AS Manchester prepares to commemorate the extraordinary life of Tim Bacon at a a special open-to-all memorial service at 1pm on Monday, May 16 it seems fitting to toast the hospitality legend’s final project – because as we said in our Taste of Manchester tribute http://tasteofmanchester.com/news/a-tribute-to-tim-bacon-citys-food-and-drink-giant/it “felt like the wheel had come full circle when Living Ventures announced the late night Red Door bar beneath The Botanist on Deansgate”.
This is the split-level site where it all began for Tim back in 1993 when he snapped it up from the receivers and through his ground-breaking JW Johnson’s set the template for Manchester’s bar/restaurant scene to this day.
He reacquired the site in 2014 to create The Botanist, but it was the basement that was filled with the ghosts of good times. It was a melting pot of people from all walks of life (TV personalities, musicians, sports stars, journalists and office-workers) who all had a common bond, a love of good music, live music, and a zest for dancing and forming lasting friendships.
If the Red door can recreate that fun vibe it will be an appropriate legacy for the charismatic Tasmanian, who brought the city centre the likes of Australasia, The Alchemists, Artisan and Manchester House.
Tim, who lost his battle with cancer on Friday, April 29, had joined forces once again for the Red Door project, with Chester based entrepreneur Dave Hinds and former Living Ventures bar expert, Lee Lynch.
Tim and Dave’s business relationship stretched back to the early Nineties when they set up JW Johnsons, followed by Via Vita and Life Café across the UK, at which time they were joined by business partner Jeremy Roberts. Together, the trio spearheaded a revival of the city centre dining scene. Those venues were sold to Whitbread in 1999 after which Dave Hinds decided to concentrate on his property interests, leaving Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts to establish Living Ventures.
Red Door is set to open in June 2016 after £350,000 hs been spent on overhauling the 250-capacity subterranean space. Opening times will be 8pm-2am seven days a week. It promises to be a fun place with signature cocktails such as the Big Dill and The One With The Balloon, pictured below.
MD Lee Lynch, who is a partner in Red Door said: “Following the huge success of our venues in Chester and Liverpool, we are delighted to bring Red Door to Manchester, our intention is to make it one of the best bars around, with highly trained bar-tenders and live music. It will hopefully make a significant contribution to the return of a positive and thriving bar scene at that end of Deansgate.”
Monday’s Albert Hall memorial service promises to be hugely emotional event. A charity page has been set up to raise funds for The Christie, where Tim was treated, and The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where his 11-year-old nephew Jett lost his own cancer struggle days after his uncle. The family ask for donations to this page in lieu of flowers. More than £5,000 has already been raised.
A spokesperson for Living Ventures, said: "Don't be sad, Tim loved and lived life. He created livelihoods and brought us all together with a great deal of happiness as one big family. Each one of us now walks taller for knowing him. Feel free to come along and remember him with us."
The memorial service will be held at Albert Hall, Peter Street, M2 5QR on Monday, May 16 at 1pm. Doors open at 12.30. Anyone is welcome to come and pay tribute.
Red Door, 78 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2FW www.reddoor.uk.com
