As bars in Manchester go, Tempus Bar and Restaurant is definitely at the swankier end – smart casual is a must, not least because you'd feel pretty out of place lounging among the elegant cushions, columns and flickering candles in your Man United shirt!

Tempus is tucked away inside the Palace Hotel – the huge red-bricked building with the impressive clocktower opposite Oxford Road Station, right next to the Palace Theatre and The Cornerhouse (pre-show drinks anyone?). The hotel is home to its own French-inspired restaurant, plus the bar itself is has its own bar menu serving high-class pub favourites with their own classic twists.

Speaking of classics, the cocktail list is a thing of beauty – they claim to have the largest martini menu in Manchester, and their wine and Champagne lists are pretty special, too!

It's a great place to start an evening before heading into town or down to Deansgate, but it's also a brilliant place to settle down with friends for celebratory bubbly. Whether you're passing through or there for the evening, one thing that will strike you is the architecture – white brick and columns creating a fabulous Manchester industrial / neo-classical combo.