Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ll probably have noticed that Stockport’s star has been shining much brighter over recent years.
Home of the Hat Museum, Edgeley Park and Blossoms, its independent shopping and food and drink scene has flourished - even in spite of the pandemic. While locals and visitors buzz about the Little and Great Underbank areas and the market - where Foodie Friday, Yellowhammer and the Spinn Off all reside - every corner of the town is popping up with new and exciting openings.
Cue Glitch, a brand new games bar, which opened its doors on Princes Street last weekend. The brainchild of Amy Fletcher and her partner Joseph Patten, the venue which occupies the former Mama Sanctuary, sits behind Merseyway shopping precinct and aims to bring together both lovers of retro games and modern gamers.
Read more: Stockport County confirm launch date for fan zone and special Christmas menu
Joseph Patten told the Manchester Evening News : “We took the keys for number 1 Princes Street in Stockport, opposite Redrock back in June, and have been working relentlessly every evening after work to get this place ready and back to a big open space. We believe it's the next big push needed to bring immersive interactive bars to Stockport, in the same way they do in the cities.
“It's a chance to provide more than just a sit down with a beer, people want more of an experience when they hit the town now. Glitch provides that.
"It's a hit of nostalgia like an interactive museum for vintage arcade lovers, whilst also offering a look into the future with all the latest consoles for groups to book out. It's going to change the lay of the land massively for more bars of this type to invest in Stockport Town centre. It's certainly the first of its kind in Stockport but it's where the bar world is heading."
Opening its doors just in time for Christmas, even on a midweek lunchtime, the space is busy. with curious visitors eager to find out what games and consoles are on offer. Step inside and you're instantly transported into a gamer's paradise.
Leather booths surround the glass windows which stretch from one end of the venue to another, while a dancefloor inspired by Rainbow Road - the final course of the Special Cup featured in the Mario Kart games - leads you to the bar where taps are adorned with figurines of popular games characters like Princess Peach and Yogi.
The unit itself is based over two floors, and even features the original parquet flooring, which the owners found under two layers of lino when undertaking the renovation. Murals created by the same artist who designed the artwork at popular Manchester games bar NQ64 are splashed across the walls and depict even more notable games characters.
To bring their version to life, Amy and Joseph have tracked original arcade games from America including Space Invaders, Pac Man and Donkey Kong. While all games are currently free to play during the bar’s soft launch, in the coming weeks a token system will be introduced. The gaming booths, meanwhile, are fitted out with 40 inch screens, which can be booked out for an hour at a cost of £8, and are kitted out with Xbox and PlayStation 5s, while other corners of the space include areas where visitors can play Nintendo Switch, SEGA Mega and Nintendo 64.
While the upstairs area is still being renovated, plans are underway to create a Star Wars duelling rooms where guests can rent lightsabers. There’s also talk of Twitch tournaments being hosted in the space.
Head to the bar and David and the bar team are only too happy to whip up one of their specialty cocktails inspired by many of the games around the bar. Currently on the menu there’s eight beverages priced between £8 and £9.50
Cocktails range from Skeletor combining gin, Chambord, lemon juice and berries inspired by the character in Masters of the Universe; Silent Princess, a magical mix of tequila, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and soda; and Spyro, the fictional dragon encompassing marshmallow gin, blue curacao, lemon and apple juice. On tap, you’ll also find a variety of beers and ciders from Brew York including a rainbow sherbet sour, a pilsner and a sparkling cider - all of which will change and adapt over time.
Glitch is open now and visitors can book a gaming booth via the bar’s Instagram page.
READ NEXT:
-
Gary Neville 'incredibly excited' as full details of new Stock Exchange Hotel brasserie announced
-
Manchester bar hits back at one-star review slamming staff for wearing crop tops
-
Local coffee shop's fury as Costa opens third chain in neighbourhood
-
Sacha Lord launches Christmas campaign to save Manchester’s hospitality sector
-
Inside new £3m MUSU restaurant aiming to take Manchester dining "to next level"
