Ronnie's Bar : RSS Feed

First Birthday!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:29:30 +0100

Ronnie�s Bar, Duke�s Court, Macclesfield is to celebrate its first birthday in style on Sunday 7th September with an eight hour music event featuring top quality live music from the Virginmarys and Helen Walford. Also incorporating an open mic session, the event will also serve as a launch party for Ronnie�s new expanded facilities. The bar now incorporates two more units in the attractive courtyard creating both comfort and additional capacity. Ronnie Rees, owner of Ronnie�s Bar said: �If there has been anything that has counted against us in the previous 12 months it�s that premises just weren�t big enough. By adding a second bar and VIP area we are changing the entire courtyard into a top flight destination venue for the people of Macclesfield. And it goes without saying that we are more determined than ever to ensure that this character filled part of the town centre survives the planned demolition and continues to be a focal point for the local community�.Ronnie�s has been hosting courtyard parties on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well as live music every Sunday, and two day events on each Bank Holiday throughout the summer with local talent such as The Hot Bananas and the Chinese Marbles playing to hundreds of people.�It�s been a fantastic year for us. In just 12 months we have established ourselves as one of the prime locations for live music in Macclesfield as well as an excellent venue for people to spend their evenings in a relaxed atmosphere,� added Ronnie.�We�ve recently introduced a new menu and have been attracting people in for everything from late breakfasts, business lunches to early evening meals. Meanwhile our weekend courtyard parties and Sunday barbeques continue to prove a roaring success.�

Two Days of music at Ronnies.

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:04:53 +0100

Ronnies Bar, in association with Toast Bar, is hosting a two day live music event in Dukes Court this Bank Holiday which will offer great food and great entertainment. Easter Sunday will see Ronnies resident Thursday DJ Dan Chalenor and guests performing outside in the courtyard. He will be playing his eclectic mix of music alongside the barbeque during the day from 4.00pm onwards. Jim Kirkpatrick�s Heavy Weather, and Chris Cook, from North Carolina, USA will be performing on Easter Monday in the courtyard. Ronnie Rees, owner of Ronnies Bar said: �We�ve had a great time here for our regular Dukes Court Parties over the Bank Holiday weekends throughout the summer and this should be another memorable weekend.�

Live Jazz at Ronnie's!

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:40:51 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, continues its Sunday live music on the 17th August as local The Steve Plews Quartet play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.

Live Music at Ronnies

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:47:36 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, continues its Sunday live music on the 17th August as the Steve Plews Jazz Quartet + support play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.

Live Music at Ronnies

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:59:28 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, continues its Sunday live music on the 10th August as local band Hot Banana play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.

Live Music at Ronnies

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:34:13 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, continues its Sunday live music on the 3rd August as local musicians Nick Connors and Helen Walford play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.

