A bar in Manchester is giving away free pints of beer this month in partnership with craft brewery favourite Tiny Rebel.
The Botanist, which has a bar and restaurant on Deansgate and another in Didsbury Village, is offering everyone the chance to enjoy a free pint of Tiny Rebel beer this September.
It has teamed up with the independent brewery to host a treasure hunt across Manchester, hiding 21 prints of Tiny Rebel’s bear mascot around the city.
Dressed in a host of location-specific looks, the bears will be placed around Manchester city centre and Didsbury village nearby to its venues.
In order to get their hands on a free pint, all customers need to do is find a Botanist Bear and scan the QR code on its poster. This wil take them through to a survey, which once completed wiill automatically send them a voucher for a pint of Clwb Tropica.
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Beer-lovers are entitled to one free pint per person per city and the QR code will continue giving new hunters a free beer until the campaign ends at the end of the month.
If you find a Botanist Bear in another city, you will qualify for another pint, in that location. Simply scan the corresponding QR code in each city in order to redeem your drink in that location.
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The bears will be positioned around key landmarks in The Botanist’s locations from 8 September and beer-seekers can redeem their free pint any time up until 30.
As well as receiving a free beer, everyone who scans any of the 21 different QR codes will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a tour of the Tiny Rebel Brewery in Newport, South Wales – and there are five tours for two people up for grabs.
Tiny Rebel has promised to give away a whole year’s supply of beer to the person who finds the most bears around the country between 8 and 30 September.
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The winner will initially get 12 cases of Tiny Rebel beer, along with some exclusive merch, and will then continue to receive another case every month for the following 11 months.
Bears are located in Bath, Alderley Edge, Birmingham, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Chester, Didsbury, Exeter, Farnham, Ipswich, Knutsford, Lincoln, Media City, Newcastle, Reading, Sheffield, Leeds, Warrington, West Bridgford, Worcester and York.
Plans lodged to turn Ducie Street Warehouse into huge food hall
Daisy Jackson
Ducie Street Warehouse could be transformed into a massive food hall, with new plans lodged.
The historic warehouse building near Manchester Piccadilly has worn a few hats over the years.
When it first opened, it was a home to Bistrotheque, a London export that bowed out from the beautiful Grade II-listed building after just six months.
Since then, it’s become a bustling all-day space where you can sit with a laptop for hours (and many do), snacking on a simple menu of flatbreads and salads as well as great cocktails.
But now it looks like Ducie Street Warehouse is in store for a major shake-up again, with plans now lodged to transform the space into huge food hall with more than 500 covers.
The planning application comes from the same team behind Edinburgh Street Food up in Scotland, which is packed with street food traders serving a range of cuisines.
If the plans for Manchester Street Food go ahead, the warehouse on Ducie Street will become the home of a 10-kitchen food hall.
It would flip most of the ground floor, including the terrace, while the upstairs continues operating as a hotel.
The plans also show that the existing private dining area will be turned into a casual games room, with the addition of pool tables, arcade machines and foosball tables.
Ducie Street Warehouse could be turned into a food hall. Credit: The Manc Group
Manchester Street Food will join a flurry of food halls across the city, with Mackie Mayor just a short walk away, along with the waterside venue Society, and the newly-opened House of Social.
The plans also mention minor changes to the exterior of the building, illuminating an external lift shaft in a rainbow hue.
Their application states: “The ‘Street Food’ brand works with a range of vibrant and independent street food vendors to provide varied yet complementary choices, whilst showcasing local breweries and distilleries.
“Their operations focus on supporting local businesses and to diverse the food and beverage offer to create a welcoming and accessible food experiences.
“The ’Street Food’ brand was first established in the form of Edinburgh Street Food which opened in 2023, and which welcomes a broad demographic. It is recognised as a cultural and culinary hub whilst contributing positively to the local economy.
“Building on the success of Edinburgh Street Food, the Applicant is keen to expand further and enhance Manchester’s hospitality, gastronomy and evening economy.
“As such, this full planning application has been prepared to enable the operation of Manchester Street Food from a prime city centre location at Ducie Street Warehouse.”
Do you think Manchester has the appetite for yet another street food hall?
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.
The Manc -
7th September 2022 
