With over 200 Greater Manchester breweries and pubs listed in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2020, it’s safe to say Manchester’s beer scene is booming. Cue Chapeltown Picture House (CPH)! The venue is another impressive installment from the people behind Grub MCR and their partners, Capital & Centric and Squawk Brewing Co.
Those of you who love craft beer or ale will likely be familiar with the array of breweries come taprooms occupying the outskirts of Manchester City Centre. But as these venues continue to pop-up how can beer-trepenuers stand out from the crowd with their new ventures?
Located on the 4th Floor of Crusader Mill, not only is this place home to Squawk’s taproom, but it also has its very own 60-seat independent cinema! Playing some of the best retro horror and action classics, you can also hire the venue to host throwback video game or virtual reality parties.
Friday 13th or The Terminator not your thing? Then fear not. The team is very accommodating, putting on dog-friendly and baby-friendly screenings and are currently streaming this year’s Great British Bake Off – just don’t forget to BYOC (bring-your-own-cake). Mind you it’s not an issue if you do forget, as the bartender can whip you up some home-made popcorn from the built-in machine at the bar.
For the beer enthusiasts among us, both teams at Grub MCR and Capital & Centric have been huge fans of Squawk’s ales and lagers since its conception in Ardwick six years ago. The companies both agree “Squawk are knocking it out the park with fantastic beers” – so giving them their first home in the venue was a complete no brainer. As well as now having their own taproom, Squawk is beginning to can its beers and will be holding regular release events at CPH.
Commenting on the beer and brewery, Squawk’s founder, Oliver Turton, said: “We brew progressive, hop-forward beers with traditional roots. We’ve a passion for quality, experimentation and ingredients. Our principles were created around our shared ideas of ethical business, sustainability and community.”
Looking to the future, Chapeltown Picture House has been in discussions with film festival organisers, film promoters and has been asked to create another cinema in Chorlton. Not to mention installing a hot dog machine too!
Want to keep up to date with all things Squawk and Chapeltown Picture House? Check them out on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