Ronnie's Rant

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:59:07 +0100

Masterplan is a DisasterplanSo back to the same old subject of Town Centre Redevelopment. I and other residents of Dukes Court and Duke Street were treated yesterday to Wilson Bowden's new masterplan (their word by the way) for the future of Macclesfield. They informed us that due to the current financial climate they've had to make a number of cost savings and come up with a new streamlined vision of the future of the town that has Debenhams at the heart of it. This, they assure us, along with the new Cultural Quarter at Park Green is going to make the town very wealthy and a place to be proud of. It was of course utter nonsense. The Town Centre redevelopment has now metamorphosed into a large new shopping mall running parallel to Mill Street. It doesn�t redevelop the town as a whole, it redevelops part of the town, in an area that doesn�t need that much redeveloping and at the same time leaves the rest of the town to rot in its own excrement. Wilson Bowden told us very condescendingly that they are creating 'prime' retail sites opposite the new Debenhams specifically for well known high street brands to take over. And only by creating these 'prime' sites will the scheme become commercially viable to them. This of course means that the well known high street brands we already have on Mill Street (Next, Mothercare, New Look, etc) will have to relocate to these new 'prime' sites, leaving a mass of empty properties on Mill Street. (If they don�t move then how many other national high street brands are left to fill the new units?) What right minded thinking can possibly think this is beneficial for the town? It beggars belief that Wilson Bowden has the audacity to present this as a masterplan and I�m absolutely apoplectic that our council would even consider for one minute that this is at all acceptable to anyone who lives and/or works in Macclesfield. Oh and another thing. Wilson Bowden s representatives stated that they have retained most of Dukes Court in the new masterplan. They appeared to want a round of applause for this. The fact is that what they are planning to leave behind is not a courtyard but a characterless cut through from rich shops to poor shops surrounded by car park and the backs of retail units. The plan is for whole of the building at the back of the courtyard to go, which means that both Ronnie�s and Toast Bars will go as well as the offices above; they also plan to take away the buildings that I�m expanding into, taking away the whole of the unique atmosphere my bar generates through trading outdoors. Even if I liked the new masterplan and they went ahead with the town centre redevelopment as put forward yesterday, they still really didn�t have to destroy Dukes Court but they chose to anyway purely for their balance sheet reasons. All taking away the back end of Dukes Court is doing is giving Wilson Bowden an extra 15,000 square feet of that prime retail space they keep banging on about. Never mind the existing prime retail space they�ll be destroying. And in the great scheme of things 15,000 square feet is not a great deal of space to lose. And I ve not even touched on the environmental issues, traffic flow, car parking or even the cultural and arts issues. None of that has been considered in the masterplan. It�s all about prime retail and a cinema (which incidentally will now have no carpark because all the car parking spaces are to be situated around Debenhams!) In conclusion this current masterplan is a disasterplan. Macclesfield will be split in two; a shiney new bit of modern construction buildings and a shabby old bit that used to be called the main shopping area. It is just downright offensive to try and pass this garbage off as a town centre redevelopment when it threatens to leave the majority of the existing town centre in a state of decay. So what do we do? Well for a start join the Maxonian Society. This is a movement created to preserve the environment, arts, culture and heritage of Macclesfield. It�s for Maxonians who have pride and/or commercial interest in their town. It�s not for large property developers with no connection to the town whose sole desire is to improve their short term profit margins at the expense of quality and long term prosperity. Neither is it for those gullible town councillors who don�t live in the town who haven�t got the first idea about local commercial life let alone arts, culture and heritage. The Maxonian Society wants the Council s commitment to redevelop the town centre to actually mean redevelop the whole town centre not one small part of it at the expense of the rest. It wants a town centre that allows businesses of all sizes to thrive and develop not just pandering to needs of the giants of the high street. It wants to promote all that�s good in the town, e.g. musicians past and present, artists, writers, DJs, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, sports men and women, its rich history, interesting courtyards, etc. It doesn t want a clone town and certainly doesn�t want any more new hideous architecture (i.e. in the same mould as the recent architectural delights of the Super Surgery, the Railway Stations supposed facelift or the police station extension) springing up to completely drown out the quality and characterful buildings of the town. If you re interested in knowing more about the Maxonian Society then please contact me now, because if we do nothing we�ll end up with an almighty big mess that we and future generations of Maxonians will absolutely detest and despise. Ronnieronnie@ronnies-bar.co.uk

Training Day

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:36:12 +0100

Another Training Day at Ronnies Bar.Tickets for this event are £10 per person and attendees will to sample three top quality cocktails, with a short presentation explaining each one, as well as a great buffet.But tickets for the event are limited, so call Ronnies Bar on 01625 665050 to book your place! And hang around afterwards for some great live music from the Virginmarys.

The Virginmarys

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:32:41 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, Macclesfield is starting a new regular Sunday live music event on the 27th July as local band The Virginmarys play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.Ronnies Bar has been enjoying a growing reputation as a live music event in recent months, hosting regular two day music events for Bank holidays throughout the summer.

Live Music

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:28:45 +0100

Ronnies Bar is hosting regular live music events on Sundays in the courtyard.Next up are The Virginmarys on the 27th July.3rd August: Nick Connors with support from Helen Walford10th August: Hot Banana17th August: T.B.C.

Eskimo Smile

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:01 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, Macclesfield is continuing the regular Sunday live music event on the 20th July as Eskimo Smile play the courtyard.The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.Ronnies Bar has been enjoying a growing reputation as a live music event in recent months, hosting regular two day music events for Bank holidays throughout the summer.

New Menu

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:51:38 +0100

Ronnies Bar has launched a new menu.Check out this weeks Macclesfield Express for an exciting 2 for 1 meal deal offer.

