PIONEERING MUSIC VENUE CELEBRATES NEW OPENING BY HANDING PROFITS TO BANDS ON THE BILL

One of Manchester city centre’s newest music venues is marking its launch with a two-night showcase of local talent, with every artist keeping 100% of their ticket sales.

The Grafton Arms on Oxford Road has just reopened following a major £300,000 refurbishment by new owners the Joseph Holt brewery. And to mark the occasion, the venue will host a series of gigs on November 6 and 7, platforming artists from Manchester and the surrounding areas – with the Grafton Arms covering the costs of technical and administrative support. So, all proceeds on the door will be split between the performers. Among the bands on the venue are Big Girl and Limbo.

It’s just one of many ideas by new landlord Ben Turner, 43, who already has an admirable reputation for bringing some of Manchester’s most successful music events to the city.

He said: “Its really important to give up and coming bands support. So there seemed to be no better way to celebrate the Grafton Arm’s opening than by offering to cover their running costs for the night.”

Ben ran the award-winning Eagle Inn, also owned by the Joseph Holt brewery, for the past three two years. Under his stewardship it has become one of the city’s best independent music venues.

When the chance for a larger Joseph Holt venue, The Grafton Arms, came up, Ben seized the opportunity to set up another venue where new and established musicians could perform – but in a setting where customers could enjoy live entertainment in a traditional pub setting.

Clearly the formula is working as already there are more than 20 gigs booked between now and Christmas with the 2027 diary filling up fast. These include Ask My Bull and Klonk on 20th Nov and a jazz infused night on December 3rd with saxophonist Jess Mahler and support coming from Melika and Ursa. Creative community group the Manc Dyke collective also now run monthly craft sessions on a Sunday afternoon.

An acoustic singer-songwriter and music promoter himself, Ben has previously held an event at The Grafton Arms – with the LOP Fest, a three-day independent music festival which took place at the venue last October. He also runs Lamp Oil Presents, which will be running in-house promotions at The Grafton Arms as well as continuing to do so at the Eagle Inn. The plan is for Ben to operate both pubs similarly

Says Ben: “The formula for the Eagle Inn – a grassroots music venue that champions local talent and also preserves the traditional pub experience – really popular and a new direction for the city centre. Now we’re doing it on a bigger scale at The Grafton Arms. Our main room will host gigs but, during the day, it can also accommodate groups and gatherings, conferences, networking events, weddings and parties.

“Meanwhile, the Vault will serve as the heart of the pub for local people, offering a relaxed space to meet friends, enjoy a game of pool or darts, or get together over cards and board games.

“Ultimately, we want the Grafton Arms to be a place where people from all walks of life feel welcome, whether they’re coming to discover new music or simply enjoy a pint in a traditional pub setting.”

For information about hosting events, gigs, meetings and more at the Grafton, please contact [email protected]

To find out information on all gig listings head to Instagram – @thegraftonmanchester – or visit the Eagle website – www.eagleinn.co.uk/grafton-arms