If you’re wondering why you can’t get a table at the likes of San Carlo, Tattu or Hawksmoor tonight, there’s a very good reasonTattu is one of 11 Manchester restaurants that are FULLY booked out tonight – for a very good reason(Image: James Brown)

While Thursday always tends to be a busy night out in Manchester city centre, diners might wonder why a number of the city’s best known restaurants are ENTIRELY full this evening.

Look for a reservation online at the likes of San Carlo on King Street, Hawksmoor on Deansgate, or Tattu on Spinningfields and you’ll find there’s not a table to be had tonight – they’re all completely booked out.

The reason for the block bookings across 11 of Manchester’s busiest and best-loved venues?

Well, it’s all to honour one of Manchester’s most inspiring hospitality legends, Living Ventures founder Tim Bacon.

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Restaurant and bar titans including Hawksmoor, Grand Pacific, 20 Stories, Higher Ground, Lucky Cat, Fenix, The Alchemist, Tattu, Blacklock, San Carlo and Founder’s Hall will all be closed to usual public bookings in order to hold the now annual charity extravaganza, DREAM 2025.

Famed restaurant San Carlo, On King Street West, will also be celebrating Mother’s Day in styleFamed restaurant San Carlo, On King Street West, is one of the 11 restaurants fully booked for the huge event tonight(Image: Sean Hansford)

The venues are uniting behind the Tim Bacon Foundation to help people living with cancer. The event is the follow-up to previous Dream the Impossible events which have been held to honour Tim since he died from cancer aged just 52 in 2016.

The event will see hundreds of guests take their places at private dinners inside the city centre restaurants for an extraordinary night of fundraising.

Then after the meals are finished, all revellers will be uniting together at a grand finale inside Albert Hall on Peter Street to party into the early hours.

Jeremy Roberts is founder and chair of the Tim Bacon Foundation, and was Tim’s partner and co-founder of the Living Ventures empire, which created some of Manchester’s most iconic brands from The Living Room to The Alchemist.

Living Ventures founders Jeremy Roberts and the late, great Tim Bacon. Jeremy is holding a fundraising night in his honour(Image: Living Ventures)

He has once again brought together the city’s biggest operators to take part in the event for a third time, which he hopes will raise thousands of pounds for a range of cancer charities.

Jeremy said: “Once again, the hospitality industry has stepped up to make DREAM 2025 a truly exceptional event.

“We’ve seen this incredible generosity before – our previous events have raised nearly £1 million for cancer charities across Manchester.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of our hospitality friends who have shown commitment to this cause.”

Blacklock, on Peter Street, is nestled in the corner of a Grade II-listed building formerly used as a textile warehouseBlacklock, on Peter Street, is among the restaurants taking part(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)

Eight cancer charities based in and around Manchester including The Christie, Prevent Breast Cancer and Maggie’s will benefit from the fundraising.

A silent auction will be a key feature of the event, which will be spread across all the venues, and is also open to the public to donate via an online link too tonight.

Among star lots is a BMW Dream Weekend, featuring a two night stay at the Dakota Manchester, sandwiched with a two night BMW Experience in Munich.

Local businesses have also directly sponsored individual restaurants for the evening – from Palatine PE, Peach 2020, Harri, Proveca Ltd, Together Trust, Vita Group, Pareto FP, KR8 Advisory, Hall Brown, Browne Jacobson, TrinityBridge, Williams BMW, Access Hospitality, Wireless Social, Verlingue and JW Lees.

For anyone wanting to get involved in the auction tonight, the site can be found here, with bids accepted until midnight.

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