Live Music

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:48:36 +0100

Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, Macclesfield is starting a new regular Sunday live music event on the 13th July as local band The Chinese Marbles play the courtyard. The event, which is free entry, will start at 6.00pm will also feature a barbeque. The regular Sunday Accoustic Sessions will also take place in the bar later in the evening and go on well into the night.Ronnies Bar has been enjoying a growing reputation as a live music event in recent months, hosting regular two day music events for Bank holidays throughout the summer.

New Menu - Coming Soon

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:25:53 +0100

Ronnies Bar will be launching a new menu from the start of July..Keep your eyes open for a 2 for 1 offer in the Macclesfield Express!

DJ Saturdays

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:53:57 +0100

New DJ sessions, every saturday this summer.The bank holiday events and regular Thursday nights featuring resident DJ Dan Chaloner have proved so popular in Dukes Court that Ronnies Bar is now hosting them every weekend. Come along to Ronnies this Saturday from 9.00pm where Dan will be playing his eclectic mix of music.

Business as Usual

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:35:13 +0100

Whilst Ronnies Bar is extending to Ronnies at the Moss on Saturday 12th July for the nine hour Blues at the Blues event, town centre revellers neednt worry as Ronnies Bar in Dukes Court, Macclesfield will remain open as usual offering high quality food and drink all day, before during and after the event.So you can take your choice of a great live music event, or chilling out in Town and be sure you are having the same top quality in both Dukes Court and at the Moss Rose.Tickets for Ronnies at the Moss are available from Ronnies Bar in town, as well as online from bluesattheblues.co.uk and from the Moss Rose itself.

Ronnies at the Moss

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:18:27 +0100

For one night, Ronnies high quality cocktail service is relocating to the Moss Rose to create a Dukes Court ambience at the Moss Rose�s first live blues event.On Saturday 12th July Macclesfield Town will be hosting Blues at the Blues, a nine hour live music festival at the Moss Rose.The event will headline the popular young Blues artist Aynsley Lister. Other acts on show are up and coming local band The Virginmarys, who have just recorded their debut album, George Borowski and the Fabulous Wonderfuls, Jim Kirkpatricks Heavy Weather, Sinnerboy and Cactus Moon.The 12th July gig will start at 1:00pm and tickets are on sale from the Moss Rose, Ronnie�s Bar, Dukes Court and online at:

Grand Gourmet

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:05:45 +0100

Ronnie�s Bar in Duke�s Court, Macclesfield hosted a highly successful charity event when a gourmet evening raised over a thousand pounds for the Christie�s �Manchester Million� appeal.25 guests from local business and politics joined owner Ronnie Rees and Macclesfield Town Chairman Mike Rance for a six course taster menu which showcased the talents of his new chef Simon Sheradon.The Christie Hospital was represented at the event by Director of Nursing Alison Norman who is a Macclesfield resident and a season ticket holder at Moss Rose.A raffle with prizes donated by local businesses including Ronnie�s Bar, Cucumbers, Personality Quilts and Macclesfield Town FC helped lift the funds raised into four figures.�I know a lot of folk in Macclesfield who have benefited from the quality of care at the Christie and thought I�d try to put just a little bit back� said Silkmen chairman Mike Rance who helped to organize the event. �We wanted it to be something we could be proud of and if you want to hold an event like this in Macclesfield then Dukes Court offers the ideal location. It was a great success as a fund raiser and proved that it�s still possible to have a high quality evening in the centre of the town.� �Ronnie�s is the �grown up� place to eat and drink in Macclesfield� added Ronnie. �We offer the highest quality in everything we do and want to cater to the more discerning people in Macclesfield who want to come out for an evening in the town centre.�Ronnie�s Bar has already built up a reputation for its live music and cocktail bar atmosphere, and is now looking to spread the word about the quality of the food for lunches and early evening meals.�This event worked well on two fronts� added Ronnie. �We managed to show a group of influential people what we can do in Duke�s Court and raised over a thousand pounds for charity at the same time. It was a win-win for all concerned.�

