BOX Deansgate

BOX is all about big-screen sports, booze (including two-for-one cocktails) and blokes singing – ‘bandeoke’ is a thing and it exists here. The Manchester outpost of a popular Yorkshire concept, head here if you want a front-row seat at every match, game, fixture and fight on a high-definition wide screen. Whatever sports are being shown by Sky, BT and Box Office, you will find them on one of the 25 screens.

The bar takes weekly deliveries of fresh tank Budvar, plus there’s a good range of local ales including Northern Monk and Seven Bro7hers. Cocktails, stein sharers and spritzers mean there’s a suitable snifter for all sporting occasions.

Of course, all that shouting, supping and hand-wringing is hungry work, and Box Deansgate has all the easy-to-eat plates of scran you could hope for. Go for grabbable favourites such as burgers, wraps and subs, kebabs and pizzas.

Aside from the sport, there’s live music Thursday to Saturday, plus two shuffleboard tables. This is one of Manchester’s bigger sports bars. There’s lots of standing and sitting space and on Saturday nights they open up the top floor too. You can reserve an area for your group or hire out the upstairs room if you’re planning a bigger gathering.