A Prestwich bar is preparing to celebrate its first birthday with customers after a “whirlwind” of a year in business.

Macca’s bar and Grill, based at the Longfield Centre, is planning an extra long weekend of celebrations ahead of St Patrick’s Day on Sunday in celebration of its first year of trade.

The Irish bar, owned by Mark McKee, is holding celebrations from today, Thursday, and is inviting customers to take part in a number of activities, including Irish dancing, music and a whisky tasting session.

Events manager Emma Kavanagh said the business aims to engage and provide a social space for everyone in the Prestwich community and added that its first year has been a big success.

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She said: “It has been a bit of a whirlwind, it feels like we’ve been open for more than a year.

“We are very much community based, we try to cater for different people. We put on different events, and we are very family orientated.”

Macca’s describes itself as the perfect place to enjoy a few drinks with friends or grab some home-cooked food and a warm, friendly and inviting place where everyone is welcome.

Bury Times: Macca's Bar and Grill is celebrating its first birthday this St Patrick's DayMacca's Bar and Grill is celebrating its first birthday this St Patrick's Day (Image: Macca's Bar and Grill)

Since making Prestwich its home early last year, the bar is now looking to the future, with plans to plan to expand with a new function room.

However, Emma added that an ongoing transformation of the town centre through the Prestwich Regeneration Project, has produced some uncertainty for businesses at the Longfield Centre.

The £100m project will see the exiting Longfield Centre demolished and replaced with state-of-the-art building with a community hub, health centre and food hall.

Emma said: “They are bulldozing the shops and businesses and rebuilding it again, that’s a big challenge we’re facing.

“We’re in contact with the council, but until we know what the plans are we will carry on a normal.”

Despite the imminent renovation of the Longfield Centre, Emma says she and other businesses feel the project will ultimately improve the town and that it will be beneficial to the lives of residents and businesses owners there.

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She said: “We definitely think it’s a good thing, it’s a good thing for the community and from the plans they have prepared, it is looking exciting.

“Prestwich is becoming quite a desirable place to live, people do want to move to Prestwich.

“We think it can only be a good thing.”