Ronnie's Rant

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:20:29 +0100

Ronnie�s Rant May/June 2008 I�m just taking a few moments out of the preparations for our latest Bank Holiday Courtyard Party and reflecting on the successful start we have made at Ronnie�s since we opened in September last year. Dukes Court is certainly a great location for a bar and so far I feel we are delivering a service that befits the surroundings. And the large numbers of people who visit the courtyard and my bar week-in-week-out are giving some substance to that belief. Once again a first time customer came in yesterday and said that the location made him feel like he was on holiday. He wasn�t the first to say it, probably won�t be the last, but none-the-less its always pleasing to hear it. This of course brings me back to the usual subject of these rants, why, when all around us there are countless empty properties, is Dukes Court even being considered for destruction to make way for our discount friends TJ Hughes? Dukes Court is fully occupied and trades for longer hours than any other area of the town centre. All of the businesses in Dukes Court bar one are owned and operated by independent business owners. It is a success story amongst the perceived doom and gloom that I�ve been reading about in the Macc Express recently. Isn�t this a message to the Council and all the doom mongers? The shape of things to come is surely encouraging independent businesses, which actually care passionately about the town they live and work in. This will be far better for Macclesfield Town Centre rather than trying to attract more �big� names of the high street that are at the beckon call of shareholders who couldn�t care less where each of their stores is located as long as they are highly profitable. Don�t get me wrong, I am not anti-brand, I just feel that independently owned businesses offering diversity and quality are the heartbeat of a local community and will give a town some individuality and character amongst the recognised names like M&S, Tesco, New Look, Toni & Guy, etcThe latest feedback I�ve had from Macclesfield Council (via Sir Nicholas Winterton, who also happens to like Dukes Court) is that there are no firm plans for the new town centre development, so nobody can say whether Dukes Court will be destroyed or not. And that of course is major problem facing the whole of Macclesfield Town Centre at the moment. The uncertainty created by the constantly changing development plans is damaging the local economy because businesses are closing, prime site units are remaining empty and many people are staying away. So come on Town planners, stop dithering, make a bold decision and get on with it. Make Macclesfield a proper market town again by putting a market back in the heart of the town centre, give us free parking to encourage more people to come into town, leave the good bits alone (and by that I mean all successful areas not just Dukes Court), redevelop the horrible bits like Craven House and encourage local entrepreneurs to fill the countless empty units that are springing up all over the town. It�s over you Macc Council the long term economy will not benefit from big high street brands alone, it needs the individuality, local knowledge and character that only local entrepreneurs can bring to give it something that local residents can identify with and consequently support. That in turn will generate interest from outside the town and bring more people in from surrounding areas as well, which is surely what we all want, isn�t it?

Courtyard Party III

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:44:25 +0100

THIRD BANK HOLIDAY PARTY AT DUKES COURT Dukes Court was jumping last Bank Holiday weekend with a two day charity music event. And music lovers can do it all again this weekend as DJ sessions and live bands will once again entertain the crowds at the popular town centre destination. Sunday afternoon will once again see Ronnie�s resident DJ�s Dan Chaloner, and Jut and James from Toast Bar performing. �Our resident DJ Dan Chaloner is always a popular draw on his regular Thursday night appearances and we have been packing people in for these Bank Holiday events. So we know we are in for a great weekend and can�t wait to do it all again,� said bar owner Ronnie Rees. The Smokehouse, Tantrum and Stockport-based group Eskimo Smile are the live acts lined up for the Monday party which will also include a free barbeque. Hundreds of people attended throughout the two days at the last event with a free barbeque on hand and the weather looking like it might be ushering in the start of summer, it was a busy couple of days in Duke�s Court. �Last time certainly lived up to our expectations and we are looking forward to another great weekend of music here in Dukes Court,� added Ronnie. As well as packing in the revelers, the event also benefitted McMillan Cancer Support by raising hundreds of pounds for the worthy local cause. The charity will benefit once again at this weekend�s party.Ronnie added: �It�s magnificent to see Dukes court getting the use it deserves. It helps set Macclesfield aside from other towns and we want to ensure that this part of town continues to gain a reputation which will help us with our campaign to retain this wonderful courtyard within the new town centre development.�Ronnie�s Bar is one of a number of small businesses under threat by the demolition of Duke�s Court as a part of the town redevelopment plans.

Line-up Confirmed

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:53:45 +0100

Ronnies Bar has comfirmed the lineup for the next Courtyard party on Sunday 25th and Sunday 26th May.Sunday 25th May will see Ronnies resident Thursday DJ Dan Chaloner and guests performing outside in the courtyard. He will be playing his eclectic mix of music alongside a barbeque during the day from 1.00pm onwards. There will also be a DJ session with Jut and James upstairs in Toast Bar.The bands for the Monday being confirmed as The Smokehouse, Tantrum and Eskimo Smile.

