Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Everyone loves to hark back to ‘the good old days’, when a can of pop cost 30p and a Wagon Wheel was actually the size of a wheel. TV was better, movies were better, music was better, just about everything was better really.

But was it? I’m not so sure. But one thing that was actually really good was a Friday night visit to Blockbusters to get a film.

It seemingly always smelt of popcorn, and you could waste hours just walking around deciding what to watch – only to go back and pick Robocop off the shelf once again.

Massively popular in the late 90s and 00s, Blockbuster had 65 million customers around the world at their peak, but now – well, it’s completely disappeared from our streets. I think the last one to close in Manchester was that huge one down at the Fallowfield Retail Park back in 2013.

Well, it looks like we’ll all be able to re-create the classic Blockbusters experience, (without having to travel to the very last one on Earth) because there’s a new bar coming to Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter and it’s set to be decked out exactly like the classic video shops.

Not a lot is known about Blockbusters NQ yet, as they’re still transforming the old Tony & Guy unit into the bar – but it’s from the people behind the excellent Chakalaka opposite – so expect very good things.

Will there be movie related cocktails? Maybe popcorn flavoured creations? Food? As I said, we don’t really know very much at all at the moment – but things are certainly starting to shape up in the unit.

I’d expect a 2022 opening for this one, that’s the best I can give you – and in the meantime follow Blockbuster NQ on Instagram to keep up-to-date with developments…

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New opening