The Comedy Store in Manchester, United Kingdom

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Telephone:	+44 161 839 9595
Website:	www.thecomedystore.co.uk
Address:	Deansgate Locks Whitworth St West, Manchester, United Kingdom, M1 5LH
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:	30 ftDeansgate-Castlefield 200 ftDeansgate Station (Stop D) 250 ftDeansgate
Categories:	Comedy Clubs

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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards	Yes
Parking	Street
Bike Parking	Yes
Wheelchair Accessible	Yes
Good for Groups	Yes
Noise Level	Average
Good For Dancing	No

Alcohol	Full Bar
Happy Hour	No
Best Nights	Fri, Sat, Sun
Coat Check	Yes
Smoking	Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating	No
Has TV	No

Today

Today	2:00 pm – 12:00 am Closed now
Local time (Manchester)	07:45 Sunday, 1 June 2025

Business hours

Monday	10:30 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday	10:30 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday	10:30 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday	10:30 am – 12:00 am
Friday	10:30 am – 2:00 am
Saturday	10:30 am – 2:00 am
Sunday	2:00 pm – 12:00 am

Description

Specialties

Situated in Manchester’s fashionable Deansgate Locks development, Manchester’s long-awaited The Comedy Store threw open its doors on 14 September 2000.

The Manchester Store is the only venue of its type in the country, with a 500 seat theatre-style auditorium, spacious public bar, dining area, VIP Ward Room and the Store’s offices occupying two converted railway arches in the £14m development.

The Manchester venue is continuing the tradition established by our sister venue in London of staging top-quality shows featuring the best names in the business at the same time as showcasing new talent. Like London, the Manchester venue stages The Best in Stand-Up every Friday and Saturday evening (with two shows on a Saturday) and Stand Up Thursday take up the respective days with three comics performing extended sets. The week is rounded up on the first Sunday of the month with ‘king Gong — a chance to see the freshest talent on the circuit go up against the famous Comedy Store gong. Second and Last Sundays are New Stuff, which sees comics debuting new material.

As well as staging our own shows four nights a week, The Comedy Store, Manchester is also available for hire and is the perfect venue for charity and corporate events.

History

Established in 1979.

In May 1979, Don Ward opened The Comedy Store above a strip club in Soho. Inspired by a trip to see comedy clubs in the US, the aim was to re-create the same success in London.

September 2000 saw the opening of The Comedy Store’s long-awaited second venue, situated on Deansgate Locks in the heart of Manchester. The Grand Charity Gala opening on 14 September saw Simon Bligh, Tim Clark, Rhona Cameron, Julian Clary, Boothby Graffoe, Mike Gunn, Fred MacAulay, Sean Meo, Paul Merton, John Thompson and Paul Zenon celebrating the dawning of a new era and the continuing success of The Comedy Store.

Meet the Manager

Emilie Powles P.

Manager

Marketing and special events for The Comedy Store, Manchester.

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20 reviews of The Comedy Store

No registration required

Claire P.

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

On Good Friday I decided to do something a little bit different and booked tickets at the Comedy Store. There was no need to print off tickets, we just told the guy at the box office our name and we were ticked off the list. We were however provided with little wrist bands so that staff knew to grant us access to the actual Comedy night.
Unless you pay an additional fee, you do not get designated seats, so I would certainly recommend showing up early, especially for the weekend shows as the place fills up quickly.
We decided to grab a quick drink in the bar before heading in to find seats. For a venue of this nature the drinks are reasonably priced and it seems that there’s always food and drink offers on.
On this occasion there were five different acts, all of which had different tastes, but they were all equally as funny in their own different ways. All acts were given around 20 minutes, so I guess it was just a snippet of their talents, but in my opinion it was quite nice to have a variety, especially considering that none of the acts were particularly ‘famous’, therefore for those who didn’t enjoy one of the acts, there was more to come.
The security staff were definitely on the ball — there were numerous large groups of people, who continuously kept talking loudly when the comedy acts were on. They were given warnings and when they did not shut up, they were asked to leave. Yes this was a little disruptive, however as the staff dealt with it in a professional manner I cannot fault or complain about this.

Beki A.

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

This is a great venue for all things social and comic!
We’ve come here twice for the ‘every other Sunday’ comedy nights which feature experienced comedians airing new material that they have never performed before!
I have also been here in the past for their ‘NYE show’ which was a big night of celebrations and incredibly busy (naturally)
They often have secret famous comedians come and finish off the evening as a surprise (check their twitter page @thecomedystoremcr for hints) which is a great value for money experience as it only costs £2 for a student ticket and £4 for everyone else.
The night is hosted by MC Toby Hadoke who is a great compere and makes everyone laugh and feel welcome.
It is definitely worth pointing out that they do amazing pre and interval pizzas here at a mere £5! My favourite is the fiorentina which has a soft cooked egg and spinach on.
Really recommend this place for a great night at a really little price (for the new stuff on Sundays)

James G.

