Business owners celebrate launch of Society cocktail bar in Atherton

Launching the Plaza cocktail bar along Market Street in 2021, Curtis Whitty and Chris Tomlinson are credited as two business owners who have helped improve attitudes about Atherton and boost its nightlife offer.

With the bar adding to the mix of venues such as the Snug, Cabinet, Curiosity, and Carmen, business has been "busier than ever" at the Plaza, which encouraged Curtis and Chris to further invest in the high street.

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The venue is described as an upmarket cocktail bar (Image: Leigh Journal)
With the idea that the former Lloyds Bank would make a great place for another bar a few doors down from the Plaza, Curtis and Chris invested in the building earlier this year, and have refurbished it as a more modern venue named 'Society'.

With work beginning in July, it has been a stressful few months to get the bar to how the pair envisioned, and although finishing touches were being added just hours before yesterday's soft opening, Society enjoyed a successful night ahead of its official launch tonight (Friday, November 24).

Chris and Curtis behind the bar at the Plaza (Image: Leigh Journal)
Speaking ahead of the soft launch, Chris said: "Once the bank closed, we immediately thought that this spot would make a great bar.

"We have put a lot of time, effort, and money into getting things exactly how we wanted it, so it has been difficult getting it all ready, but we are really happy with how things are looking.

"The Plaza is in a 1920s style, so we see Society as an upmarket cocktail bar with a more modern finish, with a variety of 'scientific' and dry ice cocktails."

The bar will officially launch on Friday, November 24 (Image: Capturesque Photography)
Although Atherton's high street has struggled in the day time, its healthy mix of pubs and independent venues have been a huge boost to its nightlife and often attracts people from Leigh, Tyldesley, Wigan, and outside the borough.

With the V2 to Manchester bus has returning to its full service under the new Bee Network, there are hopes that the town can attract even more customers from around Salford and Manchester.

And as Curtis and Chris both proud Athertonians, they promise to retain the high standards they provide at the Plaza, and hope that Society can provide a further boost to the town.

The bar enjoyed a successful soft launch (Image: Capturesque Photography)
Chris added: "We both live in Atherton, our families live here, and we aren't thinking about moving anytime soon.

"This makes us want to better the town, and because we have a really good reputation at the Plaza, we need to make sure this bar keeps this up."

The new Society cocktail bar, on Market Street in Atherton (Image: Leigh Journal)