Atlas Bar
Atlas Bar Manchester is a privately held, single-location specialist gin bar and café in Deansgate railway arches, serving over 570 gins alongside speciality coffee, food and bar snacks to gin enthusiasts, city-centre visitors and corporate event clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Atlas Bar does
Atlas Bar, operating as Atlas Bar Manchester, is a single-location specialist gin bar and café situated in the railway arches at 376 Deansgate, Manchester. Founded in 1998 and acquired by Mark and Elaine Wrigley in 2012, the venue has built its identity around a curated selection of over 570 gins from around the world, billed as the largest such offer in Manchester city centre. The product set layers the core gin programme with a £10 Gin Paddle Board tasting experience, a full food and bar-snacks menu, speciality coffee from an independent roaster served by baristas in the morning daypart, and an ice-cold non-alcoholic range catering to Dry January and non-drinkers. Pricing is straightforward unit-based: from £5 for a single value gin or three nibbles for £15, all payable in-venue.
The business model is direct-to-consumer with a single retail/showroom venue on Deansgate, complemented by walk-in service and email-led table reservations and event bookings. Distribution is purely physical (no delivery, e-commerce or app ordering disclosed), and the company operates no external funding, subsidiaries, or parent structure. Primary customers are gin enthusiasts, Manchester city-centre visitors and locals, with a secondary corporate/private-events segment (e.g., corporate Christmas parties).
Differentiation rests on the breadth and depth of the gin programme, a 25-year-plus local brand supported by multiple regional and national industry awards (Great British Pub Awards – Best Spirits Bar and Best Bar Team North West; 2019 Star Pub Awards finalist for Best Spirits Bar in the UK; Design My Night Best Beer Garden; I Love MCR Most-Loved Bar finalist), and the distinctive railway-arch venue with terrace and beer garden. Marketing runs on organic social (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn), Mailchimp email newsletter, and customer reviews/testimonials on the website. Headcount is 27, and the company is privately held by the two co-owners with no disclosed institutional investors or M&A activity.
Atlas Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Atlas Bar
- Legal name
- Atlas Bar Manchester
- Website
- https://atlasbarmanchester.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Atlas Bar Manchester is a privately held, single-location specialist gin bar and café in Deansgate railway arches, serving over 570 gins alongside speciality coffee, food and bar snacks to gin enthusiasts, city-centre visitors and corporate event clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Atlas Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bar and Restaurant Hospitality
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rooftop Bars & Beach/Pool Bars (THAFAEAJ), Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD)
Keywords
Where Atlas Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Atlas Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food and beverage sales: Revenue from selling gin and other alcoholic beverages, specialty coffee, and food items directly to consumers at the bar location. Includes paddle boards, nibbles, and individual drink purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Best value gin - single pour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gin Paddle Board |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nibbles selection |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Atlas Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Atlas Bar is a single-location gin bar and café in the railway arches of Deansgate, Manchester, serving over 570 gins from around the world alongside speciality coffee from an independent roaster, a food menu of bar snacks and small plates, and a non-alcoholic drinks range. The venue also offers distinct experiences such as the £10 Gin Paddle Board (three gins with garnish and Double Dutch Tonic) and hosts corporate events and group bookings.
Product overview
Atlas Bar is a single-location gin bar and café establishment situated in the railway arches of Deansgate, Manchester. The bar operates as a unified hospitality venue featuring over 570 gins from around the world as its core offering, complemented by a full food menu, speciality coffee service, bar snacks, and non-alcoholic options. The product portfolio includes the Gin Paddle Board tasting experience, standard drinks service, and food service, all delivered from one physical location with no modular or platform-based architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gin Selection (570+ varieties) Curated range of over 570 gins from around the world sold by the glass at Atlas Bar — the largest gin selection in Manchester City Centre — paired with tonics (Britvic, Double Dutch) and garnishes for gin enthusiasts and general drinkers visiting the Deansgate venue.
- Gin Paddle Board Signature tasting experience featuring three gins with garnish and Double Dutch Tonic served on a board for £10, designed for sharing on the Atlas Bar terrace and aimed at customers exploring multiple gin varieties in one visit.
- Speciality Coffee Barista-served speciality coffee from an independent roaster, available to customers during Atlas Bar's morning and daytime hours as part of the venue's café offering.