Place rating: 5
Manchester, United Kingdom

The Comedy store is great! We went last Sunday for the new material acts and I was pleasantly surprised with the line up! Some big Acts and some new ones as well!
The venue is great, with good views from most of the theatre and beer holders on every seat… bonus! Since Sunday I’ve been wondering to myself why I haven’t been to this type of thing before as it’s only £4 for a ticket and £1 if you’re a student! They have a wide selection of pizza for £5 each — also available to take into the theatre with your beer!
I will definitely be returning soon for a night of beer, pizza and comedy. I recommend the Pizza Fiorentina for a tasty veggie option!
Pizza Fiorentina
Mozzarella, tomato sauce, spinach,
olives, finely chopped garlic,
parmesan and topped
with a free range egg (V)

Edd E.

Place rating: 2
Middleton, United Kingdom

Went to the comedy store on Saturday night the first 2 comedians wasn’t to good the last 2 where okay bouncers are over the top if you speak they threaten to throw you out that’s the only problem

Lawrence C.

Place rating: 5
Manchester, United Kingdom

My rating may be a little high, especially in light of the fact that I have not been to any comedy clubs other than this one in the area. However, I have had a great time every time I went.
I like to go for their best of stand up comedy events. I am always surprised and entertained. Usually I opt for the bar food and show. The food it not great but with plenty of drinks and good comedy — the night is never dull. I absolutely refuse first row seats. I shudder at the thought of getting pulled into the show (guess I prefer to laugh at other peoples expense rather than my own).
well I know i should try some other comedy clubs but have never needed an excuse to go anywhere but here. Maybe if my mates drag me to a new one I will try it. Otherwise, I am content with this place– love laughing and it is always a good time.

Ian M.

Place rating: 4
Withington, United Kingdom

This is a review of Sunday night at Deansgate Lock’s Comedy Store.
I just want to make the day clear, as I wouldn’t be seen dead in the crazy townie area of the Locks on a Friday or Saturday night. No thank you!
Sunday is a more chilled affair. We went for ‘New Stuff’. You don’t know who is going to perform in advance, and because my memory is super amazing, I still can’t remember the comics now. But it’s a good night! Plenty of laughs, and a super amazing 8 performances all compared by Toby — a funny man in his own right, who also runs Tuesday night’s BarXS.
Price: AMAZING. £3. THREE WHOLE POUNDS! Super cheap! Relatively comfy seats too.
If you’re feeling lazy, then you can arrange a pizza to be ready for the interval, for £5. We didn’t try them, but they smelt/looked great.
Drinks: pretty standard for a townie sort-of-place, for me this means you end up picking a Guiness rather than a desired ale of any description. £9 for 3 drinks, one of which was a fresh orange. I think they could have probably done with a couple of extra people on during the interval behind the bar, as they were rushed off their feet.
Summary: Great for a laugh to end the weekend. Finishes at a work friendly 10pm & will definitely take your mind off the impending doom of Monday morning, and all for £3!

Claire I.

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

What better way to take a client out to entertain?
Sick of taking them on a social night out to a bar/club and not being able to speak?
Sick of having awkward chit chat?
This is the place to come to entertain! Wow your client with laughter, a meal, drinks and something funny to discuss. With at least 4 acts to watch, a compare who will mock the audience something rotten and keep you occupied until the next act comes on stage to either woo you or kill your stomach muscles.
I’m in the mindframe that this would also be a good night out with friends — just watch your level of talking so you don’t get told off by the staff or compare like naughty school children!

Andrew Y.

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

Been here for a quiz — which was not run by The Comedy Store — but its a nice enough venue. Can’t comment on the actual comedy side of things.
They have pizza for £5 which is very good value. Pizza’s come really quick and taste good. £5 for a 12″ thin crust pizza is good! You can if you want get a slice for £2 but you may as well go for a whole pizza.
My score is really just the venue and the pizza

Babalo

Place rating: 5
Manchester, United Kingdom

I have let to have a bad night here and cant understand why I dont attend more often as we always have a good scream. I have over the years seen Jimmy Carr, Justin Moorhouse, John Bishop, Dave Spikey to name a few and they have all gone on to big things. Its reasonbly priced for what you get and if you are brave enough and decide to sit on the front row you can be part of the show!
I will definitely return before Christmas.

