There’s a lot of history within the walls of 40 Chorlton Street. The converted cotton mill in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village most recently housed a comedy club, but before that it was home to Mash & Air - the celeb haunt boasting a spaceship-like design and amazing culinary credentials.
The game-changing bar, restaurant and microbrewery burst onto Manchester’s dining scene back in 1996 and was the place to be seen in the city. A roll-call of home-grown talent and visiting celebs frequented the spot, from the Spice Girls and George Michael to Coronation Street icons and the Manchester United squad - Sir Alex Ferguson even spent time there, though it included a brief stint stuck in a lift, much to the staff’s embarrassment.
With a trendy brasserie on the lower floor and a buzzing restaurant above, the microbrewery at the heart of the four-storey space inspired the venue’s name - nodding to the brewing process of Mash & Air. Embodying a futuristic white and orange design against an industrial backdrop of exposed brickwork and brewing tanks, it really was ahead of the curve both design wise and in terms of its culinary footprint.
