Everyone’s favourite festive pop-up, Bar Hutte, is ready to open in Manchester for another year of karaoke, festive drinks and live music.
The beloved wooden huts and twinkling fairy-lit spaces have reappeared, ready for their grand opening on Thursday.
Now with two sites in the city centre, Bar Hutte promises a vibrant festive atmosphere and loads of events running all the way through to the new year.
The alpine pop-up brings a taste of the apres-ski experience to two corners of Manchester – the waterside space at Kampus and Great Northern Square.
At Bar Hutte Kampus, the beautiful gardens will be made even more magical with the arrival of snug wooden karaoke huttes and an apres-ski bungalow, filled with cosy furnishings and glittering lights.
There’ll be a full schedule of Christmas movie nights, including Love Actually and Office Christmas Party, where you can relax with a mulled wine or fizz and popcorn, plus Kids Movie Mornings with family friendly festive hits like Polar Express and The Grinch.
On 21 November, Bar Hutte Kampus will host Ginger Hunter’s Sparkling Chalet Chic Drag Night, with festive bingo, games, and karaoke.
Nell’s Pizza is servedBar Hutte’s siganture ski shotsBombardino, hot chocolate and a Baileys martini at Bar Hutte
You’ll also be able to join in with freestyle painting workshops and wreath making sessions in the run-up to Christmas.
At the Santa Claus Club, kids will have an hour of karaoke fun and hot chocolate, plus the chance to meet Santa Claus himself.
Expect winter warmer drinks like Bombardinos and the Bar Hutte ski shot, festive cocktails, and classics like mulled wine and fizz.
And all of that is fuelled by giant pizza slices from Nell’s, who’ll be slinging out slices and whole pies from their restaurant next door.
Bar Hutte has popped up at KampusUpstairs at Bar Hutte KampusBar Hutte has popped up at Kampus
Across town, Bar Hutte at the Great Northern will be a go-to party spot, with 14 cosy huttes under a heated stretch tent, with live singers, DJs, pizza made fresh on site and an exciting drinks menu.
Callum Winsper, operations manager at Bar Hütte, says: “We’re so pleased to bring Bar Hütte back to Manchester for another year.
“Our festive karaoke hüttes, lively courtyard and schedule of family events have become a holiday favourite in the city, and we’re proud to continue this tradition.
“We’re excited to return to both locations, Great Northern and Kampus, and we look forward to welcoming everyone – whether with friends, family, or colleagues – for another memorable Christmas season.”
Bar Hütte at Kampus opens on 14 November, while Great Northern Square opens on 15 November. You can make a booking HERE.
Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers
Daisy Jackson
The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals.
The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them.
This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester.
Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men.
And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering.
Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthdayPen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long.
On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night.
Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm.
All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.
There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.
Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years!
“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”
Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’
Emily Sergeant
In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.
Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway.
That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.
First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips.
Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree
With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.
To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.
The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.
Daisy Jackson -
12th November 2024 
