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
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani gives thoughts on Andy Burnham running for Prime Minister
Emily Sergeant
Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has given his thoughts on Andy Burnham’s intention to run for Prime Minister.
In case you missed it, after it was announced last Friday that Andy Burnham had clinched the victory in the crucial Makerfield by-election, winning 24,927 votes (54.8% vote share) and a majority of 9,231, he then went onto announcing his intentions to run for Labour Party leader, and therefore Prime Minister, after Keir Starmer confirmed he would be stepping down.
Greater Manchester‘s next Mayoral Election has also been announced, given that Burnham is now not eligible to stay in the role – with the date set for Thursday 30 July and candidates frequently being announced.
Talk of Burnham’s chances of running the country have been around for months now, but have ramped up considerably over the past week of course in the wake of his by-election win.
It’s fair to say that for much of Andy Burnham’s time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was up there as one the most famous Mayors in the world… but over the past year, he’s arguably had to hand that unofficial title over to Zohran Mamdani, the current Mayor of New York City.
Mamdani is considered to be a democratic socialist, and campaigned for things like progressive, affordability-focused platform, supporting fare-free city buses, universal child care, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilised units, additional affordable housing units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.
He has also expressed support for LGBTQ+ rights, comprehensive public safety reform, and tax increases on corporations and those earning above $1 million annually.
Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City last October, and was officially sworn in on New Year’s Day at the start of this year.
Since then, he has successfully – very successfully, in fact – made a name for himself around the world, and has even managed to deliver on a good chunk of what he set out to do in his campaign, seeing many calls for him to become President one day.
Oh, and he’s also a massive (and very knowledgeable) football fan – an Arsensal fan, to be precise, but football in general really.
Appearing on BBC’s Football Daily podcast this week to talk about his love of the sport as the US currently hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mamdani was also asked to give his thoughts on Andy Burnham and his upcoming run to be Prime Minister.
“I don’t think anything comes with ease at that kind of a level,” Mamdani started out in response to host Mark Chapman’s question.
“I do think they are very important skills because many people have lost faith in Government, the place they earn that faith back, they decide to trust again, is at the most local level. That’s where they see what it’s like to have a Government that delivers for them.
“And if you’re able to respond to people, whether it’s in Greater Manchester or New York City, it is at the heart of what people are looking for for any kind of politics.
Mamdani then closed out his thoughts by questioning: “I don’t think he’s an Arsenal supporter though?” and when the hosts clarified that Burnham is an Everton fan, Mamdani responded: “Well at least you can respect that someone has suffered.”
He concluded: “No but like, I like it when I meet someone who’s a fan of a team that hasn’t just won and won and won.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Manchester
Trendy Ancoats wine bar Blossom Street Social to close after six years
Emily Sergeant
Trendy neighbourhood wine bar Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after nearly seven years serving the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social first opened its doors back in 2019, just months before the country – and the res of the world – was plunged into the COVID-19 lockdowns, but despite all the challenges during the early days, this wine bar went on to become a true staple of Ancoats life – hosting events, exhibitions, wine tastings, and everything in between.
But now, the owners have had to make the heartbreaking decision to close, saying they’ve ‘danced our last dance, played our last record, and poured our last glass of wine in Ancoats.’
Announcing the news in a statement to social media this week, Blossom Street Social said: “Blossom Street Social closes its doors after six and a half years at the heart of the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after six years / Credit: The Manc Group
“When we opened in 2019, just months before the world changed forever, we couldn’t possibly have imagined the journey ahead. Through lockdowns, uncertainty and everything that followed, we somehow managed to build something that became far more than a wine bar.
“Wine was always at the heart of what we did, but so were the conversations, the music, the art and the community that grew around it.
“We’ve hosted tastings, exhibitions, launches, celebrations, social sessions and countless memorable nights. We’ve introduced people to wines they’d never tried before, watched friendships form and shared in some truly special moments.
“We’ve watched first dates become engagements, engagements become marriages, and couples return with babies in tow. We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new homes and countless milestones alongside you. We’ve shared conversations, laughter, music and moments that mattered from our little corner of Ancoats. We will never forget them.”
The team then went on to thank ‘every customer, artist, DJ, supplier, collaborator and friend’ who became part of their story.
The owners also gave a special thank you to the staff members who stayed ‘to the very end’ and ‘showed up when it was hard’, admitting that they couldn’t have done it without them all.
Georgina Pellant -
9th November 2021 
