For those who are willing to look, Manchester has quite a lot of hidden and ‘secret’ bars to explore.
From prohibition-style cocktail dens, to tiny brewery taprooms, arcade-themed hideouts and grimy dive bars, we’ve got a fair bit of variety going on too.
That said, not all are created equal – especially if these new rankings from The Bottle Club are to be believed.
The online drinks seller has conducted a study ranking the UK’s hidden and secret bars by a number of factors such as secrecy, creativity, cocktail range, cost and Google ratings, and three in Manchester have come out on top as amongst the ‘most secret’ in the UK.
Image: Wood and Co Image: Wood and Co
According to the new rankings, Manchester bars The Washouse, Wood and Company, and Bunny Jackson’s all rate in the top ten for secret UK bars that have ‘actually stayed secret’ – coming in at numbers four, nine and ten respectively.
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Whilst we can definitely get on board with Wood and Company and The Washouse’s inclusions (yes, the latter does have a sign, but it also has a relatively convincing laundrette front and some incredible cocktails), we’re not entirely sure that Bunny’s counts – or that it would even consider itself a secret bar, to be honest.
According to the site, it seems that the American-style dive bar on First Street has mostly been included for its lack of social media presence – ranking tenth with just 2,728 followers. Surprising, actually, as it’s nearly always packed in there (and their content is pretty hilairious).
One of the imaginative cocktails on the menu at The Washhouse, a ‘Soft Brex-fast’ made with cocopop vodka, chocolate and honey liqueurs with vanilla foam / Image: The Washhouse Image: Bunny Jacksons
Still, If that’s all the criteria you need to become one of the UK’s most ‘secret’ bars, we can think of a few more in Manchester that should maybe be added to this list too.
Alongside the ‘most secret’ list, The Bottle Club has also published a top 20 ‘most mysterious’ list, which rings a little bit more true.
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Manchester has five entrants in the top twenty here, with two of them – namely Science and Industry and The Daisy – even making it into the top ten.
Image: Science and Industry
Science and Industry, the secret ‘bar within a bar’ cocktail laboratory on the first floor of Cane and Grain, comes in at a respectable number seven, whilst following close behind at number eight is The Daisy – a former members-only club beneath Evelyn’s now open to all those in the know.
Wood and Co, Bunny Jackson’s and The Washouse all appear again, coming in at 14, 15 and 20.
All great bars, all deserving of a visit, but – dare we say it again – not all exactly ‘secret’ or ‘mysterious’.
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Check out the full list of ‘most mysterious’ UK bars from The Bottle Club here.
Feature image – The Washouse / Wood and Co
News
We’ve teamed up with a new creative hub to offer an exciting opportunity to a rising Manchester star
Danny Jones
Truth be told, there are creative opportunities to be found all across Greater Manchester, but you won’t find many quite like this…
Content creation is an ever-growing industry and the demand for roles in this ever-evolving space is higher than ever; the problem is, lots of people are unsure of how exactly to get started.
That’s why anyone interested in the sector should be very excited about the latest development over in MediaCity – we certainly are, and that’s why we’ve teamed up with them for something special.
First of all, let’s do introductions: welcome to the ‘Content Studio’.
Designed to cater to the growing climate of cutting-edge content creation and offer a professional workspace at an accessible rate, the Content Studio provides a range of versatile creative spaces including light, dark and podcast studios, perfect for video production, castings, photoshoots and more.
Curated by University of Salford alumni, Ashley Salmon, the studio has been built to meet the needs of modern content creators, influencers, social media stars, brands and businesses of all kinds.
Promising to offer both a dynamic and inspiring space where people can produce high-quality and innovative content while fostering a supportive creative community, this place aims to live up to Greater Manchester’s media reputation: industry-leading.
The Content Studio will also be made accessible to students spending time over in MediaCity and beyond, with a good chunk of the core production team comprised of recent graduates from Salford, giving them a valuable platform to showcase their skills and kickstart their careers.
