Manchester rose the ranks and has firmly put itself on the cocktail map with four bars entering the list and this year’s One to Watch title being snatched by the Northern city too. But what makes these bars so special and what does the future hold for a city bursting with talent? We sat down with Head Bartender of 2024’s number one, SCHOFIELD’S BAR, Conor Knowles to get his input.
SCHOFIELD’S BAR first entered the list in 2022 at an impressive 16th place, jumping up a further 12 spaces the following year to top 5 and this year took the crown for number one cocktail bar in the UK.
The bar has seen increasing popularity and success since its opening in April 2021 and is the brainchild of brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield who had a vision to return home to Manchester to open their now iconic venue to serve the residents of Manchester classic cocktails.
Despite their quick rise to the top of the list the team were pleasantly surprised to take the trophy home at the event earlier this year. Whilst eagerly watching the live countdown Knowles said ‘there was a sense of, surely not, we cannot be number one.
When it finally got announced, it was an amazing feeling. We were absolutely buzzing all of us. It was so cool. It’s such a great feeling to be number one and to be representing Manchester as well is incredible’.
The room erupted into cheers and celebrations as SCHOFIELD’S was crowned number one which clearly meant a lot to not only the bar, but the city.
Knowles added ‘The list is fantastic and to see so many Manchester Bars do so well is incredible.
To represent Manchester and to be number one in a city outside of London and Edinburgh is incredible.
It feels amazing. There were so many great bars on the list and so many great bars from Manchester up there as well. It's just incredible to show what Manchester can do’.
There’s no denying that Manchester is a city rich with culture, an incredible culinary landscape and a booming drinks scene with people from all over the world not only visiting but making it their home.
Currently, the list boasts five Manchester cocktail bars, more than any previous years. Knowles says he wants to see the city continue to become a hotspot for cocktails much like London.
‘There are so many more bars in Manchester which are doing great things which maybe haven't been recognised yet or haven't really got the traction. I think in a couple of years you'll start seeing more Manchester bars on these lists and winning awards and travelling abroad showcasing what they do.’
Northern charm and hospitality go hand in hand with quality drinks which is undeniably one of the reasons the city is on the rise and SCHOFIELD’S is no exception with Knowles adding
‘…we put a lot of effort into our drinks and the products that we put out, but it's not just that, we've got an amazing team who genuinely care about people and care about giving great hospitality and going above and beyond. We try and give people the best guest experience they can so they can walk away with a smile on their face’.
When discussing what makes a great bar Knowles said ‘it’s about being able to immerse yourself and experience the bar and get lost in the service or the ambience and just made to feel welcome, made to feel at home.’
When it comes to drinks, the menu at SCHOFIELD’S changes every 3 months with the seasons, meaning drinks always use the best quality ingredients at their peak. Menus include 24 cocktails, 12 classics and 12 seasonal drinks which are split by lesser-known drinks and the team’s own creations. Part of the bar’s success is irrevocably the drink offering which is exceptional yet approachable.
There are plenty of opportunities to taste an array of libations at the bar with frequent switch ups to the menu, giving the team the freedom to develop and explore new flavour profiles.
Moving forward, we can expect to see a lot more from this bar with Knowles saying ‘we've got a few incredible events lined up. It's our third birthday next month and we've got the amazing guys from PDT in New York coming over to do a guest show for us. We will be travelling abroad to Europe, and hopefully beyond.
We want to keep pushing ourselves. We want to keep being better what we do and keep building that brand and making sure that what we do we're doing to the best of our abilities.
We're very happy at the moment, we’re just going to keep pushing on and doing what we do best’.