Sarah-Anne M.

Place rating: 5
Manchester, United Kingdom

After another two visits to here I just have to add another star. Absolutely love this place! I’ve recently taken quite a few friends over there who have never been there before too and they’re now huge fans so I had to put an update on!
I went on Friday night for my friend’s birthday, it’s pretty expensive on a Friday (£18) but it is worth it, we saw five comedians who were all funny, there were tears streaming down my face at one point, literally laughed my socks off. The compere we had (Jason Cook) was so funny and really got the audience going, be prepared to be picked on if you’re going to try and heckle…
I went a few weeks ago with work on a Sunday night too, Sunday nights are only £2 entry, again we saw five comedians, three of these were funny, two were a bit weird… for £2 though! One of them ws only young but he was absolutely amazing, a student from Salford University, wish I’d got his name, definitely a future star of Mock the Week!
I’ll be going back again soon, it’s rapidly becoming one of my favourite places to go in Manchester!

Matnic

Place rating: 3
Hamburg, Germany

Had great nights here and pretty some pretty average ones too. The location is good just opposite Deansgate station next to the other bars on the locks. Well worth a visit as an alternative to watching a film.

Emma Louise M.

Place rating: 3
Manchester, United Kingdom

People seem to love or hate the Comedy Store. Okay, so there are a few inbetweeners, and not the ones on E4. I’ve had a few folk whinge in my ear about it; I’ve had some say it’s the best thing since someone took a special machine and sliced your crusty farmhouse loaf so you don’t have to when you get it home.
So why don’t we do a pro/con test? Pros include the fact that big names perform there, the Comedy Festival puts a heck of a lot of stuff on at this venue, the seats are comfortable, it’s theatre style with original Locks features (bare brick and arches), a fully stocked and large bar and plenty of new talent gets an airing. However the cons include that because it’s the sister bar of the London original, and situated in Deansgate Locks, that means one thing and one thing only. Not cheap. Then again you might be catching some mega famous comedians, so ticket prices do have to reflect that. Plus it’s only £2 to get in on Sundays, and they’re probably the best nights to be honest — certainly for showcasing the newbies who deserve all the support they can get.
I always find it full of atmosphere. Plus I have such admiration for anyone, ANYONE who can literally walk up in front of an audience of many and have a one-sided conversation (except when they’re heckled, obviously) about anything and everything, with that same large group of people expecting it to be humorous. I was reminded of this fact when I recently watched Channel 4’s Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and am also reminded of it every time I visit the Comedy Store.
Ooh, and you don’t just have to watch comedy there! My mate’s covers band performed there in the bar during the show intermissions and everyone was lapping it up. So there.

Alfie B.

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

I love The Comedy Store. Its very very very nearly as good as its counterpart in London, and that is saying something.
Its not just going to see some comedy, it really is a full big night out. Its a really good alternative to going to a club and it should be considered an alternative to clubbing more than to pubbing, given the scale of fun offered.
They have everything from moderately big stars to new comedians having a go. Its really good whatever you decide to go to, and at just under £20, its worth its price.
Great for special occasions such as birthdays or even stag-dos. If you are going there for a stag do you should go somewhere else afterwards as well because the grooms life is nearly over so you need more seedy fun. Across the road is a gentleman’s club!

Nathan S.

Place rating: 5
Manchester, United Kingdom

I first discovered the Manchester branch of the Comedy Store when I was somewhat unexpectedly invited by friends to join them for an evening of stand up with the students on one of my flatmate’s courses. I was more than willing to join them, especially as the tickets only cost us £5, so I happily went along down to Deansgate Locks. I am delighted to say, we had a fantastic evening.
The venue is ideal for the purpose. I love the atmospheric styling of the venues in the area, and the open bricked walls give a very traditional setting for stand up (if anyone has ever seen the films of stand up comedians against an empty brick wall), although, despite the formal stage setting and professional lighting and sound equipment, the venue has a fantastical impromptu, spontaneous feeling to it. If you are looking for great comedy in Manchester, then look no further than the Comedy Store. It has a fantastic pedigree of performers, and shows no sign of losing quality.
Our evening of comedy was superb, made better by the fact that was a nicely equipped bar upstairs in the foyer, making the second half even funnier than the first! It is a fantastic addition to Manchester’s arts scene, and has a very varied busy schedule which runs throughout the year, so it is definitely worth checking out.

