Inside Mecanica, the swanky NQ cocktail den mixing some of Manchester’s best drinks
Aperol caviar, a spritz of Coco Chanel no.5, and Philip Aldridge (formerly of Mana) behind the bar make Mecanica a must-visit for any self-respecting Mancunian cocktail lover
Underhype and overdeliver – that could well be the mantra at Mecanica, the new (ish) Northern Quarter cocktail bar on Swan Street.
Boasting the likes of Phillip Aldridge (formerly of Manchester’s only Michelin starred restaurant Mana), alongside skilled bartenders from institutions like Dusk Til Pawn, Australasia, and London Cocktail Club, it’s already getting some serious recognition amongst Manchester’s industry crowd – as well it should.
Quietly opened in August to replace Alphabet Brewing Co‘s short-lived cocktail and wine venture The Quick Brown Fox, the swanky new drinking den is all amethyst hues and brushed velvet – giving the whole place a sort of sultry, up-to-no-good swagger that really comes into its own under the cover of darkness.
Image: Mecanica
Reminiscent of a sexily-lit hotel bar, it feels like the sort of place saucy swines might go to conduct an affair with a lover. The only thing missing, in fact, is a room upstairs.
We jest, but it’s not far off the mark. The hotel theme is a deliberate one, carrying through to the menu – a collection of elegantly assembled cocktails that draw inspiration from famous hotel rooms, both real and fictional.
From ‘Coco Chanel Suite’, which echoes the legendary fashion designer’s famous diet of champagne and caviar (and even includes a spritz of no. 5); to ‘Fear and Loathing’, served as two separate drinks you are encouraged to enjoy apart before blending together, the execution at Mecanica is just as impeccable as its concepts.
‘Fear and Loathing’ / Image: Mecanica
In ‘Fear and Loathing’, cuttlefish ink in a coupette delivers the ‘fear’ element, whilst gooseberry-led aperitif Sipello merges with grapefruit to provide a shot of ‘loathing’ – mirroring that famous scene in which Thompson’s characters find themselves holed up sipping mezcal and Singapore Slings.
Described as a ‘drink of two parts’, whilst you’re told to enjoy it however you please we enquire how the bartender would recommend it drunk and are told to first sip them separately, then together, for maximum effect.
Elsewhere on the menu, cleverly concocted drinks reference Wes Anderson’s 2017 short Hotel Chavelier, John and Yoko’s infamous Montreal ‘bed in’, and Tennessee Williams 1961 play Night of the Iguana – in which an alcoholic tour guide spirals out of control in a night of pure debauchery at a Mexican hotel in Puerto Vallarta.
Coco Chanel Suite / Image: Mecanica Image – Mecanica
Mood lamps on each table, meanwhile, use a colour-coded system for service: with the green meaning ‘go’, blue meaning ‘content’ and red meaning ‘bill, please’ – so at the touch of a button, smart, well-informed bartenders appeared out of nowhere to tell you in minute detail the inspiration behind each drink. A genius touch.
Given that this particular quarter of Manchester is teeming with shouty concept bars, each clamouring for its own identity but pouring a near-identical list of party drinks, Mecanica offers a refreshing break from the norm.
Sleek, stylish and oh-so-sexy, it’s doing a bang-up job of honouring some of the capital’s top hotel bars whilst bringing something new and exciting to shake up the old Northern Quarter format of days gone by.
A must for any self-respecting Mancunian cocktail lover, it’s bringiing something new to the Northern Quarter – and we’re absolutely here for it.
Feature image – Mecanica
Capitalising on its elite credentials, this Thursday 18 November Mecanica is hosting an exclusive Heart Cut Gin masterclass with Sipsmith – bringing an experience previously only available at the London distillery to Manchester for the first time.
Priced at £15 per ticket, alongside an exclusive unique tasting you’ll also be treated to three complimentary drinks created by its expert bartenders and gin samples from the Sipsmith collection.
To find out more and book, follow Mecanica on Instagram here. To book for the Heart Cut Gin masterclass, click here.
City Centre
Brand new venue confirmed as the host of The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness
Danny Jones
The magnificent Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is back this year, and with the 2025 event fast approaching, they have announced arguably their biggest host venue yet, setting up in camp in a brand new food and drink hall.
