Joshua Brooks

What Joshua Brooks does

Joshua Brooks Manchester Limited is an independent, privately-held live events and hospitality venue operating from a single three-floor site at 106 Princess Street in central Manchester. Founded in 1993 and completely revamped in 2021, the venue comprises a ground-floor bar serving Po' Boys food and a signature Long Island Iced Tea menu, a rear terrace, an upstairs Clubhouse offering AR darts, 30,000+ retro console games, free pool and beer pong, and a basement club under brick arches equipped with a VOID Acoustics sound system. The business generates revenue across five streams: event tickets (sold primarily via the Skiddle marketplace), food and beverage, private hire across its three spaces, gaming services in the Clubhouse, and bottomless brunch.

The company's go-to-market is event-driven, relying on a programmed calendar of club nights, daytime sessions (Day Time Disco), comedy, quiz nights, and live sports to drive footfall. Promotional partnerships with credible brands such as Metalheadz, Day Time Disco, Moxy Muzik, and Free From Sleep supply artist pipelines, while unit-based F&B pricing (e.g., £3 lunchtime pints, £6 margaritas, 20% industry discount) and per-ticket event pricing support high transaction velocity. Distribution combines on-site attendance, third-party ticketing through Skiddle, direct website enquiries for private hire, and organic social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram) supplemented by Meta and Google advertising pixels for retargeting.

Joshua Brooks serves a diversified B2C customer base spanning nightlife/clubbers, daytime event attendees, sports viewers, private event hirers, and social gamers. The company is bootstrapped with no external funding, no parent entity, and a flat 7-employee headcount. UK GDPR compliance is maintained as the data controller for ticket purchases, website sign-ups, and marketing communications. The venue has been recognized as a twice winner of The Best Venue Award and is positioned as a Manchester institution in the underground electronic music scene.

Name

Joshua Brooks

Legal name

Joshua Brooks Manchester Limited

Website

https://joshuabrooks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Joshua Brooks Manchester Limited is an independent, privately-held live events and hospitality venue in central Manchester, operating a three-floor site (bar, terrace, basement club with VOID Acoustics sound system) and serving nightlife, daytime, private hire, and gaming customers since 1993.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality & Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Nightlife venue
• Live events hospitality
• DJ club nights
• Private hire venue
• Entertainment bar

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Tickets: Ticket sales for club nights, day sessions, and special events featuring world-class DJs
2. Food and Beverage: Sales of cocktails (signature Long Island Iced Teas), draught beers, wine, coffee, smoothies, and food from Po' Boys kitchen residents
3. Private Hire: Bespoke private hire of three distinct spaces (bar, terrace, basement, Clubhouse) for birthdays, work events, and occasions
4. Gaming Services: Free pool, AR darts with booking recommended, retro console gaming, and beer pong available in Clubhouse
5. Bottomless Brunch: Bottomless brunch events with 90 minutes of selected drinks including Long Island collection variants

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Joshua Brooks runs a three-floor live events and hospitality venue in central Manchester, operating a bar with Po' Boys food and signature Long Island Iced Teas, an upstairs Clubhouse with AR darts, retro consoles and free pool, and a basement nightclub with a VOID Acoustics sound system hosting world-class DJs. The business also provides bespoke private hire across its distinct spaces and runs recurring event series including Day Time Disco, Bottomless Brunch, live sports screenings, comedy nights and quiz nights.

Product overview

Joshua Brooks is a three-floor Manchester institution venue rebuilt in 2021, comprising a main bar with Po' Boys food service and signature Long Island Iced Teas, an upstairs Clubhouse for games (AR Darts, retro consoles, pool, beer pong), and a basement club featuring VOID Acoustics sound system. The venue offers private hire across its three distinct spaces, hosts regular events including Day Time Disco monthly parties, Bottomless Brunch, live sports screenings, Quiz Mondays, and Comedy Tuesdays. The product operates as a unified hospitality and entertainment venue with multiple revenue streams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Day Time Disco: Monthly daytime house and disco events in the basement featuring resident and guest DJs.
• Clubhouse
• Basement

