The Hoot Cafe & Bar - The Owl Themed Cafe/Bar in Manchester!

Nestled in the heart of Standish, The Hoot Cafe & Bar is a hidden gem. Combining it's wonderful owl theme, with it's cozy ambiance of the wood lit fire and cushioned benches, alongside some classy cocktails.

Craig Jones opened The Hoot over 8 years ago in November 2015. Originally starting out as a gin-specialist bar, where they once had over 50 variations of gin. Now, The Hoot sells a much wider range of beverage options, from top quality wine to exceptional cask ales.

Before opening The Hoot, Craig ran his own groundwork engineering company, however, decided he wanted a change of career by opening up his own cafe/bar.

Craig has always been a proud member of the Standish community after growing up here, furthermore, inspiring him to open up The Hoot.

After visiting various vineyards across Italy and France, Craig fell in love with the wine by Astoria made in the vineyards of Refrontolo in the North of Italy.

This has lead to Astoria being The Hoot’s most popular wine, with Craig’s personal favourite being El Ruden, a rich red by Astoria.

The running theme of owls throughout the bar might seem bizarre to anyone coming from outside of Standish, however the quirky concept comes from the emblem of the village of Standish, as the symbol is an owl stood over a rat.

Before opening in 2015, Craig also went and did his research on owls, and even went to meet some!

There is already a restaurant in Standish called The Owls, however, Craig still wanted to make the emblem of Standish his logo for his cafe/bar, leading him to come up with 'The Hoot'.

Furthermore, The Hoot represents the community of Standish by displaying images and figures of owls throughout.

Since opening nearly 9 years ago, The Hoot has collated various owl themed gifts to be put up around the bar.

"Over the years, the bar has been gifted lots of owl pictures, paintings, ornaments and even a puppet, as they are mostly from regular customers."

The interior is filled with these charming owl-themed accents, adding a whimsical touch to the space. The roof, also features fake clouds with purple LED lights, to create the night sky affect to fit in with the theme of the owls.

After his success with the Hoot, last year Craig opened Highcross Hardware - a store in the building opposite the bar.

This idea came about after the only hardware shop in Standish, closed down a few months prior, leading to Craig opening up his own store.

Alongside his cafe/bar and hardware shop, Craig also has his own construction business, and does building work throughout the week -

he likes to keep busy!

As you step inside The Hoot, you're immediately greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere with comfortable seating to set the perfect tone for a night of drinking by the fire.

If you are driving or visiting during the day, coffee and luxury hot chocolate would do the trick. The Hoot has an large beverage selection, offering an array of cocktails, gins and spirits.

Opening Times:

Monday - Closed

Tuesday - Closed

Wednesday  - 4 - 10pm

Thursday  - 4 - 10pm

Friday  - 4 - 11pm

Saturday  - 12 - 11pm

Sunday  - 12 - 10pm  

Polly Seddon is the manager at the Hoot.

She has worked here for over 6 years whilst studying throughout college and through into university where she got a First Class Honors Degree in Law.

"As drink trends change, we have had to keep up, which is much harder for a smaller business like ours."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvQh3pLA1QY

"Cask ales have always been popular though."

"Me and Craig regularly go to the Lake District to pick up the cask ales ourselves, as they have some of the best quality ales in the country."

Loweswater Gold is one of the top ales from the Lake District that is sold at The Hoot.

Conniston Bluebird and A Bit'er Ruff are also quick to sell out, as soon as people hear they are on the pump, they make time to visit for a quick pint.

"Seeing the smiles on the customers faces when we put these ales on the taps makes driving all that way worth it."

I noticed that the bar was full of regular customers, so I spoke to Andy, who began coming into The Hoot after loosing his partner a few years ago.

"It's great being in here, it's always lovely people, the girls are great, and it's like our own little Standish community."

Whether you are opting to sit by the wood lit fire inside or outside under heater in the glass canopy, Friday and Saturday evenings are busy so the seats fill up quickly.

Craig's wife Kerry Docherty also owns her own business on the Standish high-street, with a florist named 'Wild Flowers'.

Kerry's flowers are featured on the tables in The Hoot, with new arrangements brought in each week.

Standish is just 30 minutes away from central Manchester by car and train. Although it is only a small village, it boasts it's wonderful busy Highstreet filled with restaurants and independent businesses.

The Hoot only sells crips and nuts as food options, so if you are making the trip to Standish and are looking to try out somewhere for food, Alberts is a high-end restaurant popular with Standish residents offering a delicious menu.

On the corner of Pole Street, Copper Vines is also a popular destination with a British Tapas Menu.

Image from Google Maps

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