Your AfterDark bars and clubs bulletin
Malmaison Brasserie was one of the city's well-kept secrets. Alongside the monochrome restaurant there sat a rather cosy bar. A perfect escape from the bustle of London Road and Piccadilly, right under the noses of the hardcore boozers and the mainstream party bars. On July 25th it all reopened as Smoak Bar & Grill. The former Brasserie had a touch of the Gallic in its monochrome decor. Now the modern British interior is comfortable but slightly industrial, with a smattering of red and some Union Jack flag thrown in. They're serving up steaks, tuna, sea bass, crab cakes and veal. Hidden in the back is the private cocktail bar, Ember Lounge. This highly refined space is aiming for exclusivity and Malmaison are letting very little slip about it. Good thing we have an image or two then.
Fate hasn't been so kind to Iguana in Chorlton. One of the neighbourhood's many funky independents, it has recently had to close due to being faced with an insurmountable increase in business rates by the government's Valuation Office Agency. Iguana owner Pascal Paschalis is hoping that the situation can be resolved and that the closure is only temporary, pending an appeal against the rates. Iguana has been at the forefront of open mic comedy and live music for South Manchester. It'd be a loss for Chorlton if it didn't overcome this obstacle and continue on.
Another closure of sorts, although this one won't occur until the beginning of next year. The Warehouse Project is finally to say goodbye to its Store Street location after five years of events there. A proposed 17 hour party will end in the early hours of Jan 2nd 2012 and then within 48 hours the interior will be cleansed of all evidence that WHP were ever. AfterDark has tickets for the full season although that Jan 1st final farewell event and the Crosstown Rebels party (Dec 10th) have already sold out. As the Store Street door closes though, another one will open. So those of you that didn't love Store Street that much, might have a new venue to look forward to with an always possible WHP for Easter 2012.
Finally, the former Bar 5 on Old Bank Street (where Sandinista is alongside the Royal Exchange) has had an application for a late night liquor licence, so we could be seeing a new bar there sometime soon.
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