Manchester

Cord
Dorsey Street
Northern Quarter
Bars in Manchester seem to be getting smaller and smaller, and Cord a fine example of the tardis-like design methodologies that bar owners now adhere to. Upstairs you'll find seating for approximately fifty - at a push, and assuming that everyone is sat on someone else's knee. Downstairs is a bit more roomier (dare we call this the club room?) and here you'll find music, dancing and a bit of movement. Situated in the ever-trendy Northern Quarter, Cord has been kicking around since 2001 (when it won City Life bar of the year) and it's more and more popular, despite its size. ***Update: December 2008*** We popped in on a little jolly in the area the other night and are pleased to report Cord seems to be as relaxed and popular as ever. One of our party, a Cord virgin, was sceptical before we entered, due to its ‘trendy bar in the Northern Quarter’ tag – she was expecting extortionate cocktails and weird, expensive beers in bottles. ‘Pleasantly surprised’ could be one way of putting her reaction as she discovered the averagely priced draft and slightly rough around the edges - in a good way – ambience. Granted, the downstairs feels a bit like a public toilet/tube station, due to its abundance of white tiles, but that adds to its dark, slightly seedy atmosphere which, again, is a good thing. Definitely worth a look for a pint if you’re getting increasingly sick of cocktails and bottled beers in some of the Northern Quarter’s other watering holes.
Indie and Underground bar