Courtyard Paty

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:31:47 +0100

Dukes Court was jumping this Bank Holiday weekend with a two day charity music event.More than 600 people attended throughout the two days as the event, which began on Sunday with two DJs at the popular town centre venue, for the summer�s second Dukes Court Party.With a free barbeque on hand and the weather looking like it might be ushering in the start of summer, it was a busy afternoon in Duke�s Court.�Our resident DJ Dan Chalenor is always a popular draw on his regular Thursday night appearances and we had a good experience at the last party so knew we would be in for a great weekend.� Said bar owner Ronnie Rees.�We certainly met those expectations as people turned up to join us through the afternoon and long into the evening. With Dan with us downstairs and Jut and James upstairs in Toast Bar, there was something for everyone.�There was an extra treat on Monday as three live bands, including Glastonbury hits The Travelling Band, entertained the crowds in the Courtyard.As well as packing in the revelers, the event also benefitted McMillan Cancer Support by raising hundreds of pounds for the worthy local cause.Ronnie added: �These events have proved hugely popular with music lovers from the town and further afield as we have showcased local talent in a great town centre location. It was absolutely packed here over the weekend and it was magnificent to see this area of town getting the use it deserves.�Music fans who missed out need not worry as Ronnie is planning another similar event for the next Bank Holiday Weekend on the 25th and 26th May. The DJ line up on the Sunday will be the same as the last event with the bands for the Monday being confirmed as The Smokehouse, Tantrum and Eskimo Smile.�Dukes Court is a first class location with great character� added Ronnie. �It�s something that helps set Macclesfield aside from other towns. We want to ensure that this part of town continues to gain a reputation which will help us with our campaign to retain this wonderful courtyard within the new town centre development. We can�t wait to host some more local bands and show the world what we can do here all over again.�Ronnie�s Bar is one of a number of small businesses under threat by the demolition of Duke�s Court as a part of the town redevelopment plans.

This Week's Specials

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:51:20 +0100

Cocktail of the week and the menu special.Cocktail of the Week: Polish Apple Punch MENU SPECIALStarter: Smoked Salmon with watercress and shallot salad, tossed in a course grain mustard dressing. - £4.25Main: Roast cannon of lamb, dauphinoise potatoes, sauted green beans and a minted jus. - £9.95Dessert: Summer fruit pudding with creme anglaise. - £3.95

Courtyard Party

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:00:50 +0100

Ronnies Bar is to host another courtyard party with two days of music in association with Toast Bar.The event will take place on Sunday 4th May and Bank Holiday Monday 5th May.Glastonbury �New Talent� winners The Travelling Band are amongst the acts on show in the two day charity music. event. Ronnies Bar in association with Toast Bar, is hosting the event in Dukes Court to raise money for McMillan Cancer Support. This is a follow-up to the successful Courtyard Party over Easter which entertained more than 300 people in Duke�s Court over that weekend. Sunday 4th May will see Ronnie's resident Thursday DJ Dan Chaloner and guests performing outside in the courtyard. He will be playing his eclectic mix of music alongside a barbeque during the day from 1.00pm onwards. There will also be a DJ session with Jut & James upstairs in Toast Bar. Local talent will be the highlight of the Monday party, with Jim Kirkpatrick�s Heavy Weather, Cactus Moon, house band for the popular Blue Funk club and this year�s Glastonbury New Talent winner The Travelling Band in action in the courtyard. Meanwhile Toast Bar is hosting acoustic sets from Macclesfield based Helen Walford, and special guests in between the gigs. The courtyard and barbeque opens again at 1.00pm on Monday 5th May and the live music starts on stage an hour later. Ronnie Rees, owner of Ronnies bar said: �It was excellent to see so many people using this courtyard at Easter and having a great time over the holiday weekend. We raised money for a very worthy local charity in McMillan Cancer Support and we can�t wait to host some more local bands and show the world what we can do here all over again.� �Dukes Court is a first class location with great character and something that helps set Macclesfield aside from other towns. We want to ensure that this part of town continues to gain a reputation which will help us with our campaign to retain this wonderful courtyard within the new town centre development.� Ronnie�s Bar is one of a number of small businesses under threat by the demolition of Duke�s Court as a part of the town redevelopment plans. Tickets are available from Ronnies Bar as cost £5.00 for the Sunday and £10.00 for the Monday with the barbeque included on both days.

