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Manchester institution Joshua Brooks is reopening this month after huge £200K revamp
Joshua Brooks is making the mother of all comebacks later this month
One of the city’s most iconic nightclub venues, Joshua Brooks is set to reopen following a massive £200K refurbishment.
Joshua Brooks first landed on the Manchester nightlife scene in 1993 when it played host to the Chemical Brothers’ first ever residency in the rainy city.
Over the years, the venue has welcomed a whole host of house and techno giants to its brick basement, ultimately earning itself the title as one of the most iconic nightclubs in not only Manchester, but the whole country.
Amid the Covid-19 lockdown, however, the venue was forced to close its doors and was eventually bought out by new owners, Jorge Meehan and Brian Murphy, an entrepreneurial pair renowned in the industry for owning and operating venues such as Wile Out Festival, Southern Sunset Festival, Social Avenue, and Acropolis.
N Chadwick / Flickr
With over twenty years of combined experience, Meehan and Murphy have been throwing their expert attention into breathing new life into Joshua Brooks, bringing the historic venue back to its former glory with an extensive ‘back to brick’ refit.
So, what’s the vision for the ‘new’ Joshua Brooks?
Well, the new-look venue will be a one-stop-party shop for musically minded Mancunians, say the owners, combining drinking, dining and dancing from dusk until dawn. By day, the revamped bar will be a home-from-home for the city’s workers, featuring comfortable seating, exposed brickwork and all of the nostalgic charm for which the venue was known.
It will also be gaining a brand new outdoor terrace, where guests can enjoy ‘al fresco’ drinks as they watch the world go by. For those wanting a taste of the classic Joshua Brooks, however, their brick basement will also be returning, and will continue to host the best house, techno and funk DJs Manchester has to offer.
@joshuabrooksmcr / Instagram
There is also the addition of an on-site food kitchen courtesy of Cubanitos. Well known at festivals across the country, this camper van-food kitchen hybrid will be permanently parked up in Joshua Brooks, offering tantalising Cuban street food from 12 pm-11 pm every day.
Speaking about the exciting reopening, new co-owner Jorge Meehan said: “We are so excited to reopen the doors to Joshua Brooks.
“When we found out it was no longer returning as a club, we felt compelled to take the project on so Manchester did not lose yet another clubbing institution. We have so much love for the space after running events there for over seven years, and we are so proud to be able to open up once again with the new additions of the kitchen, the terrace and, of course, some of the world’s finest DJs.”
The revamped venue will be reopening to the public on Friday July 23rd, playing host to Darius Syrossian – House DJ Mark Knight will follow on Saturday July 24th.
Tickets are priced from £8 – get yours here.
What's On
The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Get in the festive spirit!
Get in the festive spirit with a brand new FREE Christmas makers night market, with over 40 traders and small businesses from across the region.
Brought to you by Renaker, the Manchester Made Christmas night market is coming to New Jackson, Deansgate Square from Friday December 6th to Sunday December 8th.
Following on from a successful summer market in May, the Manchester Made Market is returning bigger and better than before but with a Christmassy twist.
Manchester Made Market
Expect a ‘cosy and magical’ Christmas night market experience, with food, drink, live music and even a grotto for visits to Father Christmas.
There’ll be Christmas trees galore, glittering with lighting, with one huge show-stopping tree taking centre stage.
Bringing together over 40 artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region, the three-day event will showcase a plethora of food produce, homewares, crafts and creations.
Manchester Made Market
Visitors will be sure to find unique Christmas gifts that support local businesses, including from The Cole Men and their award winning sauces, Moon & Sixpence’s handmade jewellery, and fine art photography by Craig Barker.
There’ll be live music from a 20-piece choir, playing Christmas classics, cocktails from Manchester Gin and Gooey’s sweet treats.
The experts from Millington Hall Farm in Altrincham will be bringing a taste of their Wild Grill experience, including live sausage making demonstrations and an array of German sausages served from a festive BBQ trailer.
Manchester Made Market
Families with children can visit the Christmas grotto, where Father Christmas himself will be waiting in a cosy tipi – kids will get a gift from Santa, and bookings can be made online for £8.50 per child.
Manchester Made Market will be open from 4pm to 9pm on Friday December 6th, and 1pm to 9pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th – pre-register for a free guest list ticket and 50% off a hot chocolate HERE, or book the Christmas grotto HERE.
What's On
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Get in the festive spirit in Stockport!
Stockport’s free, one-day Christmas festival is returning this festive season, with 200 performers and more than 50 shows.
Spectacular Sunday will return to the town on November 17th at various sites and venues.
Following the success of last year’s event, hundreds of performers will take over Stockport, with everything from giant roller-skating presents to a living snow globe and roaming Christmas dolls.
There will also be street theatre, including grumpy Christmas grandads, a gigantic balloon man and water show.
Matthew Nichol Photography
Produced by carnival arts organisation Global Grooves and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement.
Events will be happening in iconic Stockport locations like Market Place, Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock and Suffragette Square.
A grand finale in Merseyway will bring together the brass bands of Stockport, ending the day with a huge flash mob and rendition of All You Need Is Love.
Cirq Delight
Cllr Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said: “We’re so excited to bring this event back after last year’s amazing success.
“It’s such a fun way to get everyone in the festive spirit and really shows off what makes Stockport special – our sense of community and joy.
“With loads of free performances and activities, plus a chance to enjoy the newly improved areas of Merseyway, it’s a perfect day out for families.
“Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday is all about having fun, making memories, and starting the holiday season in style.”
Spectacular Sunday is happening from 11am to 5pm on Sunday November 17th – find out more HERE.
The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year next month, bringing with it a vibrant gallery space showcasing thousands of works from over 500 artists.
One of the biggest and most significant events in the UK art world calendar, it’ll take over Manchester Central for three days, from Friday November 15th to 17th.
The city will be flooded with art from all corners of the world, championing everything from local heroes to new emerging talent, as well as international artists with worldwide acclaim.
Manchester Art Fair
A wide range of artistic disciplines will be represented at the event, from painters, illustrators, and sculptors to graffiti artists and everything in between.
Expect exhibitions, workshops, Q&A sessions, demos, book signings and parties happening across the event.
Tickets include free access to art workshops and talks from leading artists and cultural experts, and are on sale now.
You can grab them HERE.
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The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Simmons Bar opens first Northern site in Manchester with free drinks at launch party
The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year
