Michelin-recommended restaurant to be converted into sports bar

The conversion of a city centre restaurant into a ‘sports bar’ has been approved - despite initial concerns from police and council officers.

Habas - once recommended by the Michelin Inspector's Guide of new restaurants to try - is set to become Black Cat Club in mid-March, which promises punters interactive shuffleboard, augmented-reality game Flyby Darts, and live DJs playing records. That’s alongside food like pizzas, loaded burgers, and sharing small plates — plus the ability to order directly from your table when watching sport on one of its screens.

However, the conversion masterminded by Mills Hill Development Ltd — the team behind El Gato Negro and Canto — had a spanner thrown in the works when both GMP and Manchester council objected to its bid for a licence.

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Last week, it was revealed that cops and council out-of-hours licensing officers objected to the plan. PC Aftab Hussain, writing a formal objection to the licensing committee, said: “The only condition that has been added to the new application is the allowing of films…

“Having queried what films are to be shown I am told ‘apart from the rare showing of BBFC films we will primarily show selected live sports events and when not showing that possibly pre-recorded music videos’.”

PC Hussain said that, if the licence was granted as-applied-for, there would be ‘nothing stopping them showing a live boxing match without having any door staff on or a high profile football match without any door staff working’. He also raised concerns about how staff would stop children coming in after-hours and check IDs.

Bob Cain, a licensing officer for the town hall, said: “After reviewing the current and