More Competition Success

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:10:05 +0100

With summer on the way, strawberries and Champagne were key ingredients as Ronnie�s Bar�s Ashley Rees was the top female mixologist in a prestigious cocktail competition at Menzels in Sheffield.�As this was my first ever competition, it�s incredible to have done so well. I was always confident in my knowledge and the drink I was creating, but it was fantastic to finish so well on my debut.� Said Ashley.Ronnie�s Bar always ensure that their staff are fully trained and knowledgeable in all the ingredients they use. Not to mention only using the highest quality. And these ideal served Ashley well in the Sheffield competition.Ashley added: �These events are not about just juggling bottles or showing off. You need to be able to mix the drinks perfectly and know all about what you are mixing.�Ashley�s drink, which has been named the �Ronnies Neapolitan� contains Ciroc vodka, pink champagne strawberries, a vanilla pod and chocolate, making it the perfect cocktail for summer evenings, if we get any this year.

Grand Prix Sundays

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:41:09 +0100

Racing fans can watch this seasons Grand Prix excitement in the comfort and style of Ronnies Bar.
Catch all the action then hang around for some live music with the evening acoustic sets.

Gourmet Evening

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:12:52 +0100

Ronnies Bar, in Dukes Court, Macclesfield is hosting a charity Gourmet Evening in aid of the Christies Appeal.Invitations to this exclusive event have been sent out and owner Ronnie Rees hopes that the quality of food and the good cause will entice the town�s movers and shakers to the premier cocktail bar. Invitations have already been sent out to several high-profile people in the town, including MP Nick Winterton.�Everyone here has been working hard to attain the absolutely highest quality in everything we do. All of the bar staff are well trained and we have an excellent chef on board who is looking forward to showcasing his talents in these gourmet evenings.��We are obviously hoping for a full house for the evening to ensure we can raise the maximum amount of money for this important local cause.�It is not only the excellent food and drink � a six course taster menu alongside carefully selected complimentary wines - which will be on display at the £50 a head event. Ronnie�s bar, along with the rest of the attractive Dukes Court development is earmarked for demolition in the redevelopment plans for the town centre.�Duke�s Court is a unique enclave of independent business in Macclesfield. All of the traders here are very proud of the area and have worked hard to build up business reputations and customers. With this and other events we plan to show the town the importance of Duke�s Court and prove that it should be a part of the new development, not destroyed by it.�This is not the first time that Ronnie has held an event to raise money for the Christies Appeal.�Over the Bank Holiday weekend we hosted a successful event in the courtyard which saw more than 300 people watching live bands and DJ�s over two days to raise money for the appeal."

