After the success of its sports-themed clubhouses in Fulham and Fitzrovia, experiential bar and restaurant Sixes Cricket Club is to open a venue in Manchester's Corn Exchange at the end of August.
SIXES is the only venue in the UK to combine cricket simulators with exceptional dining and hospitality. State-of-the-art batting nets will be available to hire, making it the perfect playful place for families, kids' parties, stags and hens and work colleagues and friends looking for a themed day out.
“Themed and experiential bars and restaurants are on the rise in the UK,” say co-founders Andy Waugh and Calum Mackinnon. “While some British bars and pubs were struggling, even before the pandemic kicked in, others are batting ahead by offering customers new experiences.”
He’s right. It seems not many people just want to go for a quick pint anymore. Manchester is already spoilt for choice with experiential bars including Junk Yard Golf, Flight Club, Whistle Punks axe throwing, retro games arcades like NQ64, bowling alleys like Lane7, and even Alcotraz, the divisive new prison themed place.
However, it's not essential to play cricket at Sixes. You can simply book in to enjoy the English gastro pub-inspired food, which uses the very best of British produce. Small plates read like the ideal cricket tea with SIXES sausage roll, coronation bubble and squeak pakoras and roast beef mini buns.
Classic mains range from a 45-day aged rib-eye to Dorset cider steamed mussels and the SIXES burgers and vegan burgers. If you really want to pig out, you can order and Orchard hog roast sharing platter or the SIXES feast for two.
Signature cocktails include ‘teatime’ made with Yorkshire Tea and Tanqueray gin, or they even have a range of ‘experimental’ cocktails including the ‘Pickled Ploughmans’ made with pickled Tanqueray gin, sherry vinegar, cheese and crackers (crackers sounds about right…)
"The opening of our Manchester Sixes marks a very exciting next phase in the brands' growth, as we welcome new guests to our first ‘out-of-London’ clubhouse,” says co-founder Calum Mackinnon.
"At the heart of the Sixes concept lies our firm belief in sport's uncanny power to bring people together in fun and positive ways. Combining this with our passion for the age-old game of cricket, and our background in the London food and drink scene through Mac and Wild, we coined the term ‘social cricket’ to describe the vibe and atmosphere guests can expect throughout the Sixes venues.
"From cricketing pros to complete novices, 'social cricket’ is coming to Manchester this August in the shape of three batting nets, a stunning 70-seater bar and dining space and our very first exclusive Sixes Champagne Bar.
"We’re beyond excited to get the doors open and start welcoming groups of friends, colleagues and families to the Sixes concept.”
SIXES opens in The Corn Exchange Manchester on August 29th.
Image Credit - @lateef photography