Neighbourhood Restaurant, UK
A chic new addition to Manchester’s bar scene, Neighbourhood takes inspiration from New York’s best to create a blend of high-end style and friendly local character.
The city of Manchester in the UK’s northwest has long enjoyed a reputation for its vibrant club and bar scene. From the day the iconic, Ben Kelly-designed Dry Bar opened its doors in 1989, owners and operators across the city have striven to deliver fresh, innovative, stylish spaces. Neighbourhood continues this tradition. The latest bar to join Manchester’s evolving Spinningfields district, Neighbourhood matches the high-end finish that has become a standard for the venues in the area, but with an added depth of character. The space evokes the warmth and spirit of a Manhattan eatery, reimagined for a Mancunian clientele.
UK entrepreneur brought in award-winning designer Edwin Pickett to convert a timber-clad shell on the edge of Spinningfields into a flagship restaurant space. Hitchen’s love of New York bars and restaurants informed the direction of the design; diners would be transported across the Atlantic for a night of glamour and style.
To successfully deliver the right aesthetic, each element of the design came under scrutiny. “I really wanted to make the restaurant as authentic as possible, so everything from the lighting, the décor and the seating arrangements have been carefully chosen to give that New York feel,” explains Pickett.
As part of the specification process, Tyson Lighting were brought in to help select the right decorative lighting for the job. Tyson captured the essence of NYC’s industrial glamour by treating each area of the restaurant as an individual ‘borough’. The project evolved throughout production, involving a vast range of bespoke fittings, that in turn required a careful selection process by Tyson.
“From a design perspective we chose some beautiful pieces from Curiousa & Curiousa, whom we chose due to exceptional quality of the glass,” says Pickett. “Cheaper alternatives were available, however, spending money in the right places on a project of this magnitude is what gives it the edge on the competition, in an incredibly competitive market.”
Curiousa’s glass shades adorn the bar, the balcony and the main dining area, as well as the restaurant’s plush, upholstered booths, establishing a unique, ornate and authentic lighting scheme. “Being the most popular bar and restaurant in Manchester for the past few months – it proves buying the best you can afford, when it comes to decorative lighting is money well spent.”