Having housed the incredible charity gathering from Freight Island last year, it was always going to take some beating this time around, but somehow they’ve managed to.
The annual relay run in aid of Greater Manchester’s homeless community will be taking place at none other than the city centre’s recently unveiled House of Social, with the building’s wider student living quarters serving as the perfect fit for the initiative first thought up by university friends back in 2018.
Announced this week, House of Social will be teaming up with the wider First Street neighbourhood to look after the hordes of incredible runners this year.
Jamie Hills, Development Director at Ask Real Estate – who operate the ever-growing First St complex – said of volunteering as this year’s hosts: “First Street is thrilled to welcome and fuel the incredible runners of The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness.
“As the city’s hotspot for community events and culture, we’re proud to be a place where community thrives, so we’re incredibly excited to support this important initiative. With our fantastic on-site amenities like House of Social, we’re ready to keep those participating powered up and going strong!”
As for co-founder Tom Lewis, speaking to The Manc, he said: “We’re excited to return for our 7th edition, with Manchester being our flagship event.
“Through being hosted at House of Social in First Street, we’re hoping to make this year’s edition the best and biggest yet, aiming to raise £50,000 for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity Scheme, ‘A Bed Every Night’.
“We’d love to see you all at the event, plus bring your friends and workplace to. There are paces for everyone, including walking laps.”
In November 2024, not only did the fundraising phenomenon mark its first-ever expansion with an inaugural event in Birmingham, but it also surpassed £50,000 here in Manchester alone, and is now set to make debuts in a trio of new cities.
Tom went on to add: “I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve managed to accomplish as a team with starting up three more events across the country this year and expanding Manchester to a scale we couldn’t have dreamed of when we started out seven years ago.”
We here at The Manc Group have been helping The MCR 24 Run Against Homelessness for several years now, and have put in plenty of those 5k laps between ourselves, so you can bank on us being there to put in some more hard yards this November.
Even better still, we’ve already roped in our friends over at The Hoot to help out with the maiden 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness in Leeds, and we hope to see lots more of you chipping in across the North and beyond.
Here’s to helping rough sleepers find beds and get back on their feet all over the country.
The @mcr24hourrun is expanding in 2025 and is heading to Leeds for the first time. 🏃♂️
And they're not the only city making their debut this year either… 👊
Darts returns to Manchester as Premier League dates are confirmed for 2026
Danny Jones
The schedule for the 2026 Premier League Darts tour has been officially announced, with the PDC’s annual championship returning to Manchester once again.
PDC Premier League fixtures continue to grow in popularity both in TV figures and live match attendance, with a whole new generation of fans getting into ‘the arrows’.
Just as it has for decades now, league darts is coming back to Manchester city centre and the legendary AO Arena once again, with our date landing right in the middle of the season.
Booking a big night right in the middle of a crucial period in the competition? It sounds like 0161 is set to welcome another blockbuster night up at the oche.
Confirmed on Thursday, 11 September, next year’s PDC Premier League Darts campaign will get underway in February, spanning the course of four months and eight countries.
Of the European cities on the circuit, the tournament will be heading to Belgium for the very first time, as the AFAS Dome in Antwerp replaces Exeter.
Elsewhere on the continent, there are two other mainland evenings in Germany and the Netherlands, along with multiple Northern dates here in the UK, such as Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield.
As for Manchester, we’ve been selected for round nine of 17 (including the finals), with the AO Arena set to welcome multiple favoured competitors from the North West, including 18-year-old phenomenon Luke Little from down the road in Warrington, as well as Stockport’s very own Nathan Aspinall.
It was an unforgettable experience for Aspinall last time around in his local event, as he finally managed to win a PDC Premier League night on home turf for the first time in his career.
Those hoping to enjoy a night of darts in front of a Manchester crowd on April 26, 2026, still have to be patient for now, as general admission is still a little way off.
However, if you are interested, you can sign up for the AO’s newsletter to find out more information and get yourself on the waiting list early.
Better, if you go straight through the PDC, you can throw your hat in the ring for the presale window right now and be first in line to grab tickets when they go live.
You can do so HERE and, until then, get your signs and fancy dress at the ready because we’ll be heading back to the ‘boring, boring tables’ soon enough.
See the 2026 PDC Premier League Darts schedule in full down below:
Georgina Pellant -
16th November 2021 