Products and services

• Basement Club Nights Underground club space under brick arches featuring a VOID Acoustics sound system, hosting world-class DJs and electronic music events including house, techno, drum & bass and garage. Tickets sold via Skiddle and on-the-door; performers have included Goldie, Sam Divine, Dennis Ferrer, Alan Fitzpatrick and Eric Luttrell.
• Bar & Food Service (Po' Boys kitchen) Three-floor venue bar serving Po' Boys kitchen food, signature Long Island Iced Tea collection, draught beers, wines, coffee, smoothies and cocktails, with a terrace out back and live sport shown on large screens. Includes happy hour, lunchtime pint deals, and discounts for students, industry workers, emergency services and local businesses.
• Private Hire Bespoke private hire of the venue's three distinct spaces (bar, terrace, basement, Clubhouse) for birthdays, work events and celebrations. Includes professional DJ gear, lighting, the VOID sound system, and optional add-on entertainment (AR darts, beer pong, karaoke), with bespoke packages arranged via direct enquiry.
• Day Time Disco (daytime event series) Monthly daytime party series in the basement running 4pm-10pm, bringing house and disco music with resident and guest DJs and collaborations with event brands including Moxy Muzik and Free From Sleep. Ticket sales handled via Skiddle.
• Bottomless Brunch Weekend bottomless brunch offering 90 minutes of unlimited selected drinks including Long Island collection variants, paired with food from the Po' Boys kitchen. Booked via the venue website.
• Live Sports Screenings Daily live sport programming shown on large screens covering major fixtures (football, boxing, Formula 1) running from 12pm late, with full bar service.

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VOID AcousticscoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium sound system provider powering the basement venue. The VOID Acoustics system is a key feature enabling world-class DJ performances from artists like Goldie, Sam Divine, and Dennis Ferrer. Considered an iconic element of the Joshua Brooks experience.
• Po' BoyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKitchen residents providing food service at Joshua Brooks bar. The partnership offers bar snacks and food options to complement the drinks selection, with Po' Boys operating from the venue kitchen.
• SkiddlecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketing platform partner for Joshua Brooks events. Handles ticket sales for club nights, day sessions, and special events. Featured prominently on the venue's club listings page.
• MetalheadzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotional brand bringing drum & bass events to Joshua Brooks basement. Metalheadz boss Goldie performs at the venue, with events like Goldie b2b Doc Scott hosted in the basement.
• Day Time DiscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing day session series bringing house and disco to the Joshua Brooks basement. Regular collaborations with artists like Melvo Baptiste and Shapeshifters.
• Moxy MuzikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand collaborator for events at Joshua Brooks basement.
• Free From SleepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand collaborator for events at Joshua Brooks basement.
• Detriot SlimsminorOthersFood menu partner referenced on the Food & Drink page with available PDF menu.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gorilla: Manchester city-centre bar, kitchen, and live music/club venue operating across multiple floors with a strong DJ and live acts programme. Directly comparable to Joshua Brooks in format, geography, and target audience (nightlife/clubbers in Manchester).
• Band on the Wall: Long-running Manchester live music venue hosting jazz, world, electronic, and club nights. Comparable as an established Manchester institution with a live-music-first identity, though with a stronger heritage/cultural positioning.
• YES (Yellow Arch Studios / Yes Bar): Multi-room Manchester venue combining bar, food, live music, DJ sets, and club nights across distinct spaces. Directly comparable multi-format, multi-floor venue strategy in the same city.
• Night & Day Cafe: Long-running Manchester intimate live music venue and bar hosting emerging and touring artists. Comparable in scale, longevity, and grassroots live music positioning.
• The Deaf Institute: Manchester multi-floor venue with bar, gig room, and club space hosting live music and DJ events. Comparable multi-space format and target demographic (nightlife and live music audiences).
• Soup Kitchen: Small Manchester basement venue hosting indie, electronic, and DJ nights with an intimate format. Comparable in scale, underground positioning, and reliance on touring/promoter partnerships for content.
• Hidden: Manchester underground club underneath a bar on Princess Street, hosting house, techno, drum & bass, and bass events with a credible sound system. Closest direct peer: basement-led electronic music venue in the same micro-market as Joshua Brooks' basement.
• Albert's Schloss: Manchester (and Liverpool) bar-restaurant-live music venue with a strong daytime/evening programme including brunch, cocktails, and live acts. Comparable in multi-format, experience-led positioning and bottomless brunch offering.

Broad incumbents

• The Warehouse Project: Larger seasonal Manchester club and event series operating in repurposed industrial spaces. Overlaps on electronic music programming and ticketed club nights but at materially larger scale and seasonal footprint.
• Depot Mayfield: Large Manchester event and club venue hosting touring electronic acts, festivals, and branded events. Comparable on ticketed electronic music events but at significantly larger scale, representing competitive pressure for headline bookings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/joshuabrooksmcr
• Facebookfacebook.com/joshuabrooksmanchester
• Instagraminstagram.com/joshuabrooksmcr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joshua-brooks

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Joshua Brooks