Cupra City Garage

It’s not a showroom. It’s not a bar. It’s not a club. And yet somehow, CUPRA City Garage manages to be all three — and a little more besides. Conceived by the Barcelona-based performance car brand, this immersive destination is unlike anything else currently operating in Manchester. Taking over a sleek, reworked corner of St Ann’s Square, it’s the first UK outing for a concept that’s already popped up in Vienna, Paris and Mexico City. But, fittingly, it’s the Manchester edition that’s been designed to go hardest on culture.

Inside, the design leans into luxury minimalism with Mediterranean flair. Think brushed metal finishes, statement lighting and clean lines — a stylish counterpoint to the ornate façades of its surrounding neighbours. CUPRA’s roots in automotive performance are subtly reflected throughout, but the focus is less on selling cars and more on curating experiences.

Throughout the week, City Garage plays host to a rotating programme of DJs, live performances, design talks and wellness takeovers. Friday nights in summer are reserved for CUPRA FM — a genre-spanning DJ series where Berlin techno, UKG, bass and leftfield electronica all get their space. Past line-ups have featured Juliet Fox, Douvelle 19, Martha and Metrodome, and there’s a distinct emphasis on giving Manchester’s own underground talent a proper platform.

Then there’s Counter Culture, the in-house food and drink line-up, which is quietly one of the most interesting parts of the space. Expect freshly made Unagi sushi, exclusive ‘super shakes’, and the UK’s first taproom from gut-health champions Hip Pop — all served from a design-led open counter. Open from 8am, it’s as much a daytime hangout as it is a weekend destination, and proof that a car brand can build a venue that doesn’t revolve around engines. Instead, it’s about energy. Music, ideas, community, collisions — all fuelled by a Mediterranean-meets-Mancunian spirit that feels genuinely fresh.