Ronnie's Rant - April 2008

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:39:28 +0100

So here at the end of the first quarter of the year and nothing has changed with the new town centre development. Dukes Court is still earmarked for destruction because, according to Wilson Bowden (the company who won the tender to develop Macclesfield), it isn�t working as a shopping and leisure destination. How wrong can they be with that! Speaking from my perspective, Ronnie�s operates from 10am in the morning until 3am the following morning. No other bar in Macclesfield operates such long hours, yet we have an excellent reputation with large numbers of discerning customers, the police and other relevant authorities because we provide a quality service, quality products and do not indulge in ridiculous price discounting . Dukes Court as you know is one of the most beautiful courtyards in Macclesfield and really enhances the town centre. I am not alone in believing that Dukes Court would also enhance the new town centre development. However, the current town centre development plans plan to destroy this hotbed of independently owned businesses and replace it with a TJ Hughes discount store. Wilson Bowden have explained to me, other businesses and residents on Roe Street that Dukes Court has to go because there is apparently nowhere else to relocate TJ Hughes as they have to be moved from their current site to make way for new shops and require a new site that allows them continuous trading. Apart from the fact that all the businesses in Dukes Court require continuous trading, many Maxonians completely disagree with this assumption. We believe that there are plenty of places to relocate TJ Hughes, many of which will allow the refurbishment or complete new development of some horrendous blights on the town�s architecture, such as Craven House, which quite incredibly are due to remain untouched within the new development.Destroying Dukes Court in the first place is wrong. Destroying it to replace it with a store selling cheap Chinese imported clothes, kettles and pans compounds the error several times over. Leaving monstrosities like Craven House alone at the expense of Dukes Court just takes this whole plan off the scale when it comes to wrongness. I and many of the independently owned businesses close to me feel that the key to saving Dukes Court from destruction is finding an alternative location for TJ Hughes to be relocated in. The aforementioned Craven House seems to fit the bill, yet Wilson Bowden won�t go anywhere near it because it is a �Crown Property� and in their words, would cost them too much money. Now correct me if I�m wrong, but surely the long term commercial future of Macclesfield would be better served by keeping the nice parts, e.g. Dukes Court, and removing the ugly parts, e.g. Craven House. Also, Craven House is, I believe, virtually empty now. This site would of course allow TJ Hughes continuous trading and at the same time allow the businesses in Dukes Court the same luxury. So with all this in mind, please could we call upon your support to protect the many independent traders who will be disrupted and possibly destroyed by the current plans just so the contractors and council can appease the demands of high street corporate giants like Debenhams and TJ Hughes? Please can we count on your support to make Wilson Bowden work harder and longer to find an alternative location for TJ Hughes? You can do this by visiting http://save.dukescourt.net and downloading a petition to register your support. Please collect as many signatures as possible and return your forms to the address on the form or drop them off at Ronnie�s Bar.Based on the level of feeling at the recent Civic Society meeting, reading letters in the Macclesfield Express and listening to the views of many of my customers I feel there would be an enormous level of goodwill generated if we can save Macclesfield from becoming a clone of hundreds of towns all over the country, i.e. towns dominated by faceless corporate giants of the high street at the expense of local entrepreneurs. Incorporating Dukes Court into the new Macclesfield town centre would be one step towards doing this as it would be, as it is today, an oasis of thriving independent businesses providing quality alternatives to the label, brand and profits obsessed high street conglomerates that have ripped the soul out of town centres all over the country.To promote our cause we will be embarking on a series of events that will highlight the uniqueness and beauty of Dukes Court. Each Bank Holiday over the Spring and Summer will host two day Courtyard parties. The first of these of course was over Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. The two days were a spectacular success because once again you turned up in large numbers to enjoy the special atmosphere conjured up by our resident DJs on the Sunday and the four superb local bands that played on the Monday. The event proved once again that the Macclesfield public appreciate quality and the beauty of Dukes Court. Dukes Court not working? You have to be kidding! Ronnie

Courtyard Party a Two Day Success

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:50:09 +0000

The unseasonal weather didn�t dampen the spirits of revelers this holiday weekend as Ronnies Bar, in association with Toast Bar, hosted a two day live music event which was attended by well over 300 people.As well as offering great entertainment in an excellent location the event raised several hundred pounds for McMillan Cancer Support as a DJ session which began at 2.00pm on Sunday stretched long into the evening.Ronnie Rees, owner of Ronnies Bar said: �We were supposed to be running our regular Sunday open mic evening, but the day-long DJ session was proving so popular that we just carried on through the night. The place was really buzzing and the courtyard was packed with people enjoying the music and the barbeque we had on offer.� A marquee in the yard kept the weather at bay to allow everyone to enjoy the music as the snow came down across the town. And the following day, no fewer than four live bands took to the stage in the Dukes Court yard.Once again the area, which is a unique part of Macclesfield, proved its worth as an excellent venue. The Virginmarys and George Borowski & the Fabulous Wonderfuls were amongst the four bands performing on Monday with Cactus Moon and Fivepastfive completing the full set.Ronnie added: �It was excellent to see so many people using this courtyard to have a great time over the holiday weekend and it is something we plan to do every time there is a bank holiday.�Dukes Court is a first class location with great character and something that can really set Macclesfield aside from other towns. We raised money for charity as well as showcasing some local bands and showing the world what we can do here in Dukes Court.�Over the weekend hundreds of people were here and we want to ensure that this part of town becomes renowned for its facilities and that it continues to gain a reputation which will help us with our campaign to retain this wonderful courtyard within the new town centre development.�Ronnie�s Bar is one of a number of small businesses under threat by the demolition of Duke�s Court as a part of the town redevelopment plans.

