Hidden inside a Manchester city centre apartment complex there is a stunning wine bar serving up some gorgeous vintages alongside thoughtfully put-together small plates.
Called The Beeswing, it has been open for over a year but its hard-to-find location means it’s still flying way under the radar.
Accessed via a secret lift in the middle of the Kampus waterside garden – overlooking both the canal and Manchester’s gay village – inside you’ll find a well-run bar and kitchen serving up a carefully selected list of wines alongside a mostly vegetarian menu of sharing plates.
Inside, it’s all sleek gray walls and exposed light fittings with a large suntrap terrace that we’re sure drinkers will be clamouring to once the sun deigns to poke its head out again.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Owner Anna is a real veteran of the wine scene, having worked at the likes of Blossom St Social, Reserve and Hanging Ditch over the years, as well as running her own wine bar at Hatch before the pandemic hit.
Serving up wines by the bottle and the glass as well as special wine tasting flights, which give customers the chance to sample any three wines from the menu for £15, owner Anna acknowledges she is well versed in the Manchester wine scene but says the most important thing is ‘knowing which wines aren’t sh*t’.
On her carefully put-together wine list, you’ll find a zesty orange Pet Nat Curtido and a ripe and fruity red Dao Cota, both from Portugal, alongside crowd pleasers such as a low intervention Circumstance South African Sauvignon Blanc and elegant Champagne Lallier Grande Réserve Brut.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
On the food menu, meanwhile, discover a fragrant (and perfectly presented) carrot tartare with orange puree, crispy marinated tofu with raw salad, and munchable mini fish koftas served with dill and samphire.
Elsewhere, further plates include the likes of Merguez sausage on flatbread with yoghurt, a spicy chilli jam and finely cut cucumber ribbons, alongside roast new potatoes with oregano, crispy onions, salsa verde, aioli and harissa.
Well worth seeking out, this is currently one of the city’s best-kept secrets – but we don’t expect it will stay that way for long.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
‘Eyesore’ Northern Quarter car park to be redeveloped as ambitious new neighbourhood
Emily Sergeant
An underused multi-storey car park in the heart of the city centre is set to be sold and redeveloped as an ‘ambitious’ new neighbourhood.
The ‘eyesore’ car park situated in Manchester’s iconic Northern Quarter will be transformed into what Manchester City Council is hoping will become a green and sustainable neighbourhood set to complement the ‘unique and independent’ ethos of the area.
It comes after developers CBRE were appointed by the Council last year to market the Church Street site for disposal, ahead of seeking formal planning permission.
The new scheme will deliver more than 300 new homes – including 60 affordable homes – alongside new commercial opportunities and high-quality public spaces.
A before and proposed after of Church Street Car Park / Credit: Manchester City Council
It’s expected that the development will respect the heritage and architecture of the historic city centre neighbourhood and help to enhance the wider area, all while improving a car park site that has long fallen out of favour.
The new neighbourhood will also feature four new public squares and green spaces, along with opportunities for pedestrianising the surrounding streets as part of the public realm.
As mentioned, commercial space is also part of the plans, as the ground floor of the building will offer a mix of smaller, more affordable units to ensure local independent businesses can access the neighbourhood, alongside units for food and beverage outlets.
“For too long, the Church Street car park has been an eyesore and a barrier to the ongoing success of the Northern Quarter,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“We want to bring forward a world-class development that has the potential to completely transform this part of the neighbourhood, together with the newest city centre public squares and green spaces.”
The final legal negotiations will conclude over the summer, and it’s expected that a public consultation will then take place to inform a future planning application.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Manchester
The UK’s best kebab is coming to Manchester as legendary shawarma bar announces Deansgate site
Clementine Hall
A brand-new shawarma bar is set to open its doors in Manchester this summer.
If you’re ever across the Pennines over in sunny Leeds, then you will have most likely heard of SQEW – a modern Lebanese-inspired eatery that has established itself as a cult-favourite amongst locals.
And it’s not just those Yorkshire folk who think it’s great, SQEW has recently been scooping up the accolades including most recently, Deliveroo’s Best Kebab of 2025.
The rumour mill has been turning for quite some time now but luckily for us they are in fact true, SQEW will be bringing its bold, elevated take on the kebab to 75 Deansgate, taking over the former Rola Wala site.
Images: The Manc Group
From humble beginnings to national recognition, SQEW was founded in 2015 by passionate chef and founder Mitch Renshaw, who wanted to give the often-overlooked kebab the love it truly deserves.
What began as a single idea serving slow-cooked meats and house-made sauces quickly boomed into a local sensation, eventually landing a permanent home in 2021 on Leeds’ Boar Lane.
Customers can expect a menu rooted in Lebanese flavours with a modern twist, all served with good old fashioned northern hospitality.
Image: The Manc Group
Speaking about the expansion, Mitch Renshaw, Owner and Founder of SQEW, said: “Were absolutely thrilled to announce our move over the pennies. We’ve been searching for the perfect site since 2023, and when we came across 75 Deansgate we jumped at it. We have a few surprises up our sleeves for Manchester and can’t wait to reveal more.
Having spent the last few weeks in Manchester, I’m brimming ear to ear, the people, the culture, the operators, we just can’t wait to be part of it.”
The new site will feature an all-day shawarma bar concept with seating, takeaway, and delivery options – so you can get your SQEW fix however way you want it.
We’ll keep you updated with more details in the coming weeks, but you keep an eye on SQEW’s socials for more sneak peeks.
Georgina Pellant -
20th April 2023 
