Manchester

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Hot new hangout - The Northern

Hip new Northern Quarter bar with good grub, a suitably late license and impressive wallpaper

Ah, how times change. Not so long ago The King on Oldham Street was one of Manchester’s roughest pubs, with clientele who would strike fear into the hardest of hearts. After having its guts ripped out (and its entrance flipped round to Tib Street), a new pub has taken its place: The Northern.

This is a boozer that puts a contemporary spin on the traditional British pub. The menu features typical pub grub: fish and chips, plenty of pizza, a choice of Sunday roasts and its own grill. But the presence of an in-house chef puts The Northern one step above its neighbours. The fish and chips (£5.50), for example, come with chunky chips, minted mushy peas and homemade tartar sauce, while the grill is unusual in that it features a daily fish choice taken from what’s available at that day’s market. Two separate wine lists supplement the extensive menu, though The Northern is a little short on real-ale choices.

So far, so gastropub, but, put together by the team who co-manage Moho, thankfully there’s more to The Northern than just good grub. The decor is retro but with the kind of finish that only a decent budget can muster: the wallpaper is bespoke, having been designed by one of The Northern’s own bar staff. Weekends feature an eclectic choice of live music and high-profile DJs, and there’s an idiosyncratic approach as to what hour, exactly, time is called – the 4.30am weekend licence is at the manager’s discretion – while certain punters have been turned away as the pub strives to generate the ‘right’ relaxed atmosphere. What this means in practice is that well-known footballers have been directed back towards Deansgate, while ex-regulars of The King are barred.

All this makes The Northern one of the most interesting late-night venues to spring up in the Northern Quarter for quite some time. With expansion plans already afoot (keep your eyes peeled for a Soho-style deli), and a fledgling membership scheme under way, this is one place to watch during 2008.

The Northern, Tib Street, M4 1LW (835 2548/www.thenorthernpub.co.uk). Midday-2.30am Sun-Thu, midday-4.30am Fri & Sat.

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