Somewhere in this post, I feel
the need to place the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The real truth
is that the heading for the revitalisation of the already-great Common Bar in Manchester’s Northern Quarter should be “Evolve or Die.”
Since its opening ten years ago
Common has provided a unique space that has defined the Northern Quarter's evolution into infamy. Common’s quirky layout, ever-changing dedication to wall artwork
and impressive line-up of drinks has made this a favourite for beers on a lazy
Tuesday afternoon or cocktails on a Friday night. It had perfected that rare mixture between
creating an area that satisfies beer enthusiasts, post-work drinkers, night-out
party people, solo Mac Book wankers or cocktail-wanting socialites. Common that was as
uncommon as they came.
My mate Lewis would often say,
“It’s not my favourite bar – it’s my favourite place” and thus we visited
Common often.
Hence the fear when Common announced it was to close it’s doors for a few weeks for a refurbishment. The
idea of change usually brings out the cynic in me, but this was a team that
knew how to get it so right that they couldn’t get it wrong, could they? I
tried to fight the cynicism when it came to visiting the “New Common” a few
weeks ago.
Evolve or Die. The team behind
the changes certainly didn’t seem afraid of the idea of change and are not afraid of dividing opinion.
Along with Lewis and our friend Chris, we arrived mid-Friday evening. The change hits you immediately
upon arrival. The dreaded table service concept is here – the kryptonite of watering
holes that turns them from social drinking venues to restaurants. As it was, we
did want to eat here so we waited patiently to be seated.
And waited...
And then began to feel foolish as
we obeyed the sign like hypnotised geese. My mate Lewis slunk off to the toilet
whilst I took in the new decor. It’s clean, it’s wooden, it’s fresh, it’s....
well, I don’t want to use the word soulless at this point before I’ve given it
chance. But the quirky, ever-changing, vibrant artwork that gave it charcter
has been replaced with council housing magnolia walls and a lot of wood. Somebody also decided an
open kitchen was a good idea. I’ve never understood the idea behind open kitchens. Personally, I don’t
require to see the chefs at work, nor do I need the bar to quickly fill up with
the scent of sizzling pans until it infests my clothing.
“Sorry, are you waiting to be
seated?” asks a worker whose walked passed these two bemused wanderers several
times already. The staff haven’t got to grips with the idea of seating people
as much as I’ll never adapt to being seated in Common. Still we are seated in the once main bar area. As I decide to wait
until I’ve been in longer before forming opinions, Chris
says to me as he surveys the open
kitchen from our seat and before Lewis has returned, “It’s like it’s had the soul ripped out of it.”
Still, there is one remaining constant: a good looking beer choice that is housed on a temporary board (I’m assuming temporary anyway.) I have a Cloudwater Bergamot Hopfenweisse and peruse the food menu. There are some familiar and old favourites as well as new dishes, including a tempting Small Plates section – 3 for £12. Lewis and Chris opt for this offer whilst I have to choose my old favourite in the Maple Bacon Burger, just to make sure it can still match up food wise.
The place is still busy, vibrant
and, now that we are seated, the staff are very helpful. It’s just like being
in a good food bar, any good food bar, in any part of the country. One you could be
visiting for the first time anywhere and thinking that it’s not too bad at all.
It’s good. It just doesn’t currently feel like it used to.
The food arrives and we are all
fairly impressed. The Maple Bacon Burger is still tasty though seems slightly healthier than I recall. The Small Plates all receive praise, with the
Korean Chicken, Salt & Pepper Squid and Aubergine Baba Ganoush garnering
the most plaudits. There’s a sense that these small dishes could become the
signature of the place, with the opportunity to add, change or do specials to
the line-up whenever they choose.
Once everything has finished and
we’ve enjoyed the beer and enjoyed the food the outlook is positive. The space
in the other rooms is used well with plenty of seating. They have plans to use
the new spaces for different events and it will be interesting to see what
happens. There’s still time to develop; for Common to find a new identity
under its refurbishment whilst keeping its same popularity and old clientele. I'll be back again and again to see how it goes - or at least to still enjoy a good beer - so let's look at the positives.
I look at Lewis – Lewis who brought
every guest, visitor and tourist to Manchester to Common because it was his
favourite place – and see him staring at the understated wall art with a look
of slight disappointment. I ask him his opinion, remembering that he was in the
toilet when Chris gave his verdict earlier.
“It’s like... it’s like it’s had
its soul ripped out.”
Let’s hope they find it again.
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