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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Rudy’s toy-swap – You can swap toys for pizza in Manchester this Christmas
Daisy Jackson
You’ll be able to claim a free pizza in exchange for donating a toy to charity this Christmas, with the return of Rudy’s toy-swap initiative.
The popular pizzeria is teaming up again with Cash for Kids, for a community-led toy-swap initiative.
Mancs who take an unwrapped, new toy (worth £10) into any Rudy’s pizzeria will be able to claim a pizza on the house as a thank you.
One toy = one free Neapolitan pizza.
The toys collected in the charity drive will be donated to the Cash for Kids charity, spreading a little festive cheer to children in need.
When Rudy’s held a similar toy-swap scheme last year, they gathered 6,500 toy donations.
The donations and free pizza will be available from Monday 1 December to Thursday 4 December between 12pm and 5pm.
Commenting on the toy-swap initiative, Managing Director of Rudy’s Pizza Neal Bates, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing back our festive toy swap this Christmas in partnership with Cash for Kids.
“The campaign is a simple way for our guests to give back and help bring a little joy to children who might otherwise go without.
“Community has always been at the heart of Rudy’s, and this initiative is a small way for us to say thank you and spread kindness throughout our community, all with delicious pizza in hand.”
The Rudy’s toy-swap initiative is back in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
There’ll be new festive pizzas to try in every Rudy’s too, including the Porchetta (with Emilia-Romagna porchetta, sage-roasted potatoes and cranberry sauce); the Pesto Rosso (homemade sundried tomato red pesto base with capers and tomatoes); and the Pizza Sorbillo, inspired by Naples’ legendary Sorbillo Pizzeria.
There’ll also be seasonal cocktails including the spiced red berry spritz, the white Christmas margherita, and a winter spiced negroni.
Rudy’s toy swap initiative will run from 1 – 4 December across all of Rudy’s pizzerias in the UK – Manchester pizzerias include Ancoats, Peter Street, and Portland Street, plus branches in suburbs across Greater Manchester.
Stockport County’s Christmas dinner in a cup returns for 2025 as part of new festive food range
Danny Jones
We can’t believe it’s rolled around again already, but with the festive period well underway and the big day just a few weeks away, Stockport County have brought back their viral ‘Xmas dinner in a cup’for 2025.
Better still, the County Courtyard has seen some new Christmas specials added to its food menu, too.
The local football club are absolutely flying in League One at the moment, having spent plenty of time at the top of the table already and still well and truly contesting those promotion/play-off spots.
If you’re a Stopfordian, that’s plenty of cause for celebration right there, but with the Christmas dinner in a cup also up for grabs once more, the holiday season literally couldn’t taste any better right now.
For those who’ve never seen it before, it’s exactly what it says on the tin – well, cup: a little Sunday dinner in a County-branded takeaway coffee cup, complete with a healthy pour of gravy and pretty much all the trimmings you could hope for.
Yes, including sprouts, because all of you who still don’t touch them need to grow up already.
Currently priced at just £4.50, not only does it contain virtually all the major food groups (barring the customary matchday pints, of course), it might just be one of the healthiest and best value-for-money bits of footy scran around – certainly in Greater Manchester, anyway.
But, as mentioned, that’s not all this year; Stockport are also serving up the new festive hot dog and even a ‘leftover Christmas curry’ in a bowl, which might even be more warming on a cold night at Edgeley Park than the Xmas dinner in a cup or clinging onto a flask of Bovril.
Anyone else craving that curry with a cheeky bit of bubble and squeak now?
It’s also worth noting that you’ll only be able to get one of those on Boxing Day, by the way, when the Hatters host Lincoln City in the league.
As for the rest of it, County fans can get their hands on this seasonal scran for the first time this year at the weekend when Dave Challinor’s side take on Barnsley at 12:30pm, and two of the three specials will then be served at home every game over the holiday period.
Speaking of random Christmas food creations, there’s another limited-time-only and potentially divisive example that we’ll also be sampling this December…
Emily Sergeant -
18th October 2021 
