New bar offers chance to dive deep into party vibe
A NEW Deep Southinspired dive bar boasting 50p chicken wings and a huge range of liquors has opened in Stockport.
Notion bar is the brainchild of Andy James, who set up his initial cafe and takeaway food venture Ate Days a Week through lockdown.
Now he’s turned his Vernon Street premises into the “grungy late night dive bar with a serious party vibe” the venue is serving up a huge range of cocktails and what they say is the most extensive back bar in Stockport with over 40 rums and 40 whiskies available. It includes rare hand-blended bourbons and rums from across the world.
The food menu includes buttermilk-brined chicken wings which are being sold for 50p each, and massive hand-pressed burgers with choose-your-own toppings.
Interiors take inspiration from America’s Deep South tin dive bars, with wooden walls and spray paint murals across the venue.
Owner Andy has worked in food and drink hospitality since he was 16 in some of Manchester’s busiest bars and restaurants including Cane and Grain as Head Chef, Bunny Jacksons, 33 Oldham Street and most recently at The Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats running the pub kitchen.
But lockdown inspired his own business idea creating and delivering sandwiches and desserts as Ate Days a Week.
Andy says: “The venture took off ridiculously in lockdown which led me to finding the site in Stockport to give it a home.
“The venue has an upstairs area, and two further lockdowns later and we finally have Notion somewhere people can come and party and completely let loose, especially after such a challenging year.
“The Stockport bar scene right now is the best it has ever been and it’s only going to get better.
“A new wave of independents are coming in and giving it a breath of fresh air and bringing a newfound love of the word “hospitality” to the area.”
“I absolutely love how it’s a community and we can work together with other businesses to bring out the best of the area.
“We’ve already got a very strong working relationship with Neil Garner’s Cherry Jam which has recently opened in the marketplace, working together on their bottomless brunch which boasts food from Ate Days.”
Andy adds more collaborations are in the pipeline on Stockport’s burgeoning food and drink scene.
Notion, 8 Vernon Street, Stockport, SK1 1TY opens Thursdays - Sundays.