Police urged council bosses to revoke its licence
07:37, 29 Nov 2025Updated 07:45, 29 Nov 2025
Manahatta bar, Manchester city centre (stock image)(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A popular Manchester city centre bar has avoided losing its licence following six violent incidents in as many months. Greater Manchester Police advised councillors to revoke Manahatta’s permission to sell alcohol.
But bosses at the Deansgate venue were told they could continue to operate under strict conditions following a town hall meeting. The New York-themed bar, operated by ARC Inspirations, came under scrutiny at a Manchester council licensing hearing following after six incidents since May 2025.
The meeting heard police were called to a fight on November 1. Councillors were told glasses were thrown ‘indiscriminately’ and that chairs were used ‘as weapons’.
A woman, who wasn’t involved in the brawl, was hit over the head with a bottle and left with an open skull fracture.
The ‘tragic incident’ came following a series of fights, including one between door staff and a man refused entry, the meeting was told.
The man, who attacked two bouncers, was left with a bleed on the brain after he was pushed over and repeatedly kicked, the town hall meeting was told.
He was initially given a 50/50 chance of survival by medics, according to police. Paddy Whur, representating for ARC Inspirations, said there was a sense of ‘deep regret’ following the incidents, which the firm believed was due to insufficient numbers of door staff.
The outfit runs several other venues in Manchester – and across the country – ‘without any problems’, Mr Whur added.
“We’ve traded [at Manahatta] for seven years without having an issue,” he said. “And now we’ve had a few months where the level of management controls that we’d expect.
“I’m not saying to you ‘you need to protect the ability of the business to continue above public safety’. I’m asking you to find that in all the circumstances it would be disproportionate to revoke the licence.”
The bar has already implemented a number of security changes, including increasing the number of security and management staff and replacing glass with plastic, the meeting heard. It has been operating without incident for three weeks since introducing the changes, Mr Whur added.
Councillors and police officers initially pointed out it was about ‘more than numbers’ and said staff had reacted inappropriately. CCTV footage showed a bouncer ‘dancing at the top of the stairs’ while a brawl broke out behind him, according to PC Stuart Hammersley told the meeting.
The business was criticised for taking ‘several minutes to intervene in incidents’, with one brawl lasting five minutes before staff stepped in.
Officers said they were ‘suspicious’ about the lack of a police report made by the venue following the incident in which a woman suffered a head injury. Mr Whur said bosses were advised by ambulance operators that a call had already been made.
Chief Superintendent Meeney said: “We have had more issues with this venue than anywhere else. It’s not just about glass, though we’ve made frequent reference to its use as a weapon. These serious incidents involved fists, kicks and chairs being thrown. I don’t believe the removal of glass would be the end to this.
“We don’t want more incidents. We don’t want more customers to be hurt in the way they have been in these five to six other incidents. We believe the licence should be revoked.”
The licensing committee concluded that new conditions would be sufficient to avoid future incidents – including increasing numbers of SIA trained staff; team members patrolling customer areas and conducting welfare checks; tighter monitoring of customer behaviour and intoxication; and increased training for staff.
Councillor Paul Andrews said: “It was very close, but we decided not to revoke the licence because we feel the [new] licensing conditions would be sufficient to uphold the licensing objectives. But please don’t let us see you here again.”