Graffiti Spirit Group’s John Ennis, Nick Thomas and Adam Taylor are weeks from opening new Manchester Bar MDNT.
The group hired former Project Halcyon GM Taylor – as reported on Classbarmag.com in August – to head up Manchester’s latest launch, where the trio intend to focus on bringing back "fun and old school hospitality".
It is the second Manchester bar of Liverpool-based GSG - which is behind the likes of Manolo, Nord and El Bandito - with the group's Ennis and Thomas previously opening dive bar Salt Dog Slims five years ago in the same Bow Lane building.
Ennis told CLASS that the lower-basement bar MDMT – short for Midnight - is the “next step” for them in Manchester – “a venue that balances exceptional drinks and service with a dynamic, late-night energy”. “Service and guest experience will be at the centre of everything,” he said.
The space will see a chef’s tables along with traditional bar seating, including booths and standing room, with a DJ transitioning the vibe from cocktail bar to late-night destination.
The music will take the form of hip-hop and R&B before 10pm, after which “the BPM rises, carrying the same musical DNA forward but with added momentum to drive the night”.
MDNT's cocktails will be “elevated” yet "accessible" and designed for speed of delivery.
The bar will see a choreographed ritual for its guests’ entrance. “Every guest, whether they’ve reserved a booth, secured a bar stool, or are simply joining for standing room, begins their night by texting the host,” Ennis said. “The host then replies with a personal code, the only way to unlock the keypad-secured door.”
“No guest lists, no tickets, no generic reservations — just a direct exchange between host and guest. The ritual builds mystique; it sets a tone. From the moment the host responds, the evening has already begun.”