- Food Menu On-site food menu featuring small plates and bar bites such as Chilli Chicken Wings, Mozzarella & Jalapeno Croquettes, and Sticky Pork Ribs, available to bar customers throughout opening hours.
- Drinks Menu Full drinks menu covering the 570+ gin range, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options, available to order at the Atlas Bar.
- Bar Snacks Menu (Nibbles) Bar snacks / nibbles selection offered as any three for £15, served alongside the Atlas Bar drinks range.
- Non-Alcoholic Drinks Ice-cold non-alcoholic drinks served to non-drinkers, including Dry January participants, alongside the standard alcoholic offerings at Atlas Bar.
- Corporate Event and Group Bookings Hire of the Atlas Bar venue for corporate events and group celebrations such as Christmas parties (referenced customer Reed Global), booked via email to [email protected].
Companies that use Atlas Bar
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Atlas Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Atlas Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Atlas Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Be At One: UK cocktail bar chain with deep drinks menus and high-energy service. Comparable as a spirits-led bar operator targeting adult social occasions, though broader than gin-only and multi-site.
- The Alchemist: UK cocktail bar chain known for theatrical mixology and premium spirits offerings. Comparable to Atlas as a destination drinking venue, but operates at scale across multiple UK cities with a stronger cocktail (vs. gin) identity.
- The Botanist: UK chain of gin- and botanical-themed bars with extensive cocktail/gin menus and distinctive venue designs. Highly comparable to Atlas Bar's specialist-spirits positioning, though it operates as a multi-site chain rather than a single independent venue.
- Simmons Bar: UK chain of themed cocktail bars targeting similar demographics (corporate groups, weekend leisure, after-work crowd). Comparable competitive set though more music/cocktail-focused, less gin-specialist.
- Dirty Martini: UK cocktail and drinks-led bar chain with comparable target audience (corporate events, after-work, weekend leisure). Similar premium-but-accessible positioning but multi-site and music-led in some venues.
- The Distillery (London): Gin-focused bar and distillery concept in Notting Hill. Closely comparable to Atlas as a gin-specialist destination with curated spirit range and bar snacks, though located in London rather than Manchester.
Broad incumbents
- Slug & Lettuce: Large UK bar chain operating across Manchester and other cities. Comparable as a high-volume, drinks-led bar operator, but positioned more broadly and at lower price points than Atlas.
- Revolución de Cuba: UK cocktail and rum bar chain with venues in Manchester. Comparable multi-site competitor in the late-night drinks and group/corporate bookings market, though rum/cocktail-focused rather than gin-focused.
Regional players
- Duke's 92: Long-established Manchester Castlefield bar and restaurant with a similar heritage-led positioning and outdoor terrace. Comparable as a Manchester institution with comparable customer base, though broader food-led identity.
- Hawksmoor Spinningfields: Premium Manchester steakhouse and cocktail bar venue with a strong drinks program and corporate/private event focus. Comparable in customer overlap (Deansgate/Spinningfields corporate clientele) though food-led rather than gin-led.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Atlas Bar social profiles
Digital presenceAtlas Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Atlas Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Atlas Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Atlas Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Atlas Bar
What does Atlas Bar do?
Atlas Bar is a single-location gin bar and café in the railway arches of Deansgate, Manchester, serving over 570 gins from around the world alongside speciality coffee from an independent roaster, a food menu of bar snacks and small plates, and a non-alcoholic drinks range. The venue also offers distinct experiences such as the £10 Gin Paddle Board (three gins with garnish and Double Dutch Tonic) and hosts corporate events and group bookings.
Is Atlas Bar a public or private company?
Atlas Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Atlas Bar founded?
Atlas Bar was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Atlas Bar based?
Atlas Bar is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Atlas Bar make money?
One revenue line is on record: food and beverage sales.
Who are Atlas Bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Be At One, The Alchemist, The Botanist, Simmons Bar, Dirty Martini and The Distillery (London). Broad incumbents are Slug & Lettuce and Revolución de Cuba. Regional players are Duke's 92 and Hawksmoor Spinningfields.
Does Atlas Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Atlas Bar.
What industry is Atlas Bar in?
Atlas Bar's product category is Bar and Restaurant Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAIAC, Bars & Pubs (Non-Music), with a secondary code of THAFAEAJ, Rooftop Bars & Beach/Pool Bars. Its NAICS code is 722410 and its SIC code is 5810.