More than 50 came to the new Cabaret Lunch Club at The Same Yet Inn. It is Prestwich's second, after The Friendship Pub; entry is free and you pay for lunch.
More than 50 people turned up to the first Cabaret Lunch Club at The Same Yet Inn in Prestwich on Tuesday afternoon, for lunch, a live singer, a sing-along and, for plenty of them, a dance.
It is the second club to open in Prestwich in quick succession. The first is at The Friendship Pub on Scholes Lane, and the organisers say both have had “a fantastic response from the local community”. There is no charge to get in or for the entertainment: you book a table with the pub and pay for your own food and drink.
Where the idea came from
Cabaret Lunch Club CIC is a community interest company set up by Sarah Dennis, a Greater Manchester singer who runs the entertainment agency Shiny Music & Entertainment. Its aim is to tackle loneliness and isolation by giving people somewhere welcoming to go in the daytime.
The idea came out of her own family. Sarah said:
“My mum was living with dementia and my dad was caring for her, and one of the things that really struck me was that there were very few places he could take her during the afternoon where they could have a meal, enjoy some entertainment and simply feel part of something.
“I realised there must be so many other people in exactly the same position: whether they are carers, older people, people living alone, or simply people who would benefit from getting out of the house and meeting others.”
She took the idea to Michelle at the Eagle and Child, where the first club was launched.
“People weren’t necessarily looking for a support group. They wanted to go out, have some lunch, listen to a great singer, have a laugh, sing along and meet other people.
“That simple idea has just grown and grown.”
The launch at The Same Yet Inn
Entertainment on Tuesday came from Shiny Music & Entertainment, with the professional singer Andrea Daniels chosen to perform. Guests sang along and took to the dance floor through the afternoon, the organisers say.
“More than 50 people came along and the atmosphere was fantastic. Seeing people eating together, talking, laughing, singing and getting up to dance is exactly what Cabaret Lunch Club is all about.
“One of my favourite things is seeing somebody arrive perhaps not knowing many people and then watching the conversations and friendships develop around the room.
“Loneliness doesn’t have an age limit. You can come with friends, with a partner or relative, or you can come on your own. Once you’re there, you’re part of it.”
According to the company, clubs now run in eight of Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs, and further afield in Warrington, Liverpool, Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Preston, Accrington and Blackburn. The November and December programme, just released, has around 90 events across the two months, and more venues are planned.
Sarah wants Prestwich to keep the two new clubs busy:
“I’d love people in Prestwich to support these two new clubs. The more people who use them, the stronger and more sustainable they become, and the more communities we can reach.”
Prestwich dates to the end of the year
These are the next sessions at the two Prestwich pubs on the organiser’s published listings, checked on 29 September 2026. The listings give dates, singers and a phone number, not start times, so ask the pub when you book.
| Date | Venue | Singer | Book on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21 October | The Friendship Pub, Scholes Lane, M25 0PD | Tony Squirrel | 07956 821032 |
| Tuesday 27 October | The Same Yet Inn, 145 Simister Lane, M25 2SF | Sarah Dennis | 0161 653 1430 |
| Wednesday 18 November | The Friendship Pub | Nova | 07956 821032 |
| Tuesday 24 November | The Same Yet Inn | Martin James | 0161 653 1430 |
| Wednesday 16 December | The Friendship Pub | Sean Leonard | 07956 821032 |
| Tuesday 29 December | The Same Yet Inn | Brad Nelson | 0161 653 1430 |
Elsewhere in the Bury borough
Prestwich is not the only place in the borough with a club. The same listings carry these sessions in Bury, Whitefield, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom between now and Christmas:
| Venue | Dates (singer) | Book on |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle & Child, Higher Lane, Whitefield, M45 7EY | Tue 6 Oct (Dave Martin), Tue 3 Nov (James Christy), Tue 8 Dec (Sean Leonard) | 0161 796 3583 |
| The Wellington, 338 Bolton Road, Bury, BL8 2PP | Tue 13 Oct (Tony Martin), Tue 27 Oct (Tony Squirrel), Tue 10 Nov (Brad Nelson), Tue 24 Nov (Chris Perry), Tue 8 Dec (Ricky Ashcroft), Tue 22 Dec (Michael Cosgrove) | 0161 761 5793 |
| The Bluebell, 840 Manchester Road, Bury, BL9 8DW | Wed 14 Oct (Carla Palmer), Wed 11 Nov (Karen Harvey), Wed 9 Dec (Dave Martin) | 0161 796 7544 |
| Scottie’s Tea Room, Railway Street, Ramsbottom, BL0 9AL | Mon 19 Oct (Sarah Dennis), Mon 16 Nov (Jamie Jay), Mon 21 Dec (Martin James) | 01706 826479 |
| Sparking Clog, Radcliffe, M26 3WY | Mon 26 Oct (Greg Berry), Mon 30 Nov (Stephen Hogan), Mon 28 Dec (Brad Nelson) | 0161 723 5690 |
| The Jubilee Centre, Mosley Avenue, Bury, BL9 6PQ | Sat 31 Oct (Ricky Ashcroft) | 0161 763 9030 |
The appeal to open more clubs
The company is also asking people and local businesses to help it expand. Its GoFundMe appeal, opened on 1 August, says it costs about £500 to launch a new club, which covers getting a venue set up and bringing professional live entertainment in. When we checked on 29 September it had raised £40 from two donations towards a £2,000 target.
“The demand is clearly there. Every time we launch somewhere new, we see people coming through the doors, making connections, singing, dancing and enjoying being out together.
“We’d love to take Cabaret Lunch Club into even more communities. Any support that individuals or local businesses can give us will help us to make that happen.”
What it means for you
- To go: ring the pub on the number above and reserve a table. Come on your own or bring someone.
- Cost: nothing for entry or the singer; you pay for what you eat and drink.
- Full list: every venue and date is on the Shiny Music Cabaret Lunch Club page, and updates go out on the Cabaret Lunch Club Facebook page.
- To help: donations go through the GoFundMe appeal. The press contact is Sarah Dennis, info@shinymusic.co.uk.
For more going on locally, see What’s On in Bury this month.
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