I visited the brand new £5,000-a-year VIP bar that has just opened its doors in Manchester. The Hideaway, the newest offering for guests at Co-op Live, has taken over the former Decibel Club space.
The 'premium experience', with a Mediterranean-inspired menu curated by TV chef Simon Rimmer, offers a relaxed dining experience while equally transforming into the place to sip cocktails and dance the night away after a gig at the music venue.
But it is not open to just anyone. It is one of the six premium lounges or suites that are only open to its paying members. And there are only 100 spaces available.
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The new Hideaway lounge, complete with a cocktail bar, food menu and seated tables and booths, offers bespoke packages from £5,000 a year. Full memberships, which include access to all publicly ticketed shows with some of the best seats in the house, are available from £15,000 a year.
It might sound like it comes with a hefty price tag - and there's no denying it is. But for real music lovers who can afford to splash out on attending multiple concerts a year, as well as going out for pre-gig meals with friends or family and a night on the town afterwards, everything is in one convenient space.
The bar felt modern yet homely. Subtle lighting, complete with greenery and plush new furniture, has paved the way for a warm and intimate setting away from the hustle and bustle of the venue's concourse.
It is a far cry from it's former persona as the Decibel Club. A red-hued mini nightclub with separated seating areas and booths, as well as a large bar area and dancefloor.
The new and revived space will also feature regular live DJs and performances to 'enhance the pre- and post-show vibes'. It also saves concert-goers from trekking to bars and restaurants elsewhere in Manchester and forking out for a taxi.
Its exclusive guests are also offered a menu of Mediterranean street food with a twist. Small plates included buffalo halloumi (£8.50), hummus and pita (£7.50) and chicken koftas with chilli mayo (£8).
For mains, there are harissa chicken, lamb shawarma and mushroom kebabs, priced between £12 and £14. For between £6.50 and £7.50 there are curry, cheese and garlic crinkle fries.
I particularly enjoyed the chicken koftas, which had the perfect crunch, served piping hot with a dipping mayo with a kick, and the lamb kebabs, topped with crumbly feta cheese and pomegranate seeds for the extra tartness.
They might be a little posher than a standard kebab, but as Simon Rimmer tells the M.E.N, it is the perfect nod to a much-loved greasy takeaway to end a night out.
His involvement with the venue's new bar, he says, only came about after he attended an Eagles concert in June.
"A friend of mine invited me up to watch the Eagles, she had four VIP tickets and two of her friends had dropped out," he said.
"I came here and got talking to one of the building directors who said they wanted to pick my brains with a lounge that needed some work. It came about through just a casual meeting at the concert.
"It used to be Decibel, and if I'm honest, it didn't feel relevant to a Manchester, north-west based private lounge. It felt corporate and removed from what we like to do in Manchester. I came up with the new proposal and they went with it.. and now we are sitting in it.
"The starting point for the menu was about thinking, 'if I go to a gig, what do I want?'. I want things that feel fun and full of flavour.
"We started with kebabs. In Manchester, we love a dirty donner [kebab] at the end of the night. So we thought, why not have a really nice one at the start? I built the menu out from there with the hummus, sharing platters, and dips.
"We try to avoid the word posh. What we wanted to create was a nice take on kebabs and food, which all come with beautiful salads and dressings.
"My hope is guests come here before the gig and think 'that's amazing', then have a few drinks, go to the gig, and then come back afterwards.
"Hideaway is the only venue where members can come after the concert, so I wanted people to want to come back for another kebab, because they're bloody brilliant. They're full of flavour, really tasty and make you smile. Order a kebab and loaded fries and you're in heaven. There's no two ways about it."
Hideaway also offers Moët & Chandon champagne and Hennessy Cognac cocktails that pair with the flavours of the menu. The bramble cocktail was a particular highlight for me.
And, early members will also receive a personalised liquor locker with a bottle of Hennessy Paradis or Armand De Brignac included to celebrate their membership.
“The redesign of Hideaway marks a significant moment in our continued journey to deliver unrivalled premium experiences at Co-op Live,” said Sam Piccione III, OVG International President of Sales.
“With Simon Rimmer’s involvement, we are taking things to the next level – creating a destination designed for music lovers, combining great music with outstanding food, cocktails and Champagne, in a stylish party atmosphere that makes experiencing live music at Co-op Live unforgettable.”
In addition to the exclusive access to the space, members benefit from premium ticketed location near the stage for all concerts and live events.
For more information about purchasing Hideaway memberships, visit www.cooplive.com/premium-experiences.
