Manchester

Che
Portland Street
Modern bar

Kro Piccadilly
One Piccadilly Gardens
Cheap and Cheerful bar

Manchester will soon run out of space for the Kro Bar guys, as this is their third proper bar, and fifth venue close to the City Centre. Their first was the much-loved Kro1, based on Oxford Road opposite the Manchester University Students Union and the Academy. Success came quickly, so the guys (or possibly girls, we're not sure) opened up a swanky glass/steel/vaulted ceilings style bar further down Oxford Road. This inevitably became popular - it does have a lovely beer garden at the side, and it's a haven for local creatives, muso's and thirsty students. Roll forward a few years and we're in 2006 and Kro Piccadilly has opened up, as part of the drive to clean up Piccadilly and make it altogether less scary. Kro 3 is a huge bar, running from one side of the One Piccadilly Gardens building to the other, but through clever use of bricks'n'mortar the design has worked well, and so far it's been busy with the right kinda people. As with the previous Kro's there's a good range of beers, prices aren't too steep (but none of your 50p for a bottle of alcopop) and it's singlehandedly given people a reason to wander down that end of town.

Wetherspoons
49 Piccadilly
Cheap and Cheerful bar

B Lounge
97 Piccadilly
Modern bar

A brand new drinking hole in Piccadilly, the refit B-lounge has recently opened and it's a decent looking place with live music and meal deals.

Moonlight
20 Tariff Street
Modern bar

Tucked away in the Northern Quarter, Moonlight is part of the Jacksons Warehouse residential building, and sits next to the Picadilly Basin. Part restaurant, part bar, it's not exactly the busiest of venues, but that's down to the 'off the beaten track' location. As bars go it's not a bad one, and it's relatively relax and offers a good range of cocktails.