The hidden Manchester bar Project Halcyon was named one of the UK’s top 50
A secret Manchester bar has quietly closed its doors after confirming it has poured its last cocktail. The team behind Project Halcyon announced the news via social media earlier this month.
The hidden speakeasy-style bar was created by Zymurgorium Distillery, a craft gin distillery owned by Aaron Darke in early 2020. After the pandemic, in 2022, they re-opened the concept at Department Bonded Warehouse, the refurbished 1800s red brick building on the Old Granada Studios site, beneath the original cobbles of the Coronation Street set.
Featuring a seasonal cocktail menu, using craft spirits and liqueurs actually produced on the site of the distillery, and a dedicated absinthe bar, it became known as one of Manchester best hidden drinking spots. It was previously named one of the UK’s top bars alongside a number of esteemed city centre venues.
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Within the site, a series of passageways leads to the bar, and the dedicated absinthe room called the snug, an in-house distillery and laboratory where they create all of their spirits, liqueurs, tinctures, ferments, cordials, syrups and shrubs.
However in a post shared on Instagram, the team said it was with ‘sincere regret’ that they had closed their doors. The post read: “Project Halcyon has poured its last cocktail.
“It was with sincere regret that due to unexpected challenges at the ownership level we must close our doors for the foreseeable. Though we say goodbye, the memories live on. Thank you to everyone who shared in our craft, our community, and our story.”
The post prompted a number of comments from customers that had been to the venue over the years. “Wow you made this place absolutely incredible and really excelled the drinks better than ever before,” wrote one person.
Another added: “Manchester lost one of its finest! Had the pleasure of working with a few of these guys across the years and can’t wait to see what they do next.” And a third wrote: “Sorry to hear this, we loved you offer. I loved the banana martini you did too!”
However, in the comments of the post some claimed that staff members have not been paid. The Instagram account, which is run by the bar team, responded directly in the comments.
They wrote: “We sincerely hope that anyone who may be owned by the owners of Project Halcyon – past and present team included – receives what they are owed. We are not deleting comments and have no interest in doing so.
“We also cannot control how Instagram manages comment threads. This page is run by the team, not the owners.”
Responding to the claim about staff payment, owner Aaron Darke told the Manchester Evening News: “Currently at the moment it’s with a restructuring advisement team and they are looking at what the next steps are to be taken.”