Courtyard Party

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:53:25 +0000

Ronnies Bar, in association with Toast Bar, is hosting a two day live music event in Dukes Court this Easter which will offer great food and great entertainment as well as raising money for McMillan Cancer Support. Easter Sunday will see Ronnies resident Thursday DJ Dan Chalenor and guests performing outside in the courtyard. He will be playing his eclectic mix of music alongside the barbeque during the day from 1.00pm onwards. The evening will involve an extension of the regular Live Acoustic Session in Ronnies Bar, which offers an open mic to Macclesfield musicians and has proved a vibrant success over the past few months. There will also be a DJ session with Jut & James upstairs in Toast Bar. The Virginmarys and George Borowski & the Fabulous Wonderfuls are amongst the four bands performing on Easter Monday in the courtyard.The courtyard and barbeque opens again at 1.00pm and the live music starts with The Virginmarys, who have just finished shooting their first video ahead of their premiere single release in July, on stage an hour later. �Guitar� George Borowski, immortalised in the lyrics of the Dire Straits classic �Sultans of Swing�, has previously participated in the Sunday acoustic sessions, but now brings his band to Dukes Court. Also performing will be hugely popular local bands Fivepastfive, The Virginmarys and Cactus Moon. The event will carry on well into the night with the event continuing until three. Ronnie Rees, owner of Ronnies Bar said: �We had a great time here for our last Dukes Court Party on New Year�s Eve and this should be another memorable weekend. We�re expecting a full house again as the Sunday Sessions have been generating a real buzz and the four bands we have on Monday all have an excellent following. It will be a great event to be involved with and we hope to raise some useful money for charity along the way.� Ronnie is a big fan of the Dukes Court atmosphere and is part of a campaign to save it from demolition in the town centre regeneration proposals. �The courtyard here is an excellent venue for people to come and enjoy live music and great food. We hope to run events like this every Bank Holiday and to make Dukes Court the place to be to make the most of the long weekend,� said Ronnie. �The Court has real character and offers our customers a unique experience. We hope that by hosting this and other events, we can ensure it remains a thriving location, and one that the town will want to retain as a core part of the much needed re-development of the town centre.� Tickets for the event are £5.00 for the Sunday and £10.00 for the Monday.

New Menu At Ronnies

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:37:23 +0000

A new chef means a new menu at Ronnies!

New Chef

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:21:30 +0000

Ronnies Bar has taken on a new chef as they bid to take their slice of the lunch market in Macclesfield Town centre. Simon Sheradon will be joining Ronnie to create an exclusive menu for the Dukes Court venue.Simon, who previously spent 18 months working at Alderly Edge�s trendy Bubble Room after a stint at Mottram Hall, clearly has the pedigree to keep up Ronnie�s demands of the highest quality.Simon, who specialises in classic French and European cuisine said: �Ronnie has worked hard to build up a great atmosphere here and I am looking forward to being involved here. I�ve helped out here at the bar in the past and it really feels like the popularity is increasing by the week.�Ronnie added: �As a cocktail bar we have always prided ourselves on using the best ingredients and the best knowledge of our staff, and Si fits perfectly with this ethos.�We have known about him for a while as he is a friend of one of our resident mixologists, and has worked with us in the past. So it was great timing that his decision to leave the Bubble Room coincided so well with our desire to take on a chef to provide top quality food. �We�re already developing a great reputation for a good atmosphere and live entertainment and now want to become a well known venue for lunch and early evening meals in Macclesfield.�Ronnies new menu will be available at www.ronnies-bar.co.uk soon.

Macclesfield Mixologist

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:37:40 +0000

James Kennedy of Ronnie�s Bar was the sole Cheshire representative at a recent cocktail competition hosted in Sheffield by drinks giant Diageo. And he was a runner up in the competition to earn plaudits as one of the best cocktail mixers in the north of England. He said: �The competition was held in one of the premier cocktail bars in the city and was attended by some world-class mixologists. We were asked to perform a three minute presentation with our drink for a panel of judges that included the Master Distiller at Tanqueray 10 as well as some of the top barmen in the country.� To celebrate James� achievement his competition cocktail, G&T2, a long drink created from Tanqueray 10 Gin, camomile tea, elderflower cordial and tonic, will be this week�s featured cocktail in Ronnie�s Bar. Bar owner Ronnie added: �At Ronnie�s Bar we use only the best ingredients available. We also train our staff to ensure they have an excellent knowledge of all elements of the cocktail trade and the skill to mix a perfect drink. We set out to offer our customers the very best quality at all times. James� performance in this competition demonstrates just what we can do.�

Sunday Acoustic Sessions

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:13:29 +0000

Ronnie's bar plays host to an open mic acoustic session every Sunday. from 7pm-2amFancy yourself as a musician? Well lets see what you can do!