Struggling Manchester bar launches Crowdfunder to save it from closure
The bar is giving away a £3,000 bar tab, a weekend stay at the Kings Arms in Kirkby Lonsdale and a meal at the top-rated restaurant in the area, Number Nine Bar & Kitchen.
Times are tough for the hospitality sector right now, but one Manchester bar has come up with a novel way to raise the cash it needs to help keep its business afloat.
Northern Quarter bar Alvarium has had a tough couple of years. This summer owners released a heartfelt plea for more outside seating, warning that “the consequences could be detrimental” if their request wasn’t granted by Manchester City Council.
At the time, the bar said it was “still struggling” and that having extra space last year meant they could “absorb some of the economic shock” from the fallout of the pandemic. In spite of this, its request for more outside seating throughout the summer wasn’t granted.
Seven months on, owners have now launched a Crowdfunder in a bid to keep their business going throughout the winter months.
Turning to their customers for help, owners are offering a £3,000 bar tab and a luxury stay on the border of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales in the hopes that a big prize will entice much-needed donations.
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Looking to raise a total of £50,000, on its Crowdfunder page Alvarium says the money will be used to “make a dent” in the “crippling debt” taken on in order to remain in business throughout Covid, as well as to cover “essential repairs” to its electrics and plumbing.
The bar explained: “We love Alvarium and we hope you do too, therefore we’re asking for your help.
“Our prize draw is offering one lucky winner a £3000 bar tab to be redeemed in Alvarium, but not only this we are also offering a luxury stay right on the border of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.
|Our very kind friends at the Kings Arms in Kirkby Lonsdale have offered up a weekend stay in one of their picturesque cottages along with a meal at the top-rated restaurant in the area, Number Nine Bar & Kitchen. Single Entries are £3 with two entries costing £5. If you wish to enter for free, postal entries are also available.”
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Owners also expanded on the difficulties the bar has faced over the past few years, pointing to a number of factors.
These include: being denied a permit to extend its outside seating this summer, its insurers not paying out for business disruption because staff were retained using the furlough scheme, and issues with the owners of the building, who they claim are “trying to close any possible avenue open to us to generate extra revenue.”
Image: Alvarium
Image; Alvari
They said: “It’s been a tough 2 years for us here at Alvarium. After Manchester City Council swept the rug out from under our feet by taking away our road closure, making summer exceptionally difficult for us.
“This alongside our insurers refusing to pay out for business disruption suffered during Covid, despite the Ombudsman instructing them to do so, on the grounds that we retained our staff by using the furlough scheme.
“So, if we would have let all of our staff go and not claimed furlough, they would have honoured our claim – an option which has always been out of the question for us. During this time, we have had to make some very difficult decisions to try and survive.
“However, the owners of the building are trying to close any possible avenue open to us to generate extra revenue to get Alvarium flourishing again, leaving us feeling very lost.”
As part of the Crowdfunder, the bar is giving away a £3,000 bar tab, as well as a luxury weekend stay at one of the Kings Arms in Kirkby Lonsdale’s picturesque cottages, and a meal at Number Nine Bar & Kitchen, the top-rated restaurant in the area.
With single entries priced at £3 each, whilst you can buy two for £5 or five for £10. There is no limit on the number of times anyone can enter, with the prizes being drawn in 30 days time.
Even more of the Gay Village will be turned into outdoor seating this summer
Daisy Jackson
The Gay Village is set to get even more outdoor seating this summer, with the council moving to partially close several key streets to traffic.
The news lands mid-heatwave when thousands of Mancs are clamouring for a seat in the nearest beer garden or cafe terrace – with a huge proportion of those flocking to Canal Street.
Now, plans have been revealed to bring ‘a touch of cafe culture’ to the Gay Village, with even more outdoor seating space created for businesses in the area.
Initially running as a trial this summer, it will mean new terraces for New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle on Bloom Street, plus more locations on Richmond Street.
Manchester City Council has said that similar schemes on Thomas Street and Stevenson Square have been hugely popular with both punters and businesses, especially during the summer months, and can give local operators a huge boost.
So now it’s time for this thriving corner of the city to get the same treatment, as part of the ongoing work through the Gay Village Action Plan identified the need for more outdoor seating areas.
The two locations which will have the changes will be Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street; and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
In order to put these protected spaces into effect, some changes to the existing road network will be made:
Bloom Street becomes one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street is closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
The scheme will initially run on a trial basis from 10 July throughout the summer to evaluate if it could be a viable long-term solution.
During this, plans will also be in place to ensure that deliveries and loading can go about unhindered, as well as daily waste collection and access for residents.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “The Gay Village is one of our most precious communities. For decades the queer community has been able to call this neighbourhood its own, establishing a long and proud place in the history of the fight against bigotry and discrimination.
“Needless to say, it’s one of the most-visited places in Manchester and sees thousands of people tread its cobbled streets every year. Because of that we’re always looking at how we, as its custodians, can continue to support its legacy and ensure that it meets the needs of people who live and work there.
“We’re excited to be trialling additional outdoor seating for these streets, and we hope to bring the same success that we’ve seen in the Northern Quarter after putting similar schemes in place.
“But, above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
Georgina Pellant -
16th November 2022 
