Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord has today launched a Christmas campaign to help save local hospitality businesses.
With rocketing energy bills and food prices caused by inflation compounded by two years of closures during the height of the pandemic, many bars and restaurants have already closed their doors – and more are warning that they are on the brink of following suit.
In response, Manchester’s night tzar and Warehouse Project founder Sacha Lord has launched a new campaign that he hopes will encourage people to put money back into their favourite pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes this Christmas.
Working alongside hospitality businesses from across the Greater Manchester region, his team has coordinated a new campaign that will see people encouraged to buy vouchers for local Manchester businesses as Christmas presents this year.
Sacha Lord pictured outside the old Sankey’s Soap, first opened in 1994 then revived by Sacha Lord and partners in 2000. It closed its doors in 2006. / Image: Sacha Lord Instagram
Manchester steakhouse Hawksmoor will be taking part in this year’s Christmas voucher scheme. / Image: The Manc Eats
These vouchers can then be redeemed over the Christmas season or during the quieter winter months, bringing much-needed revenue into an industry that is currently in dire straits.
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Sacha Lord, the city-region’s Night Time Economy Adviser, said: “Treating loved ones to a night out not only gives them memories to cherish, but will go a long way in supporting local landlords and independent venues across Greater Manchester.
“We all know the difficulties that our favourite restaurants, bars, theatres and hotels are going through, and January is always the bleakest time of the year for the sector.
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“Not only is footfall typically down as people choose to save and stay indoors, but as a result staff often find they aren’t booked for as many shifts as normal.
Today, we’re asking the public to Give The Gift of Going Out.
Let’s stop buying those unwanted Xmas gifts that end up in the cupboard.
“By buying a voucher or putting a deposit down now, we can support the sector through the difficult post-Christmas period, and move away from gifting presents that just sit unwanted in the cupboard.
“What better way to help your favourite venue, and the local workforce, than gifting a loved one an evening out this Christmas.”
Venues confirmed as taking part so far include Hawksmoor, Platzki, Cane & Grain, Abeja Tapas Bar in Stockport and Cocoa Cabana Chocolatiers in Ancoats and Didsbury.
Further businesses taking part include Alex’s Bakery, The Barking Dog Urmston, Atlas Bar, Three Little Words, Albert’s Schloss, Calcio! sports bar, 53Two, Riva Altrincham, A Tavola Gastronomia Siciliana in High Peak, WOOD Manchester and Con Club in Altrincham.
A number of cultural institutions are also getting involved, from The Royal Exchange and The Palace Theatre, to The Opera House and The Stoller Hall all contributing vouchers to the scheme. More are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Feature image – Sacha Lord / Darren Robinson Photography
News
Michelin-recommended rooftop restaurant Climat has closed its doors with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s top-rated restaurants has announced its shock and immediate closure.
Climat, which is set way up high in Blackfriars House with staggering views of Manchester city centre, has said that the Michelin-recommended restaurant is now permanently closed.
In a heartbreaking statement, founder Christopher Laidler said that Climat is ‘yet another casualty of the times we’re living in’.
Laying out the brutal reality of running a hospitality business, Chris wrote about ‘rampant food inflation’, an ‘ever-increasing tax burden’, and ‘the persistent cost of living crisis’, describing it as a perfect storm against hospitality.
Then delving deeper into the numbers, he shared that Climat has faced an eye-watering £112,000 electricity bill for its first 13 months in business – that’s 400% more than they’d budgeted.
That was chased by a 33% increase in staff wages, then a jump in business rates from £12,000 a year to £38,000 a year.
Couple that with reduced footfall and it’s ‘spelling disaster for so many’.
Climat has closed its doors with immediate effectClimat has laid their finances bare in their closing statement
He wrote: “Whilst I wanted to highlight these reasons for closure, in the naive hope the Government will start to listen before it’s too late for others, I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of our team over the last 3.5 years.
“The closure does not do justice to their efforts and dedication. I’d also like extend a huge debt of gratitude to our guests for their support, enabling us to build a nationally recognised wine list – our raison d’être.”
Signing off, he said: “I wish everyone the very best of luck in these challenging times. Bye for now, Christopher.”
Climat opened in late 2022, with an impressive wine list and a beautiful restaurant space overlooking Manchester.
It didn’t take long before it was added to the Michelin Guide, which wrote: “An open kitchen is the focus of the room, with its aromas filling the air, and the concise fixed-price menu includes well-executed dishes such as halibut with spinach and sorrel velouté, where the ingredient quality shines through.
“Wine is a feature with one side of the room acting as a bar and the carefully curated list deftly mixing traditional and modern styles.”
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Georgina Pellant -
24th November 2022 
