Urban Village Bars has opened its doors to a new Manchester pub The Wayfarer, after receiving a £250K funding boost from NPIF-FW Capital Debt Finance which is managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
Brothers Martin and Mike Dillon are the team behind Manchester-based Urban Village Bars who have a number of bars and brunch spots located across Manchester including Affleck & Brown, West Village, The Freemount and Another Heart To Feed. FW Capital’s loan support was utilised to help create this latest offering to Manchester’s food and drink sector and is located on the corner of Oldham Street and Swan Street at the edge of the Northern Quarter. The Wayfarer’s location was formerly a cocktail bar called Mecanica and has undergone extensive renovations across two floors to bring a new modern pub to the Manchester hospitality scene.
Martin Dillon, Director Urban Village Bars explains: “The Wayfarer is a ‘wet-led’ pub that is geared, first and foremost, to selling beer and other drinks, however a small selection of handmade classic pub snacks such as pork pies and sausage rolls are available. The location is one we’ve had our eye on for some time because it is the perfect location for a landmark corner pub. It’s the kind of pub that London has in abundance and it’s a gap we want to fill in Manchester, a modern pub with DJs and live music that is open late.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Adam Husband at FW Capital who was introduced to us by John Platt and Kai Wynne-Jones at PMD Business Finance. We are using the working capital from the investment to assist with the new pub opening along with creation of new jobs, stock purchases and marketing materials.”
Adam Husband, FW Capital, Senior Investment Executive said: “Urban Village Bars has a great reputation in the Manchester hospitality sector and The Wayfarer is their latest exciting project. I’m thrilled to help Martin and Mike to access funding to assist the growth of their business and the opening of this new pub. The Wayfarer brings a modern style of pub that is sure to be very popular with visitors to the Northern Quarter and Ancoats area of Manchester.”
Debbie Sorby, Senior Manager at British Business Bank, said: “The hospitality sector is back on the rise and it’s great to see the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund supporting this addition to Manchester’s thriving pub and bar scene. To see investment into its recuperation is incredibly important, not just for the businesses but for the communities who enjoy its services too. “
NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance is managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. It can provide loans in the NPIF region with a focus on Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and the Tees Valley.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.
