The AO Arena in Manchester has finally unveiled its new VIP bar and restaurant, The Mezz, as part of its £50m redevelopment.
The luxurious new space promises to elevate the gig-going experience with five-star hospitality before, during and after every show at the huge venue.
There’s the restaurant space, of course, where the menu of modern British cuisine has been worked on by Simon Rogan MBE (of three-Michelin star L’Enclume) and Tom Barnes (of soon-to-open Skof in Manchester).
The pair will be working on quarterley seasonal dishes, which currently includes a roast rump of Herdwick lamb with onions and split pea; and a lightly-set jasmine cream with white chocolate and rose for dessert.
And members of The Mezz will gain priority reservation access to restaurants across the UMBEL portfolio, which are among the best and most sought-after tables in the world.
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Then across the way from the restaurant is The Mezz bar, where there’s a menu packed with signature cocktails, fine wines and champagnes.
The bar area remains open throughout every gig – so no more scrambling to get served in the main arena bars.
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The Mezz has been built above one of the AO Arena’s new barsInside The Mezz Bar at the AO Arena in ManchesterInside The Mezz Bar at the AO Arena in Manchester
There’s no rush to leave either. The Mezz bar remains open for several hours after the curtain falls, with DJs providing post-show entertainment.
Once you’ve eaten and drank your fill and are ready for the show, you can head up a short flight of stairs and find yourself in prime position in the AO Arena.
With plush best-in-house seats and a clear view straight-on to the stage, The Mezz’s audience experience is sure to set a new gold standard for arenas everywhere.
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The Mezz restaurant at the AO ArenaThe Mezz restaurant at the AO Arena
The new hospitality area sits between the new concourse and the 23,000-capacity arena bowl.
VIPs who have already tested it out include Brian McFadden, Jorgie Porter, Rachel Lugo and Peter Hook, who all attended a glittering red carpet launch night and watched Niall Horan perform.
Member perks include guaranteed attendance for all shows at the AO Arena, direct access to the arena bowl, early access via a dedicated VIP entrance, dedicated parking, all-inclusive food and drink, a private cocktail bar, a private dedicated table in the restaurant and personalised service including a cloakroom boasting the latest in venue technology, members app and portal, and dedicated host service. Pretty fancy.
But of course, all this luxury comes at a price. Memberships for The Mezz start from £3,500 – that gets you access to 10 shows and The Mezz Bar (for 10 shows with The Mezz Dining it’s £4,000).
And if you want to really soak in all the action with a 50-show membership, that’s £8,500 for the bar or £12,500 for the restaurant.
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You can find out more about The Mezz in Manchester and memberships here and follow The Mezz on Instagram here.
Popular night-time indie shopping market returns to Manchester tomorrow
Emily Sergeant
A unique indie shopping market is returning to Manchester, and you’ll be able to shop from 50 local small businesses all under one roof.
In case you hadn’t heard, the hugely-popular Night Market UK is back by popular demand, and it will be stopping off in our city centre for one night only tomorrow as part of the current leg of its tour across the country.
Returning to Manchester, but this time at a new location down at Fairfield Social Club in the Green Quarter, the unique night-time shopping experience will be showcasing more than 50 local small businesses – with everything from bespoke fashion items and beautifully-crafted homeware, to candles, artwork, silverware, and more on offer.
Brutal Fashion, Lost in Music, Urban Botany, and Dapper Alice are just a handful of the indie traders you’ll be able to shop from.
With event organisers promising there’ll be “a stall for everyone” to browse on the night, some of the other traders in attendance, include artisan producers, artists and bakers, as well as Fairfield Social Club’s resident street food purveyors Isit Kitchen, and pizza pros Killa Carbs.
DJ Clara B will also be taking over the club’s sound system too, and will be blasting tunes to set the scene all night long.
From bespoke fashion items and silverware courtesy of Brutal Fashion, to dazzling musical art prints from Lost in Music, and sculptural candles from Urban Botany to beautifully crafted homeware by Dapper Alice, there will be a stall for everyone on the night.
A popular night-time indie shopping market is returning to Manchester tomorrow / Credit: The Night Market UK | Kunal Mahesh Tewari (via The Night Market UK on Facebook)
The Night Market UK will open at Fairfield Social Club from 6pm tomorrow (Friday 26 July), and will run right through until 11pm.
Tickets are now on sale from just £4 each, and can be purchased in hourly entry timeslots – which organisers say “keeps the atmosphere just right” and ensures there’s enough space for everyone to be able to stay as little or as long as they’d like.
You can buy on the door or grab your tickets in advance here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Manchester
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.