Welcome to Howard’s
NEW BAR OPENS ITS DOORS IN DENTON
ASMART new neighbourhood bar has opened in Denton town centre. Howard’s Neighbourhood Bar is based on Manchester Road, serving cocktails, wine and gin alongside real ales and keg beers.
Couple Amy and Jack Howard have transformed the former baby boutique and wedding dress shop with a stylish, understated fit-out of light wood floors and tables set against navy and copper decor.
The couple – who aren’t married but share the surname they’ve given the bar – wanted to use their catering backgrounds to open their own business together.
“I’ve always wanted to own a bar and Jack nearly did buy a restaurant when he was younger,” said Amy, who grew up in Denton while Jack is from Glossop.
The 28-year-olds initially thought about setting up a street food business before their attention turned to Denton’s food and drink scene and what they felt it lacked.
“We said to each other: ‘When have we ever been out in Denton?’ We haven’t.
“We always go to Manchester to places like The Jane Eyre [in Ancoats], or Altrincham or Glossop,” said Amy.
“There’s lots of food places opening around here now and there’s lots of money being spent with the leisure centre, but there’s nowhere to go for a nice drink.
“There’s a lot of the traditional pubs, which are great, but a lot of them turn into nightclubs at night. Some people just want somewhere more chilled.”
Behind the bar, guests will find a range of local drinks including Tameside Gin, distilled in Denton; beers from Cheshire’s Beartown Brewery and Salford’s Seven Brothers; and wines from around the world, supplied by Hyde-based Local Wine Company.
“Our main aim is to do everything supporting local businesses,” said Amy.
“Anything we can buy or use locally we’ve done.”
The couple also have plans to distil their own gin in the cellar, and to start serving simple cheese and meat platters from January. The bar opened last Friday.
“Everyone has been really supportive and looking forward to something different – hopefully it will be part of the regeneration of the area,” she said.
Howard’s Neighbourhood Bar is open from 5pm to 11pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays; 3pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; and 2pm to 9.30pm on Sundays.