A brand new canalside terrace bar and eatery is opening up in the city centre just in time for this weekend’s spring sunshine.
Situated on two levels and located underneath The Holiday Inn on Aytoun Street, Roby 1844 – which was inspired by the original Victorian Roby School building next door to the hotel – is bringing a relaxed ambience, awash with festoon lighting, waterside seating, music and an outdoor bar, to Manchester.
The terrace will open to the public 12pm – 11pm daily from Saturday 17th April.
Roby 1844 will be serving up an extensive street food menu, with a selection of burgers, sandwiches and platters to choose from, alongside an inclusive vegan menu boasting dishes such as Vegan Dirty Fries, Corn Ribs and Pulled Jackfruit Baps.
The drinks menu is packed with a range of beers, spirits, wine and cocktails, with local suppliers SEVEN BRO7HERS, Manchester Gin and Three Rivers Gin all featuring.
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There’ll also be live music appearing in the bar in the summer months.
That’s not all either, as the bar will even provide a stop for canal barges too, with passengers able to moor and disembark at the Roby terrace for a drink in the Manchester sunshine.
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The Manc GroupThe Manc Group
Speaking ahead of the grand opening of Roby 1844, Steve Julian – Manager at The Holiday Inn – said: “We’ve got such a great space by the water and wanted to create a standalone destination, perfect for after work drinks, weekend socialising and get togethers [so] people are welcome to head down for a drink, a bite to eat or both.
“It’s a great place to sit and watch the world go by, and enjoy spending time with people, especially after being apart for so long”.
Roby 1844 will open at 12pm on Saturday 17th April.
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Initially, no pre-bookings are required so walk-ins are welcome and encouraged, and you can find menus and more information here.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Food & Drink
A tiny new train station pub has opened at Manchester Oxford Road
Daisy Jackson
A tiny craft beer pub has opened at Manchester Oxford Road, making all those inevitable train cancellations a little sweeter.
The new boozer comes from the same team behind some of the UK’s best train station pubs, who already have bars at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria.
The Oxford Road Tap has plenty of charming nods to its proximity to the great British rail network.
There’s the big red National Rail sign that they’ve restored and turned into a beer tap, an arch over the bar that mimics the shape of the station, and even a departures board so you can work out how many more pints you can squeeze in.
You’ll find plenty of British craft beers behind the bar as well as a great selection of European lagers, plus spirits and wines.
The bar from Bloomsbury Leisure Holdings Limited has taken over the former cycle hub at Manchester Oxford Road.
The small building is directly opposite the entrance to the busy train station on the southern side of the city centre.
The Oxford Road Tap pub is now open in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
This will be the third site for the pub group in Manchester.
They already operate the Piccadilly Tap, that two-storey beer bar on Piccadilly Approach with a heated rooftop space and outdoor patio.
The team are also responsible for the more recently-opened Victoria Tap, which took over the former bin store at Manchester Victoria.
That particular pub has a heated beer garden constructed just inches away from where the trams tootle past and has a departures board where time is measured by pints (got 10 mins til your train leaves? That’s one pint, sir!)
Oslo-born Doug’s Hamburgers is opening in Manchester, serving adult ‘Happier Meals’
Daisy Jackson
Critically acclaimed burger joint Doug’s is heading to Manchester for the first time, serving up grown-up ‘Happier Meals’.
The burger brand started life in Norway but is led by a very northern team – they’re also behind Madre, Medlock Canteen and London’s Breddos tacos.
Doug’s is an Oklahoma-style burger restaurant with a menu of classic burgers made with hand-pressed patties from premium dry-aged beef (it’s the thinly-sliced onions inside each patty that makes it Oklahama style).
A classic cheeseburger is the brand’s signature dish, featuring a smashed patty, onions, cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles and Doug’s special sauce.
There’ll also be fried chicken sandwiches, hot tenders and fries, plus breakfast buns served all day.
The ‘Happier Meal’ is an adult twist on a fast food favourite – you get a burger, fries, and a martini.
You can get deep-fried pickles with your burger at Doug’s in Manchester.Doug’s Hamburgers is coming to ManchesterCredit: The Manc Group
Doug’s spot in Manchester will be its fourth restaurant.
It’s set to open on Oxford Road above the recently-announced Amber’s nightclub, open seven days a week from 11am until midnight.
The flagship restaurant on Oxford Road is designed by R2A studio and will be opening this December in Circle Square for eat in and take-out.
Doug’s is opening on Friday 20 December and will be handing out free burgers – just head down from 12pm to claim one.
Emily Sergeant -
16th April 2021 
