A new Joy Division-inspired bar in the Northern Quarter has divided opinion on social media. Described as 'a love letter to Manchester music' by its owners, High Street venue Disorder features a number of nods to the post-punk band, including a mural of Ian Curtis and the title of seminal album 'Unknown Pleasures' as a green neon sign on the wall.
It will serve Japanese fusion dishes 'with Manchester vibes', such as the smoked watermelon and halloumi sando, smashed burgers, gyozas, and a smoked cauliflower tostada. While downstairs, there is a ‘dive bar’ set up, featuring a DJ booth and a stage area for bands to play, with Happy Mondays legend Bez and Rowetta playing on Friday for opening night, as well as a handful of bands.
A tweet about the bar by the 'Northern Quarter MCR' Twitter account has racked up more than one million views since it was posted on Wednesday morning (February 15), with a number of people voicing their displeasure in the replies. Mancunian journalist and author @BeardedGenius wrote: "I don’t want to s*** on anyone trying to make a go of a business venture in this economy, but in general Manchester needs to stop worshipping its cultural past.
