Venture down a rarely-trod Manchester backstreet in the King Street area of the city, and you’ll discover that work is currently underway on a new piano and cabaret bar.
Inspired by the speakeasies of New York, it’s called Sonata and is tucked away on St Ann’s Alley opposite Mr Thomas’s Chop House, and when it opens its doors this summer will be accessed via a partially concealed ‘speakeasy’-style entrance just off the beaten path.
Founded by a former entertainer who himself performed on the London cabaret scene many years ago, the new music-led venue draws inspiration from the cabaret scenes of the capital, as well of those in New York and Berlin.
Image: The Manc Group
From pop standards to Broadway ballads, from jazz classics to quirky cabaret, the bar’s soundtrack will play host to a mix of genres as it showcases singers, pianists and cabaret artists from across the UK and beyond.
Open seven nights a week with a license from 12 noon until 1.30am, drinks will be served into the early hours whilst food-wise there will be a selection of tempting cheese and charcuterie to nibble on.
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Full table service will be provided, with drinks and snacks brought to your table whilst you enjoy a collection of performances from disciplines like music, dance and theatre.
A trained singer and cabaret artist who left performing for a career in education and business, owner and founder Dale Bassett decided to return to his musical and theatrical roots after spending some time reflecting on what was important to him during the pandemic.
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Owner and founder of the new New York-style speakeasy, Dale Bassett. / Image: Sonata
Sonata is the realisation of his dream, bringing to life up north the thriving cabaret scene he fell in love with during his time in the capital before moving back up to Manchester.
Speaking on the new opening, Dale said:
“I am so excited to be creating a unique addition to Manchester’s nightlife and legendary music scene, and in a completely new and custom-designed venue.
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“Sonata is more than just a bar – it’s a special place to relax and feel at home while you enjoy the piano and song that take centre-stage. Whether you discover something new or enjoy an old favourite, I will be hand-picking our performers to make sure you have a memorable night.
“Sonata has been my lifelong dream, and to bring it to life in the city I love is such a privilege. I can’t wait to share my passion and our fantastically talented artists with our guests.”
Feature image – Sonata / The Manc Group
News
Manchester Airport issues update for anyone flying today after hundreds of cancellations yesterday
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has issued an update for anyone catching a flight today after hundreds of cancellations yesterday.
In case you hadn’t heard, hundreds of flights at several major UK airports – including Manchester Airport – were disrupted by a technical fault at air traffic control provider National Air Traffic Services (NATS) yesterday (8 September 2026), with the incident grounding planes and resulting in numerous cancellations.
According to Flightradar24, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled nationwide, and many passengers were told to expect disruption for the rest of the day.
One of the worst-affected airlines was said to be Ryanair, with around 65,000 passengers affected by the cancellations and delays.
Manchester Airport issued its first statement addressing the matter at 3:15pm yesterday, stating: “We are aware of an issue affecting NATS’ air traffic control service at UK airports, which may result in delays to some departing flights from Manchester Airport today.
“Passengers due to travel are advised to check the latest status of their flight with their airline. We will continue to monitor the situation and share further updates as more information becomes available.”
Now, although the issue has been resolved, Manchester Airport has issued further statements informing anyone travelling today what they can expect.
The airport started off by saying that it is ‘operating as normal’ today, but that passengers are advised to ‘check with their airline for the latest information’.
“A full flight schedule is expected to operate [today] but the airport may be busier due to rescheduled flights,” it added.
Passengers were then thanked for their ‘patience and understanding’ over the past 24 hours.
Featured Image – Ivan Shimko (via Unsplash)
News
Hundreds of staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to strike AGAIN next week
Emily Sergeant
Another round of strikes has been called at a handful of major Greater Manchester hospitals.
Amid ongoing disputes following the first set of strikes at the end of last month, it has now been announced that more than 350 Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust (NCA) employees – including nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers – who are members of the union UNISON will once again walk out for three days next week.
According to the union, the dispute centres on the NCA’s use of an outside agency called NHS Professionals (NHSP) to manage overtime.
When covering staff shortages, workers are entitled to time-and-a-half pay – however in some cases, staff earn less than they would on a normal shift, and some have even been missing out on more than £80 per shift, the union added.
Operating theatre staff were previously on picket lines in June, and although an option to resolve the row was initially tabled by NCA bosses, this has now fallen through.
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
This means that staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury are walking out next week on Monday 14, Tuesday 15, and Thursday 17 September.
The union’s North West regional organiser, Kevin Dolan, said the trust had given ‘no indication’ that it’s willing to re-enter negotiations, adding that operating theatre services were ‘chronically under-staffed’ and staff were choosing to work extra shifts to cover shortages.
Ahead of the August strikes, the trust declared a critical incident to help it secure extra support and keep urgent surgery running, while also announcing that some procedures would have to be postponed.
Understandably, some disruption is expected at each of the hospitals on strike days.
But Gertie Nic Philib, who is the chief people and strategy officer at the Northern Care Alliance, said that the trust will do ‘everything we can to minimise the impact on patients’ and ‘maintain high standards of care and quality at all times.’
“We also have contingency plans in place for emergency situations,” they concluded.
Georgina Pellant -
1st March 2022 
