It's dubbed as Manchester's home of quirky independents - a hotch potch of bars, restaurants and shops that all display an individual vibrancy.

But just how independent is the Northern Quarter nowadays?

The area is hugely popular with tourists to the city, just as much as it is with locals, and it also draws in thousands of visitors from Greater Manchester each weekend.

But what many of them won't know is that as they skip from bar to bar, they might only be putting cash in the pockets of one company.

The popularity of the area has led to some of its bar and restaurant operators building up mini-chains of three, four or more than half a dozen different branded bars, all a stone's throw from each other and often offering up a totally different experience.

Earlier this week, Mark Andrew Developments (MAD), announced that it had bought the Blue Pig , on the corner of High Street and Thomas Street.

That deal meant the company now owns SEVEN bars in the Northern Quarter - adding it to Hula, Tusk, Walrus, Rosylee and its upstairs add-on The Fitzgerald.

MAD are one of three or four companies who, between them, own swathes of some of the NQ's most well-known bars. In fact, if you walk up Thomas Street to Stevenson Square and stop for a coffee, a drink, then a bite of something to eat, chances are you could be giving your cash to the same people.

The Bay Horse, Cane & Grain and the Black Dog Ballroom all come from the same stable, for example - and their owners are also responsible for Crazy Pedro's and The Northern Quarter Restaurant.

On the corner of High Street and Edge Street, the owners of cult burger bar Almost Famous also have Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn (next door), Convenience Store (downstairs) and Home Sweet Home (over the road).

Not that growth is a bad thing of course - it's reflective of the area's success and the fact that the bars are all able to offer different concepts. And that success often sees the big investors come knocking - offering a million carrots in exchange for a UK wide roll out of those brands.

Northern Quarter outfits like Almost Famous and Crazy Pedro's have opened in cities like Leeds and Liverpool, expanding far beyond their Manchester home.

The result of their domestic success has turned the Northern Quarter into something akin to a game of Monopoly. Advance to the latest craft beer bar, do not pass go.

Lyndon Higginson, one part of the Black Dog empire, says that their growth has happened 'almost by accident', but local operators remain more committed to keeping the character of an area.

"Me, Ross and Jobe have lived in the NQ for years, at some point or other and we've seen it change," he says. "I remember Jobe saying he was going to take this place and call it The Northern Quarter restaurant and everyone thought he was mad.

"I think we'll always have that fiercely independent spirit about us and our bars - even though on paper, I suppose we're not at all now. But we've grown because we like opening new bars and we try and make those bars fit the area.

"We've built this mini empire mostly because we get bored and like doing new stuff.

"But it's better to understand the area you're operating in rather than just have operators who come in and try and cynically impose their brand on a place and then leave."

As the area has increased in popularity, some of the building owners have sought to cash in on the rising value of their old - and often crumbling properties.

This has led to concern.

"I think it's more about what the Northern Quarter isn't. It isn't a place that should have a McDonalds or a Starbucks. I think the local operators who have built up bars there have a custodial role to make sure that remains.

"There's still no place like it in Manchester. There's still no place where you see as many beards or tattoos or funny little dogs. How long before it stretches into Piccadilly? It's almost there now. The weekend out of town crowd have taken to it in a big way and I think that's maybe affected the vibe of the place at certain times. But there's still plenty of quirky stuff going on here to keep it vibrant and interesting."

Even Afflecks - for many the area's beacon of individuality - has been owned by property company Bruntwood for around a decade.

One operator that hasn't fared so well though is RWB Leisure -husband and wife team Alyson Doocey and David Cook. They owned Bakerie and the neighbouring Pie and Ale, but both closed as the company went into administration.

The pair also opened nearby pizza restaurant Dough, which remains open.

(Image: Richard Nixon)

Who owns what in the Northern Quarter?

Ross Mackenzie, Lyndon Higginson, Jobe Ferguson

These three local entrepreneurs share ownership of a string of bars in the Northern Quarter - and across the rest of Manchester.

Between them, they own Crazy Pedro's, Black Dog Ballroom, The Bay Horse, Cane & Grain and The Northern Quarter Restaurant. Outside the NQ, they also have another branch of Crazy Pedro's, and its sister bar, The Liar's Club - and bowling bar Dogbowl on Whitworth Street West - as well as another Black Dog Ballroom on New Wakefield Street.

Beautiful Drinks/Delicious Treats Ltd

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Beau Myers and Marie Carter are the brains behind some of the NQ's most outlandish - and successful - food and drinks brands.

Their companies own Almost Famous, Home Sweet Home, Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn and Convenience - formerly Keku Moku. AF and HSH have supersized units in Manchester's Great Northern too.

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Mark Andrews Developments (MAD) Ltd

(Image: Beth Abbit)

If you've been to the Northern Quarter, you've been to a MAD Ltd bar.

The firm - which has its headquarters in Stevenson Square's Habib House, owns (breathes in) - Tusk, Walrus, Hula, The Fitzgerald, Rosylee and now, The Blue Pig. It also used to own the Infamous Diner, but recently sold it.

Franco Sotgiu

As well as having his fingers in various business-shaped pies, Franco owns Solita, as well as the backstreet Mexican canteen El Taquero just behind it.

Joe Fearnhead and Alex Johnson

Who's had a few beers in Kosmonaut, then nipped to Ply for a pizza? Same people.

Joe and Alex are also planning a new bar - The Quick Brown Fox on the corner of Swan Street and Tib Street.

Johnny Heyes

(Image: Sebastian Matthes)

Johnny is one of the smart young minds behind well-known Northern Quarter bar Common - and his company also Port Street Beer House, at the other end of the NQ.

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Mission Mars

Maybe the biggest Manchester bar brands of them all. And although they only have one bar in the Northern Quarter - the well-established Trof - they've got brands all over Manchester, including Deaf Institute, Gorilla, Albert Hall and the behemoth that is Albert's Schloss. Oh, and they just bought Rudy's Neapolitan Pizzeria too...

If you like eating and drinking out and about in Manchester, join our new Facebook groups - Going Out In Manchester and Eating Out in Manchester .