Big Hands

One of the more interesting Manchester bars, with a tiny frontage that is almost overlooked. Despite the expectancy of it being tiny, once inside you'll realise that it goes back for miles and miles, and every inch of the place has a fantastic kitsch atmosphere

With the music most nights being eclectic tunes with a few odd popular ones thrown in, the crowd is a mix of students and lay-abouts, the bar staff are friendly and the décor means that in-between conversations you can read the posters and band flyers fixed to the walls.

Situated next to Manchester Academy, it's a common place to hang out before or after a gig, but with a 2am license you can end up there most nights. Definitely not one to dress up for, as the crowd that takes advantage of the cheap drinks is definitely on the far side of 'relaxed casual'.