As the previous video detailed, we’re working with MediaCity to identify their next ‘Creator in Residence’, an exclusive opportunity being made available to just one inventive individual this year.
Put simply, we’re looking for Greater Manchester’s next rising star, an entrepreneur or someone who is looking to start out in the creative space. So what does one lucky winner get with the prize?
Well, all of this:
Three-month Content Studio residency worth over £1,000 at MediaCity
Free use of content creation space, subject to availability
£200 budget to decorate the space/purchase props
Equipment hire and tech support – cameras, lighting, audio, director and camera operator for a day (£2k value from Badger and Combes)
Access to three hours of mentorship with creative director Steve Moyler (1x a month or 1x 3h slot)
£150 Black card to spend with local independent food residents
Access to a social media crash course with The Manc
If this sounds like an opportunity you or someone you know might be interested in, you can fill out the form HERE to be in with a chance to access one of the most incredible creative opportunities anywhere in Greater Manchester.
Terms and conditions
By entering this competition, you agree to the terms set by MediaCity:
As the ‘Creator in Residence’ you will commit to at least 2.5 days in residence in the MediaCity Content Studio
As the winner you will agree to be profiled on MediaCity/The Manc platforms
Any social content produced in the Content Studio will tag #mediacitycontentstudio and #madeinmediacity
Must add @MediaCityUK as a collaborator on all content being published on socials
No cash equivalent will be given for the prize.
The deadline for application is Wednesday, 12 March, so don’t miss out. Good luck!
Featured Images — Sophia J Carey (supplied)/The Manc Group
News
LF System, DJ Paulette and Turno announced as headliners for ‘The Drop’ music series
Thomas Melia
A returning music series is taking place in Manchester again and it’s bringing together even more great DJs for some fantastic live sets.
Titled ‘The Drop’, this music celebration is the mastermind of Skiddle and Headstock, who have collaborated to raise funds to support the music industry and mental health awareness.
Both the leading organisations put music at the forefront of what they do with Skiddle as a UK-based online ticket platform and Headstock, a hugely important music and mental health social enterprise.
‘The Drop’ is a monthly event series created to raise funds for several charities that exist to support the mental health of people working in the music industry.
Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
This all-new event has support from The Warehouse Project, one of the leading nightlife and music entertainment spots not just in Manchester but the UK, bringing in acts from all over the world.
There are lots of music-tailored companies getting involved too including our very own music counterpart, Audio North.
Currently, there are three big headliners that have just been announced and these acts are certainly music champions in the dance music scene, featuring LF System, DJ Paulette and Turno.
LF System has reached incredible heights thanks to their unforgettable tune ‘Afraid To Feel’, which has now racked up nearly 500 million Spotify streams globally since its release in 2022.
Manchester music legend and Haçienda queen, DJ Paulette has also seen huge success with her mind-blowing mixes and soundtracking various music events.
The final headliner to be announced so far is Turno, who has played out to crowds of 10,000 at WHP and is respected for his eclectic drum and bass beats.
DJ Paulette is always lifting our energy no matter where she goes.Turno is about to bring some drum and bass bangers.LF System are ready to show off some well-crafted mixes.Credit: Publicity Pictures (Supplied)
‘The Drop’ kickstarts on 27 March for the Spring season with international DJ and producer Turno from 6:30-11pm, with sets happening every month following, tickets are already available.
Read more:
Moovin Festival announces 2025 lineup for much-loved Stockport event
You Are Not Alone Festival deliver gutting delay news
Three iconic Manchester bands nominated to join the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Following on from this is the sensational LF System are taking over with a coffee table set joined by some special yet-to-be-announced guests on 24 April – tickets HERE.
Finally, DJ Paulette will be bringing those massive rave bangers and combining it with her usual charismatic energy on 15 May – grab your tickets now.
Georgina Pellant -
7th January 2022 
