmas at St. John’s is all about good food, proper drinks and creating special Christmas memories.
“It’s also a taste of what’s to come as we work with Allied London to bring GRUB’s flagship home to life at Grape Street next year.”
Christmas at St John’s will run from Thursday 20 November until Sunday 21 December and will be open from Wednesday to Sunday every week.
‘Craic Den?’ – New Irish bar to open on Albert Square this week
Daisy Jackson
A new Irish bar is set to open in Manchester this week (yessir, another one), and its owners have been on the hunt for its new name.
Tokyo Industries has announced plans to reopen the Red’s True BBQ site, right off Albert Square, as a new Irish bar.
They’re promising it will have an ‘Irish American feel’ and will be serving food like all-day Ulster breakfasts as well as roast dinners with Guinness gravy.
Aaron Mellor, CEO of Tokyo Industries, has shared a call-out for name suggestions for the new bar, with the shortlist so far including names like ‘The Craic Den’ and ‘House of Guinness’.
Red’s True BBQ was famed for its slow-cooked meat, and outrageous specials like its doughnut burger, but shut down in Manchester in 2023.
It had previously been rescued by Tokyo Industries, which also operates other venues in town like Gorilla and Deaf Institute, Impossible, and Factory 251.
The site itself is in a magnificent Grade II-listed building on the corner of Albert Square, facing out onto the Town Hall (and soon, the Manchester Christmas Markets).
A new Instagram account shows the space slowly being transformed into an Irish bar, with green leather and Guinness logos slowly taking over the space.
It also suggests that, sadly, The Craic Den hasn’t made the cut as the new name – instead it’s set to open as Dirty O’Sullivan MCR.
Aaron Mellor shared last week: “Deciding on names for venues is always so hard – we’ve come up with about 300 names & suffering choice fatigue…
“It’s a new Irish bar with an Irish American feel set in the Reds True Barbecue site on Albert Square, Manchester.
“Amazing food – Great live entertainment – The finest Guinness – The coolest cocktails – All day Ulster Breakfasts – Guinness Gravey Sunday Roasts Mmm.
“Favorites So: Dirty O’Sullivans, Reds True Irish, Luck of the Irish, The Dublin Docker, The Hare & Harp, The Craic Den, The Perfect Pint, The StoreHouse, House Of Guinness, Murphy’s Law, Oscar Wildes.”
Dirty O’Sullivan is set to open on Lloyd Street at Albert Square this week.
Emily Sergeant -
18th October 2021 
