A new gaming bar with Pokemon cocktails is opening in Manchester
Think 18 different gaming-themed cocktails, plus consoles, arcade games, high-spec PCs and a downstairs club room playing early 00s pop punk until the early hours
A new gaming bar is opening in Manchester’s Northern Quarter this November with a fun drinks menu featuring cocktails inspired by its bartenders’ favourite games.
Pixel Bar will open next door to Trof in the Northern Quarter on Saturday, 20 November, bringing numerous consoles, high-spec gaming PCs, and gaming-inspired cocktail menu to the former TV21 site later this month.
Founded by Craig Ryan, Edward Ta and Lee Davies, the latter of whom hails from Manchester originally, the bar will be open late all week – closing at 1 am on week days and 3 am on weekends.
It’s also offering a great happy hour deal, with cocktails priced at 2-for-£9 until 9pm everyday.
Pixel Bar’s signature cocktail, called ‘Who’s that Pokemon?’ features a combination of vodka, lemon juice, soda and your choice of flavoured syrup / Image: Pixel Bar
There will be a fully-themed cocktail menu with choices like ‘Jigglypuff’, ‘Princess Perch’ and the ‘Yoshi’s Island Iced Tea’, plus a selection of ‘magic potion’ shots – promising do deliver ‘full health’ and ‘stamina’ to the drinker.
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The bar also has a signature cocktail called ‘Who’s that Pokemon?’ – a combination of vodka, lemon juice, soda and your choice of flavoured syrup.
Garnished with a Pokemon card for ultimate gamer touch, it comes in a range of different flavours like strawberry, blue curacao, green apple, bubblegum, pineapple, blackcurrant or elderflower.
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Who’s that Pokemon?’ comes in a range of different flavours, like strawberry, blue curacao, green apple, bubblegum, pineapple, blackcurrant or elderflower. / Image: Pixel Bar
If cocktails aren’t your thing, don’t worry – there’ll also be a good selection of beers, wines and spirits on offer at the bar.
But it’s not all about the drinks – there’ll be pizza too, in the form of huge 16″ pies with wacky toppings created by Bolton pizzaiolos Basic Kneads.
Whilst full details of the pizza menu are still under wraps for now, Director Craig Ryan tells us there will definitely be some wild, ‘out there’ topping choices available when Basic Kneads takes over the kitchen later this month.
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Console booths upstairs will feature the newest PlayStation 5, Xbox X Series and Nintendo platforms / Image: Pixel Bar
First launched in Leeds two years ago in a basement on George Street, the popular Pixel Bar is now crossing the Pennines to open a second site in Manchester.
Known for its console booths and high-spec gaming PCs, Pixel Bar’s owners also plan to introduce a few retro arcade games to the new Manchester bar which will be free to play.
Console booths and bespoke PCs, meanwhile, are priced by the hour.
Upstairs, you’ll find the newest PlayStation 5, Xbox X Series, and Nintendo platforms. These will be available to rent out from £8, and come with a host of the newest games must-play games as well as old school favourites like Tekken, Mortal Combat and Mario Kart.
Perfect for hardcore gamers, the high specification gaming PCs can be rented out from £4.50 an hour / Image: Pixel Bar
Downstairs, meanwhile, the bar has partnered with bespoke computer company PC Specialist to install a host of super high specification, custom-built gaming PCs.
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Perfect for the hardcore gamer, these will also be available to rent out by the hour from £4.50.
As well as playing on these individually, every month Pixel bar will host LAN tournaments (a bit of a rarity in Manchester) where PC gamers can come together to play in groups – and potentially win up to £1,000 in prize money.
The downstairs space will also house a club room with space for a DJ, playing pop punk and early 2000s tunes every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night until the early hours.
Originally due to open in October, the launch has been slightly delayed due to the fact that the bar required a lot of work doing – including having all of its electrics ripping out and rewiring.
As Craig explains, though, it’s worth doing it right – especially when you’re opening a gaming bar.
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He tells us that the founders had long wanted to open a bar in Manchester, and that when a unit opened up after the pandemic they just decided to “go for it”.
Saying that it’s “good for geeky culture to stick together”, he tells us that they’re looking forward to joining the nerdy community of the Northern Quarter – which is also home to arcade bar NQ64 and the cosplay and manga stylings of Afflecks’ Animaid Cafe.
Pixel Bar will open in the Northern Quarter on Saturday, 20 November. Its opening hours will be 4 pm – 1 am Monday to Thursday, 4 pm – 3 am Friday, 12 pm – 3 am Saturday and 12pm – 1 am Sunday.
