I recently took a trip to Mexico City and was struck by how many women owned the city's top bars

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Despite an increasing number of female-owned and operated bars in recent years here in Manchester, many of those running some of the popular haunts still face barriers.

Many may remember the backlash a few years ago when renowned bartender Charles Schumman proclaimed that "a bar is no place for a woman", a comment that led him to return his 2019 Industry Icon Award to the World's 50 Best Bars.

While the bartender and drinks writer sought to clarify his comments in the wake of the backlash, it spoke to the wider issues that women across the sector still have to deal with today including visibility and perception.

Much like Manchester's restaurant scene, the narrative on the whole, remains male dominated, despite a wealth of female talent across the board. READ MORE: When is International Women's Day 2023, what's the theme and how can I get involved? In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD), and in an effort to bring the conversation about female representation in the hospitality industry to the fore, Stray, a new bar situated inside Mackie Mayor food hall, have come up with a special initiative to highlight some of inspiring women working in Manchester's best known bars.