Stylish city centre basement bar to celebrate birthday with a four day Gatsby-style cocktail party

City centre cocktail bar Arcane has all the charm of a prohibition era speakeasy.

When Mark Taylor and Gary Kilroy took over the historic unit in April 2016, they quickly got to work on restoring its Victorian character, bringing the old brickwork back to its former glory, and reviving the space’s stunning original features to create an intimate and calm oasis just a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Deansgate.

The cocktail lovers’ favourite haunt is marking its second birthday this month with a four-day celebration. They’ve put together a series of bar takeover events with some of the country’s best bartenders creating a series of bespoke cocktail menus for you to enjoy from Monday 30th April to Thursday 3rd May.

The festivities start on Monday 30th with a takeover by the lovely folks at Hawksmoor, winners of MFDF17’s Bar Team of the Year award.

They’ve created a bespoke drinks menu for the evening in association with Four Pillars Gin and Kona Hanalei IPA. The team will be serving up their own twists on such gin classics as the cobbler, collins, gimlet and hanky panky, mixing the flavours of a British summer with sharp citrus and Italian liqueurs.   

On Tuesday, long-gone-but-much-loved bar Elixir’s former bartenders Claire Best, now at Amathus drinks, and Alex Walker of Artesian Bar (voted the world’s best bar four years in a row between 2011 and 2015) reunite for a special birthday takeover in association with Amathus Drinks & Kona Hanalei IPA.

Big and bold tropical flavours look set to dominate here with the likes of Yuzu sake, mango liqueur, coconut, passionfruit and quince gin all making an appearance on the exclusive menu.

On Wednesday, Nick Romano and Tristan Kirkwood of Furnival’s Well, the hidden Liverpudlian cocktail bar housed in a Victorian prison, will be hotfooting it over to deliver a special takeover menu in association with Wild Turkey & Kona Hanalei IPA.

They’re keeping their special menu strictly under wraps, so if you want to know more you’ll have to get down on the night to sample their delights for yourself.

Last but not least, on Thursday night the bar will be transformed into a 1920’s den of decadence for a Great Gatsby-themed party.

Black tie and/or fancy dress are strongly encouraged and there will be prizes given out on the night for the best dressed guests. Expect live music from the pop and vintage-style rock outfit Black Sheikhs, followed by a DJ set to carry the party through to the early hours. 

Running from 8pm to 2am every night throughout the week with free entry, head down for some stellar drinks and guaranteed good times to celebrate Arcane’s second birthday in style.