Manchester nightclub ‘welcomes £88k bar bill with open arms’

A Manchester nightclub owner said he had welcomed the “biggest table spend ever” of more than £88,000 “with open arms”.

Continental Club, in Manchester city centre, promises guests “luxury, privacy, and elite entertainment” and is a popular haunt for celebrities.

Its owner, who asked only to be named as Hass, said the whole bill was settled by a “celebrity client” who had been in a party of 12 when he visited last weekend.

Hass said the “former sportsman” had racked up a £88,589.60 tab – more than double the venue’s previous record. It included a £9,500 bottle of Clase Azul Ultra Extra Anejo Tequila and a tip of more than £8,000.

He said a few other clients at the VIP club – which opened just over six months ago in the Deansgate area of the city – had spent “about the halfway point” to the new record.

“Nobody’s actually gone as far as up to what we had at the weekend so we thought we’d let people know about it,” said Hass.

He said the anonymous celebrity client was not from Manchester and he did not think he was “foreign to spending that kind of money”.

Hass said people in the celebrity’s party never flinched when they were presented with the huge bill, which was fully settled in one card payment.

“Sometimes with a big bill a few people are kind of chipping in but just one person dealt with that, so it’s quite impressive,” he added.

Hass said: “We don’t really get [massive spends] as much as London and Dubai, so we welcome it with open arms, definitely,” he said, adding that the publicity would really “put Manchester on the map”.

“We really wanted to raise the awareness that Manchester is becoming that city now where we are on the same level as London and that we can compete with the big boys.”

Hass said his celebrity guest had had “a great night”, adding: “It was his first time here – and we’re hoping he returns next time he is in Manchester.”