Franci

Place rating: 3
Manchester, United Kingdom

Even though I love stand-up, I’ve only been to the Comedy Store a handful of times, mainly because the weekend entry fee is so expensive. True, they can get pretty big acts. But you can see performers of the same quality and profile at the cheaper Frog and Bucket or at alternative comedy nights, like XS Marlarkey in Fallowfield.
Still, I’ve always had a great night when I’ve been here. The bar is a nice place for a drink — even if you’re not going to see the comedy — and the venue itself is pretty impressive, almost like a theatre. Trouble is, the crowd can be a bit ropey due to the club’s location and reputation. I’ve seen comedians being heckled by drunken stags (men, not deers…) so many times!

Alison B.

Place rating: 4
Trafford, United Kingdom

The comedy store can be found at Deansgate Locks, and area synonymous with young flashy drinkers, but there it is … the sister club of the big London club of the same name, so it follows that you can see some big name comedians here… along with the up and coming and lesser know ones.
There is a large bar, to serve many laughter seekers if the club it quite full, so there is not much of a scrum to purchase your tipple before going downstairs to the friendly «epic theatre» style seating area. There is a larger seats-infront-of-stage area upstairs, you can take your drinks into both.
There are plenty of offers on all the time, and the prices are pretty reasonable. I would wander further than the local bars after a performance to carry on the night if needed, as the surrounding bars can get quite rowdy. You can also get food at The Comedy Store if you want to make a full night of it all under one roof! The club also has at least on FREE night every month — usually on a Sunday.

Sophie C.

Place rating: 4
United Kingdom

At an airport this summer I had ran out of books. So I ended up reading this god awful piece of chick-lit about a girl who falls for an Edinburgh festival stand –up comedian. The author has her female protagonist hate stand-up comedians and clearly assumes many people share this view.
I love them, and I am especially fond of newbies. Ages ago now, a friend told me about the free nights at the Comedy Store (now sadly £2 but still, that’s pretty good). It’s called New Stuff and its the 2^nd and last Sunday of every month.
And its fascinating: the compere is good obviously and just banters with hecklers and picks on people. And then will come 4, 5 or 6 acts. One might be an improvisational mime, another involving sound effects on a laptop that might go wrong. Its not rare for a guy to get up with a list of one liners, read them out and tick the ones that get laughs.
We are their guinea pigs and all we have to do is laugh. There’s a full bar for pre-comedy drinks and the interval and even if the misses sometimes equal out with the hits its still a different, and enjoyable night.
The Comedy Store is obviously the big name in town, with its own artist representation and live music after the shows on Fridays and Saturdays. But it lives up to this rep with comedy every night except Mondays and Tuesday plus cheap concession prices for NUS and NHS at least.

Myf1dr

Place rating: 4
Bingley, United Kingdom

This comedy store is really great. Set in the area of the deansgate locks in a railway arch under the tram line. It has a really cosy atmosphere with it being under a railway arch and with all of the brick exposed.
Lots of good deals going on including free nights on at least one sunday of the month with all of the freshest talent around.
You can buy tickets which include a meal, which is an excellent offer for those who would like to get in for the night and stay there.
Lots of top acts appear at the comedy store. I saw Russel Kane there and he was excellent.

Hannah

Place rating: 4
Manchester, United Kingdom

The Comedy Store is the cleaner, posher, bigger, more expensive of the two main comedy clubs in Manchester. The performance areas are clean and tidy and comfortable with the main auditorium fairly cosy flip down seats. The tiered seating allows you an easy view of the stage from wherever you are.
As with any comedy club your enjoyment is 90% the comedians, and that depends a lot on your own experience and opinion. On the few times I have attended the Comedy Store I have enjoyed the comedians on offer, and I prefer the more swanky surroundings.
Situated on Deansgate Locks it is easy to get to eaither by bus, train or car.

Lunala

Place rating: 1
Manchester, United Kingdom

Sorry! I put my review in the wrong place
I’m guessing it’s the sort of place that can be hit or miss. My experience has most definitely been a miss.
I was taken for my hen night and had high hopes but sadly was treated to a night of complete carnage. I like to think I have a sense of humour and sharp wit at times but it was awful. ALL jokes revolved around race, buggery or a combination of the two, to the point I looked down at my flyer to check it wasn’t a theme night.
Then listening to the final stand-up spent his entire routine swearing at a scaly and his immaciated chav girlfriend in the front row, same scaly jumping up and physically assaulting the comic (total lack of security) — Bouncer appeared 5 mins into this fistie cuffs, which had then escalated into a full on punch up.
In fact most of the audience looked rather dubious — a rough crowd to say the least. Though being the hen, my attire wasn’t classy in any way.