FIRST LOOK | The Laundrette, First Street

WHEN popular suburban haunts go city-centre they tend to go big – just look at Volta's multi-million-pound residence at The Principle Hotel, or Indian Tiffin Room's move into First Street, or, you know, those other ones.

...at First Street we can afford to be a bit slicker while retaining the magic of the original place

Next up is Chorlton's favourite ‘cocktails and carbs’ joint, The Laundrette, which is all set to go big or go home as they step up from Beech Road to Manchester’s growing £500m development, First Street - also home to HOME (yes that's very confusing).

And the hugely successful hangout is making its big city centre debut (from Mon 5th Dec) with a slick, modern update of the original featuring plush leather seats, large focal bar/kitchen and hefty wooden workbenches. Homages to the original spot can be found throughout: from the detergent boxes to the kinky neons. 

It's certainly bigger in here too. The new venue takes up a spacious corner unit of First Street’s new £25m Vita student apartment build, and has room for 150 covers extending to the large outdoor terrace complete with retractable roofs and windows (another nod to Beech Road).

“It’s a complete evolution from the original Laundrette in Chorlton,” says co-owner Patrick Hall. “The first thing our designers asked was what we really liked about the original and how they could replicate that in First Street. 

"In Chorlton we had the benefit of the brickwork and original unique features but this time we’ve completely started from scratch. The terrace was an integral feature to bring over – but here it’s enclosed, with a retractable roof, sexy leather furniture and no weather-beaten chairs... plus the neon ‘cocktails and carbs’ sign is a lot bigger."

The Laundrette – which first opened within the former Soap Opera laundrette on Beech Road in 2013 – will further bolster the indie presence in the new neighbourhood by joining the likes of the recently opened Liquor Store, Gasworks Brewbar, Indian Tiffin Room and, er, Pizza Express.

Keeping the indie cool is important to the owners.

Hall adds: “We will never ever be formal. We want the same liveliness and feel as The Laundrette while catering for a new audience. In Chorlton, of course, they do like a bohemian feel – a place where they can pop into after they’ve just put the washing in - and that works perfectly. At First Street we can afford to be a bit slicker while retaining the magic of the original place.”

So what of the cocktails and the carbs? The Laundrette is also bringing it’s large American-style menu, offering up pizzas - such as the popular Moroccan spiced lamb and 'Luigi Bianco' - hot out of the woodfire oven, alongside the usual suspects such as their towering burgers, loaded fries and truffle mac 'n' cheese. 

Whilst cocktails range from 'skinny minnies' such as the Love Juice (steady now) to 'Classic Twists' and the 'Pimpin's Hot Choctails' with cream, toasted marshmallows and Oreo biscuits. There's even a 'Kids & Drivers' cocktail menu sans booze, of course.

Anyway, enough waffle, here's how it looks: