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
Hawksmoor issues statement after ‘kicking out’ Tommy Robinson from one of its restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Hawksmoor has issued a statement after a viral video captured far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants.
In the video, staff at the acclaimed British steak house told Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – that he would have to go because members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you’.
The supervisor then politely told the party not to worry about the drinks and that they had been paid for, also handing over a business card for Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett in case they wanted to discuss the matter further.
Robinson was dining in one of the group’s London restaurants with former prominent EDL member Guramit Singh Kalirai who challenged the staff and asked: “Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The supervisor responded: “No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff ‘felt uncomfortable and complained’.
The statement, signed by CEO Will Beckett, added that the Hawksmoor team has faced ‘a huge amount’ of ‘quite concerning’ fallout from the Tommy Robinson incident.
He added that ‘this was not about politics or beliefs’.
Hawksmoor’s statement reads: “Our focus is always to give the best restaurant experience to the most people possible.
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.
“This was not about politics or beliefs. Hawksmoor is not a political organisation; we’re a group of restaurants. We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.
“We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
7th January 2022 
