Manchester Private Hire Venue
Previously undiscovered, in the heart of Manchester, a short walk from iconic Manchester catchments such as The Northern Quarter and Deansgate now lies Cell Block Three-Four, a secret speakeasy prison which promises to be one of the most unique bar venues in Manchester. Alcotraz makes an incredible location for a range of private events, whether a celebration with friends, an amazing photoshoot location or a unique filming opportunity. Get in touch and have our team help arrange your event.
Corporate
We welcome you liquor smugglers to your new office where meetings just got interesting. If you’re looking for something unique and immersive for a work party we specialise in providing shows and theatre experiences that combine team building and bar hire . Or simply hire Alcotraz your own Corporate event space. Contact us to find all the details on our Corporate events.
Photo Shoot and Filming
If you are trying to search for an already established prison set, stop the search! With venues in London, Manchester, Liverpool and Brighton. You can use one the most unique prison venue types as the back drop for your own creative project at whatever city and Alcotraz you wish to visit. Previous customers in production have found Alcotraz to be one of their favourite spaces for the bar or the prison block. Make an enquiry for these sort of events here.
Birthdays
Get ready for a birthday party you will be talking about for your 25 to life! Alcotraz offers you a riotous event in one of the best cocktail bars in the clink. Our private events give our customers a personalised touch to their experience. Plus our prison bar means all cocktails are made to taste and request. You bring the liquor and we’ll do the rest.
Special Occasions
Engagement Party? Divorce Party? Or simply want a private party with private bars? Our venue offers the perfect setting for any event containing large and small parties. With everything the venue offers, come and make this jail house rock while making the entire block your personal cocktail tasting room. Make an enquiry for special events here.
Capacity
The entire Penitentiary can be privately hired up to a maximum of 80 inmates, or you can privately hire an individual Cell Block of up to 60 inmates.
Cell Block A – Up to 60 inmates.
Cell Block B – Up to 20 inmates.
Visiting Hours:
Monday to Friday – Available for hire all day and evening.
Saturday – No options for hire.
Sunday – Available for hire all day and evening.
Private Hire Options
Choose one of our 4 options for hire based on the duration you would like and whether you would like an all-inclusive package or would rather smuggle your own alcohol. Below pricing is for mid-week hires. Friday and Sunday pricing can be provided on request.
Option 1
All Inclusive:
1 hour 45 minute immersive theatrical experience with live actors and skilled mixologists.
4 cocktails / drinks included from the prison canteen.
£56 per person.
Option 2
Smuggle-In Your Own Alcohol:
1 hour 45 minute immersive theatrical experience with live actors and skilled mixologists.
Smuggle in your own spirit bottles, beer and wine and the prison canteen will serve up to 4 cocktails/drinks for you.
£36 per person.
Option 3
All Inclusive:
2 hour immersive theatrical experience with live actors and skilled mixologists. 4 cocktails / drinks included.
2 hour open venue hire to allow mingling between guests with a paid bar* and pizza.
£99 per person.
*If you would rather not have a paid bar there is the ability to pay for all drinks in advance.
Option 4
Smuggle-In Your Own Alcohol:
2 hour immersive theatrical experience with live actors and skilled mixologists.
2 hour open venue hire to allow mingling between guests with pizza.
Smuggle in your own spirit bottles, beer and wine and the prison canteen will serve up to 6 cocktails/drinks for you.
£69 per person.
Extras
No matter what option you choose, feel free to let us know if you want to make the experience extra memorable by assigning anyone in your party their own unique character. Choose from the options of ‘the janitor’, ‘the mole’ or ‘the escape artist’ and watch them play out an integral part of the immersive storyline
For any option we would require to charge for a minimum of 40 guests, even if less attended.
Get In Touch
What We Provide
Stop the Manchester search for your next private party venue. Private hire just got criminal! Alcotraz is perfect as a bespoke experience for fun loving criminals who like immersive theatre and fantastic drinks with their perfect bar. Here are some of the main benefits and what makes Alcotraz a great venue to host your event.
Performers
Our unique atmosphere at Alcotraz in Manchester is aided by some of the best actors in the country, all ready to help give you amazing entertainment with your private event.
Set and Costume
Your own cell on the block while wearing your own prison jumpsuit.
Capacity
Alcotraz Manchester has ample space for private hires of up to 80 guests and the opportunity for your event to use the whole venue. The entire penitentiary can be your private bar!
Sound system
Giving you the chance to bring your own music to your Alcotraz event. Helping make it the perfect venue for you.
The Perfect Bespoke Cocktail Bar
Alcotraz operates one of the best bars in Manchester with professional mixologists proficient in cocktail masterclasses. Every drink meets your dietary requirements and are cater to your tastes.
No Minimum spend
While a suitable restaurant and other bars may tempt you with a small minimum spend that spirals out of control on the night, with Alcotraz everything is paid upfront with a fixed cost to stay within your budget. Capping your cost with large groups.
Food Rations
Private dining in Alcotraz can be arranged with any venue hire with Pizza rations so you can enjoy dinner drinks with your prison sentence.
