A late-night underground bar hailed “Manchester’s best kept secret” has announced it is to reopen in January – and is scrapping entry fees. Live music and cocktail venue One Eight Six has been closed since October.
It was revealed last week that the Deansgate bar been taken over by new management, and will see the return of popular entertainer Dean Mac to “lead the new era” at One Eight Six.
The venue first opened over four years ago, with an intriguing hidden entrance through a two-way mirrored door through a barber shop on Deansgate. The new owners have now given the bar a “subtle yet striking transformation” with new booth seating and updated colours which will be unveiled later this month.
Dean Mac will headline the venue’s music lineup which will feature a nightly roster of soul, Motown, and RnB performances. They say some of Manchester’s finest musicians and DJs are being lined up such as the return of the Sublime 7 as well as the ‘Nawti 9’, ‘Six15’, The Feel Good Choir and Twisted Tubes.
Bosses say the relaunch is aiming to “re-establish One Eight Six as the city’s go-to destination for live music lovers”.
How One Eight Six bar looked when it first opened on Deansgate in 2020
(Image: Supplied)
The venue is set to launch with a VIP party on January 24 and will then be open to the public from January 31 with a new reimagined cocktail menu. Drawing inspiration from the barbershop upstairs, the new handcrafted creations push the boundaries of mixology with cocktail titles including ‘Champagne Supernova’, ‘Return of The Mac’ and ‘New York Groove’.
Dean Mac said: “I am so excited to be heading up the team re-launching One Eight Six. We are bringing back the non-stop energy and the unforgettable moments Manchester has truly missed since our closure.
“With the new ownership comes fresh rules, an elevated experience and a renewed commitment to making every night unforgettable.”
Dean Mac is back at One Eight Six
(Image: One Eight Six)
Talking about the decision to scrap entry fees, Dean said: “We have really listened to the One Eight Six community with this relaunch – scrapping the £12 per person entry fee, making our reservations longer than two hours, improving our live music offering, adding a DJ provided by Six15 every single evening as well as bringing our famous choir back every single Thursday.
“We are so excited to party with you all and do what One Eight Six does best!”
One Eight Six will launch on 31st January with bookings now live for tables. There will also be a series of invite only launch events planned to showcase the venue’s new direction from January 24.
It will then open on Thursdays from 6pm to 1am, Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 2am and on Sundays from 5pm to 1am.