Secret Manchester bar The Washhouse just got bigger

The Shudehill bar now has its own secret bar - plus a Narnia private room and disco toilets

Written by Chris Greenhalgh
Last updated 2 years ago
Food & Drink

The popular Manchester bar has expanded into the unit next door to increase its capacity an impressive fourfold, with a 110 cover upstairs seating area in addition to the 30 downstairs.

And the secret Shudehill bar, which many have mistaken for a laundrette, now has its own secret bar.

The ‘If your name’s not on the list, you’re not coming in’ rule still applies. To gain entry, you still need to call using the retro phone inside the laundrette facade but instead of entering the secret bar through the original washing machine door, you could be entering through a chunky vending machine door and going upstairs to the new bar.

Up the stairs, you’ll discover sexy Hermes orange leather bench seating and bauble pendant lights wrapped around a central bar resplendent against trendy dark grey satin panelled walls.

Narnia room

What appears to be a cloakroom wardrobe is actually the entrance to Narnia – not the enchanted land of Aslan and the White Witch, but a private room for hire which comes with its own big screen for presentations or party games and can accommodate 25 guests.

Disco toilets

Up more stairs, looking for the loo, you’ll find some disco toilets. What appears to be a plush unisex bathroom with vanity mirrors and bench seating turns into a mini seventies-style disco with the push of a big red do-not-touch button.

Across from the toilets is a hidden door opening into an Instagrammer photo studio with a black twister slide.

New cocktails

Small Island Punch is a Caribbean-style cocktail designed to whisk you away to Jamaica. It’s made with Plantation Pineapple Rum, Chairman’s Spiced Rum, lime, Hickory Gomme, Jerk Bitters and Lilt. A totally tropic taste. Ya’mon.

Inspired by the famous Ian Brown quote, Everything But A Beach is made with Ceylon Arrak, RinQuinQuin Peach Vermouth, Ginger Saccharum and Pistachio Water. It’s a mini day at the beach in a glass and comes with ice cream, edible sand and a salted melon foam to give a taste of the sea air.

Winner Winner (chicken dinner) is a savoury-not-sweet old fashioned consisting of bourbon, parsley, Benedictine and apple sugar.

A brand new menu launching in about two weeks has been created with escapism in mind, making The Washhouse a city centre oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Shudehill and the Northern Quarter.

But keep it to yourself. We don’t want everyone finding out, now do we?

Book now

This article was last updated 2 years ago.
It was first published on 4 August 2021 and is subject to be updated from time to time. Please refresh or return to see the latest version.

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