A Unique Hire in Manchester
Whatever your search criteria is for a hire in Manchester, Alcotraz hosts a whole range of options. In a city that brings you great locations like Black Dog Ballroom, amazing restaurants and the night life of The Northern Quarter. Alcotraz Manchester is one of the best bars for hire to host your celebrations. Built to suit, Alcotraz could be the perfect place to spend and serve time.
Perfect for Special Occassions
Unlike your conventional function rooms, Alcotraz Penitentiary is one of the most unique venues in Manchester with a rich and thematic aesthetic perfect for your next event whether it be special occasions, a prison block birthday parties, or your next corporate events!
A Ton of Perks
Alcotraz Manchester is one of the best bar venues in Manchester. Not only do we operate as an event space, the prison bar also opens it’s doors to the public 6 days a week as an immersive theatrical cocktail bar, which means the space comes as standard with a ton of perks!
FAQs
For processing and conviction, we recommend that you wear light clothing as you will be required to wear a standard-issue Alcotraz orange jumpsuit (provided) for the duration of your stay. For this reason, it’s best to avoid skirts or dresses if possible.
Your experience will last 1 hour 45 minutes, and inmates will be provided with their own orange jumpsuit for the duration of their time behind bars. If you want to spend more time behind bars, with time to mingle and eat pizza, you may want to consider our private hire package, exclusively for large groups of 30+.
Our standard-issue Alcotraz jumpsuits cater to all inmates, with sizes ranging from XS to 4XL. Please note that you are free to wear your jumpsuit as you wish to make it more comfortable, such as tying the arms around your waist.
The inmates you come across behind bars are highly skilled mixologists, and they work best with smuggled spirits. But, if you prefer wine or beer, this can also be served to you.
If you don’t want to smuggle in alcohol as part of your private hire experience, you can choose one of our all-inclusive private hire packages.
Alcotraz operates a closed bottle policy, meaning we will not accept any bottles previously opened. Please only bring new, unopened and sealed bottles.
If you have any alcohol left at the end of the experience, we will give you your bottle back. For this reason, we would advise you to bring screw-top bottles rather than anything with a cork.
Don’t worry – the guards are on your side and will help you smuggle in your contraband! Smaller bottles can be smuggled in coat pockets or handbags, but if you don’t have anything to conceal your alcohol with, the guard checking you in may be able to provide some props to help…
Once you’re in, our talented inmates-turned-mixologists will take your alcohol from you to create delicious, bespoke cocktails tailored to your preferences and any dietary restrictions. Just remember to hide your cocktails from the Warden or convince them you’re actually enjoying some “chicken soup”!
(Please note that the above does not apply for our all-inclusive private hire packages.)
Inmates get approximately 4 personalised cocktails delivered by our expert mixologists, using the liquor you smuggle in with you. All liqueurs, bitters, syrups and other ingredients that go into making your gang delicious cocktails are included in the ticket price, so all you need to bring is the liquor of your choice.
If you’ve chosen one of our all-inclusive private hire options, 4 cocktails/drinks will be included from the prison canteen for our 1 hour 45 minute experience. If you’ve chosen our 4-hour all-inclusive experience, you will receive 3 cocktails/drinks in the first 2 hours (during the immersive theatrical experience) and 3 more cocktails/drinks in the second 2 hours (open venue hire for pizza and mingling).
Alcotraz is an immersive experience where guests get absorbed into a storyline that is brought to life around them through characters including the Warden, the Guards and Inmate Cassidy – all played by actors.
Those that really want to get involved will soon be trying out their American accent and telling the Warden what they are in for!
Those that would prefer to sit back and enjoy are welcome to do that too, whilst enjoying personalised cocktails in this unique and fun world.
Alcotraz may be an immersive experience, but it’s not scary. We have actors working inside the prison who help bring to life a fun, lighthearted experience for guests. However, if at any time guests do not act respectful and polite towards actors and the venue, then they run the risk of their experience being cut short.
If drinking isn't your thing, don't worry. The Alcotraz experience is exactly the same for non-drinkers as a huge part of your time behind bars is the immersive storyline that unfolds around you where you can interact with the storylines and the actors. For those not drinking liquor, there is no need to smuggle anything in, and instead you will receive x 4 expertly crafted mocktails included within the ticket price!
Our Manchester Cell Block is on the first floor and we do have a lift to get to the first floor. However, the wheelchair will need to be left by the lift and the wheelchair user will need support for a short distance to get to their cell. On Friday and Saturdays, please book 1.05pm, 3.30pm, 5.55pm or 8.20pm.
Alcotraz Manchester is a strictly 18+ venue. Whilst visitors are encouraged to interact with our actors and fully immerse themselves in their new roles as Alcotraz inmates, abusive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated, and we would ask that you don’t interrupt the show during times when the actors are performing in front of the whole audience (although you are welcome to chat to them at any other time). Visitors who violate these rules may be asked to leave the venue early.
Visitors will need tickets for each person attending – one ticket doesn’t mean one cell. A maximum of 6-7 guests can sit in each cell. Where possible, we will endeavour to seat groups together, but larger groups may need to sit in opposite or adjacent cells. When the venue is busy, smaller groups and couples may have to share a cell with other guests – but this can be a great opportunity to meet new people!