THE Wonder Inn is described as a ‘creative wellness’ centre. Sound ambiguous? Newfangled perhaps? One look at founder Kirsty Almeida’s innovative events programme and the term becomes sparklingly simple: ‘to lose your cares and inhibitions through creativity’.
Not only does the therapeutic venue provide a spirited release from outside tensions but it draws people together and inspires them, a vital concept in our frenetic and often isolating society. Little surprise, then, that it’s already become an integral part of the community since opening in May this year and popularity continues to soar.
The Inn will also see the launch of a Real Junk Food Project Restaurant next month
Events span everything from weekly fixtures to random pop-ups. Regulars include jazz, yoga and open mic nights whilst one-offs have so far included art classes, album launches and multigenerational dancing: it’s all about appealing to as wide a demographic as possible and reigniting that old, somewhat lost, community spirit.
Even when approached by unlikely groups to use the space for their own occasions, Almeida adapts it to Wonder Inn’s wholesome philosophy rather than turning anyone away; which is why a politicians’ meeting was recently served organic beetroot juice and a club night became a non-alcoholic, morning rave (surprisingly fun under Almeida’s guidance). The Gibraltarian singer-songwriter is keen to maintain high standards, however, and all events are curated for quality: upcoming is a string quartet performance and fifteen-artist exhibition Fingers Crossed, whilst touring musicians dropping in next month include Scottish three-piece The Banana Sessions.
Located in a three-storey former paper mill dating to 1810, the surroundings may be unconventional but that’s part of the fun. The decaying walls breathe history, revealing the kind of heritage features that make architectural historians weak at the knees. Almeida, too, finds inspiration in its crumbling grandeur and has no plans for any dramatic overhauls; preferring instead to use the unique space as a ‘blank canvas’ for each event.
The Wonder Inn
Given that the project’s all about eco-friendly upcycling, it’s fitting that she concentrates more on peeling back the layers, exposing long-hidden qualities, than giving the building an opulent facelift. Plants grow in beer kegs here and there while umbrellas hang from lofty ceilings, alongside fairy lights and Kehedra’s origami lighting. Elsewhere gothic cobwebs hang from whitewashed walls, the remnants of last month’s All Hallows Ball, and wooden pallets await their transformation into furniture. Downstairs, aromatic soy candles and homemade apple jam line a long oak bar; the cosy space is to open permanently as an organic cafe in December.
The building is also home to other innovative home-grown companies across a variety of media. Hercules Productions is the brainchild of professional actor Marcus Hercules, producing theatre and film that reflect UK urban landscapes; most recently Rasta Roots and Chasing Dreams, which premiered at Contact Theatre. Filmonik, part of global filmmaking collective Kino, have set-up shop here whilst Dormouse specialises in making chocolate right from the bean (the masala chai flavour is sublime).
The Inn will also see the launch of a Real Junk Food Project Restaurant next month, a network of cafes which serve up food that would have otherwise been binned by supermarkets and grocers. Although separate companies, they now work together with The Wonder Inn as a loosely-structured collective; a business plan some have termed ‘visionary’.
Considering publicity has mainly been word of mouth, The Wonder Inn’s following is also impressive. Last week’s jazz performance was packed to the rafters whilst Halloween’s spooky soiree attracted over 200. Almeida’s enthusiasm is so contagious, however, it spreads naturally. What's more, being a world-renowned folk singer who has toured internationally, networking is second nature. After an exotic, itinerant childhood, moving from one orchestra to another, she followed in her dad’s melodious footsteps and infused her music career with the same creativity evidenced in later life. What followed were cutlery ball gowns, customised instruments, a musical collective called Odbod and art school, naturally.
Kirsty Almeida (credit: Brickwick Projects)Other stints include bar-managing in Soho and interior designing in the Northern Quarter, which ignited The Wonder Inn spark. It’s a culmination of her outrageous, eccentric, boundary-breaking portfolio and, like everything else, it seems to work. That’s probably because, despite being a loose creative canon, her extravagant ideas are underpinned by steely determination and a fearless entrepreneurial spirit.
So what’s next for The Wonder Inn? “Well,” says Almeida, “I want to turn the upstairs into a magical kingdom for kids. We’re also running a skills swap, where fashion students teach old folk to use the computer in return for sewing techniques. Then a yoga space on the second floor and more public art installations...” As she reels off plan after ambitious plan, her eyes light with childish animation and she laughs. “But who knows, it might flop. I’d just be happy that it’s already done such a lot of good.
"We have a seven-year lease, an increasing number of ‘sleeping’ directors and lots of great volunteers. It’s growing and consolidating, a work in progress. I’d love to own this place one day but we’ll see how it goes...”
We've no doubt Almeida will be there for seven years and beyond, after all, we could all do with a splash of creative wellness in our lives.
The Wonder Inn, 29 Shudehill, Manchester M4 2AF
Find out more about The Wonder Inn on their website and on Facebook.
