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.
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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.
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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.
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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
How and where to recycle or donate your Christmas tree in Manchester | 2026
Emily Sergeant
The new year is here, and the ’12 days of Christmas’ are up… which means it’s time for a fresh start.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve both feel like things of the past now, and for most of us, this is our first proper week back at work too, which means (if you haven’t already) it’s time to tackle the task of taking down and putting away all the festive decorations – even if it is one of the dullest times of the year and it signals that the magic of Christmas is over.
For those of us that opt for a real Christmas tree though, the end of the year always brings one question – now what do we do with it?
Manchester City Council has aimed to answer that very question by providing residents with a handful of different ways to recycle their Christmas trees to make sure they’re put to good use and don’t go to waste or get dumped.
Here’s the different options.
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Recycle it in your food and garden waste bin
You can recycle your Christmas tree by cutting it up and placing it in your food and garden waste bin, but you’ll need to make sure you take the following steps before doing so.
Remove all decorations and fairy lights
Take off the base or wooden block if your tree has one
Make sure the trunk is not thicker than your wrist. Wood thicker than your wrist is too big and can’t be put in the garden and food bin. Large trunks and wooden bases can be taken to a recycling centre.
Donate it to charity
Did you know you can donate your Christmas trees to charity? That’s right – for residents living in Manchester, all you’ll need to do is register your tree with national charity JustHelping, along with a donation towards the collection, and you can help a local hospice or charitable cause in the city-region.
The money raised will go to good causes in the area, including Moya Cole Hospice (previously St Anne’s Hospice), Francis House, and We Love Manchester.
You can find more information and register your tree here.
It’s time to take down and recycle our Christmas trees for another year / Credit: Myriam Olmz | Tanbir Mahmud (via Unsplash)
Take it to a local drop-off point
You can drop your real tree throughout January at:
Angel Meadow Park (entrance Old Mount Street) – M4 4HA
Wythenshawe Park and Gardens Athletics Track – M23 0PH
Heaton Park (Middleton Road entrance) – M8 4NB
Boggart Hole Clough (near the Visitor Centre) – M9 7DH
Patchett Street, off Hyde Road in Ardwick – M12 4RY
Bring it to your local recycling centres
And finally, wherever you live in Manchester, you can take your real Christmas tree – and even your artificial tree that is beyond reuse – to your local recycling centre for free of charge, but it’s worth noting that if you’re planning on using a van, pick-up truck, or a twin-axle trailer to dispose of your tree, then you’ll probably need to apply for a permit.
You can find information about your nearest recycling centre here.
Are you elsewhere in Greater Manchester? Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) has teamed up with local councils and charities across the region to provide Greater Manchester residents in all 10 boroughs with several different options for either recycling or donate their old Christmas trees.
Featured Image – Jelleke Vanooteghem (via Unsplash)
City Centre
The smash-hit daytime rave where you can still be in bed early is returning to Manchester
Clementine Hall
That’s right: Day Fever, the daytime rave designed to still get you tucked in at a reasonable hour, is coming back to Manchester city centre this year.
Following their biggest raft of shows across the UK and Ireland in 2025, the smash-hit night out that is very much aimed at those of us 30 and over – but fellow sleepy heads are obviously more than welcome – Day Fever are targeting big things in 2026.
Launched in early 2024 by actress Vicky McClure and Reverend & The Makers frontman, Jon McClure, Day Fever has become a cultural sensation.
From its debut in Sheffield to a tour that sees thousands of ravers hitting the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people want to dance and let loose, but still be in bed before 9pm – and let’s be honest, who can blame them?
The founders (L-R): Jon McClure, James O’Hara, Jonny Owen, Vicky and Chris McClure. (supplied)
Running from 3-8pm, Day Fever provides a proper night out that doesn’t completely write you off for the entire weekend.
“It started as a WhatsApp idea”, says Jon McClure. “Jonny just said, ‘A daytime disco, how good would that be?’ We’re all a bit nuts, so we just said, ‘Come on then!’”
“It feels like a massive house party at your nan’s,” laughs Vicky. “No drama, no egos, just people acting daft, getting dressed up, and having the best time.”
From here in 0161 and our mates over in Leeds, to Newcastle, Glasgow and many more, each Day Fever event has its own unique flavour.
There’ll be local DJs who know their crowds keep the energy high with a nostalgic mix of Northern Soul, disco, indie, and 90s classics. “Manchester goes mad for Oasis,” says Jon, “and if Vicky’s there, we have to play Whitney, it’s non-negotiable!”
For starters, just look at the turnout they got over Christmas:
Georgina Pellant -
16th November 2021 
