A 1,200-capacity food hall is planned for Manchester's Printworks, with blueprints showing a 24-trader venue that would include cafes, bars, self-pour wine stations and a cookery school.
The proposed food hall would occupy two vacant units: the former Tiger Tiger nightclub spot, later Eden bar and restaurant, and the old Hard Rock Cafe. It would span 30,000 sq ft.
History of the vacant units
Tiger Tiger shut in 2018 to make way for Eden, which closed in 2021 after 18 months, hit hard by Covid lockdowns. Hard Rock Cafe closed in January after 25 years.
Blend Family is behind the proposals and is understood to have agreed terms with landlord DTZ Investors, reports business website Place North West.
Blend Family's track record
The firm runs Kargo MKT - 'Salford's Boldest Food Hall' - at MediaCityUK. The venue is the anchor tenant at the Central Bay development. It was recently named one of the best food halls in the country.
Blend Family also runs Cutlery Works in Sheffield. The proposals will need to be signed off by planning bosses, with finer details still being finalised. Independent businesses will be brought in as 'partners' to run stalls.
Blend Family co-founder Matt said: "We're really excited to be bringing our biggest food hall yet to Printworks. We want it to be somewhere people can come for a great meal, stay for a drink, try something new and feel completely at home.
"The mix of independent food partners, the self-pour wine and our cookery school means there'll always be something going on, and we can't wait to welcome Manchester through the doors."
New life for the Printworks
The food hall would bring new life to the Printworks following a string of high-profile closures. The complex has also seen Chiquito, Bierkeller and O'Neills close in recent years.
Recent additions, however, include Dave's Hot Chicken; interactive social game hub GameFace; and seafood restaurant Shrimp Shack, which opened its first site outside of London in August.
The Printworks - which opened in 2000 - is also home to cinema VUE; Barney's Coffe; Big Licks; Nando'sl Wagamama; Walkabout; and JD Wetherspoon's The Seven Stars. The complex reopened in 2024 following a £21m transformation.