To find out more, follow the bar on social media here.
Manchester
Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity
Emily Sergeant
Manchester music icon Peter Hook is taking on an incredible endurance challenge for charity next month.
The Great Manchester Run is coming up next month on Sunday 18 May, with thousands of runners taking up the 10K or Half Marathon challenges either for their own personal achievements, or in the name of a number of worthy causes.
First staged in 2003 as a legacy event following the Manchester-hosted Commonwealth Games in 2002, the 10K has grown to be one of the largest in Europe, and in recent years, it has evolved to include a popular half marathon too.
35,000 runners are taking on the challenge this year, with 100,000 supporters set to line the streets… and one of those runners is none other than the legend himself, Peter Hook.
Incredibly, this is the fourteenth time the former bassist and co-founder of two of Manchester’s biggest bands, Joy Division and New Order, has taken part in the Great Manchester Run.
And it’s also the fourteenth time he’s raising money for The Christie Charity in the process.
Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity next month / Credit: Wikipedia Commons | Great Run Company
Hooky, as he’s affectionately known by friends and fans, took on his first run in 2006 and has continued over the years raising money for The Christie Charity – which supports the work of The Christie hospital in Manchester.
Peter’s relationship with The Christie and its charity started when he lived in Withington for many years and saw patients going into the hospital for treatment, and sadly things became very personal when two good friends, as well as family members were treated there – his former manager Tony Wilson, musician Dave Dee, and his aunt and father-in-law.
“I love running as it clears my head, and I can’t think of a better cause to run in support of,” Peter Hook explained ahead of the Great Manchester Run next month.
“The feeling of hope and solidarity on the day is fantastic and the sense of achievement when you finish is second to none, so I’m extremely proud to be representing The Christie Charity and supporting the wonderful work it does.”
Josh Hughff, who is the mass participation events officer at The Christie Charity, added: “Hooky is one of our longest standing event participants and we’re delighted he has chosen to support us again this year.
“He knows better than most just how important the work of The Christie is and how crucial charity fundraising is, as it allows us to fund life-changing and life-saving projects that will benefit cancer patients both now and in the future.”
You can cheer Peter Hook and all the other runners on when they take part in the Great Manchester Run on Sunday 18 May.
Featured Image – Supplied
Manchester
Central Cee at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ tour
Thomas Melia
Alright. UK rap act Central Cee is bringing his usual charm and witty bars to Co-op Live for a night of rap caviar, fully catered for by the Shepherd’s Bush native.
Cee, a.k.a. ‘Cench’, has been gaining traction since dropping freestyles on social media before eventually releasing his breakout hit ‘Day in the Life’ back in 2020.
This gig will be packed with everything from a stellar setlist to a powerful stage presence from the London MC, you’ll be up on your feet from the first song right through to the encore.
Don’t fret because this guide will have you covered with everything from A to B to make sure your night is nothing less than ‘5 Star’.
Central Cee at Co-op Live gig guide
Credit: Press Shot (supplied)
Central Cee UK tour dates
Fri 18 April – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Sat 19 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Thu 24 April – London, UK – The O2
Sun 27 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Arena
Are there tickets left for Central Cee at Co-op Live in Manchester?
Tickets for this show aren’t ‘Limitless’ but there are still a handful of tickets left for this highly anticipated UK arena tour, including Cench’s Co-op Live date.
Fans can pick from a range of seating and standing options starting at £42.50 and reaching £81.95, so you’re really getting lots of value for your ‘GBP’ – I’ll stop now, I promise…
Anyone looking at grabbing a ticket or two can take a pick from their limited selection HERE.
Central Cee setlist
Limitless
5 Star
Day in the Life
6 For 6
Cold Shoulder
Ruby
Commitment Issues
Loading
St. Patrick’s
Ten
Straight Back To It
Gbp
Obsessed With You
Did It First
Me & You
Mrs
gen z luv
Now We’re Strangers
LET GO
Doja
Truth in the Lies
Overseas
Must Be
CRG
UK Rap
Sprinter
BAND4BAND
No Introduction
What are the stage times for Central Cee in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can get ‘Straight Back To It’ the following day without having to stay up all night to hear the rapper’s huge tunes.
Doors for the event will be open from 6.30pm, with those famous drill beats filling the massive Co-op Live venue from 8pm onwards.
There are currently no confirmed support acts as of yet, but with Cench appearing in the hometown of Manc rapper Aitch, who knows, maybe the pair will work it out on the remix and squash their squabble once and for all?
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily, it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the southwest corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Georgina Pellant -
9th November 2021 
