A new food hub and events space for Stretford has been given the green light by councillors. The venue, operated by street food specialist GRUB, will be located in the multi-storey car park in Stretford town centre and will extend into Sir Tony Lloyd Square.
Day and Night Offerings
By day, the hub will feature a bakery, coffee shop, and pop-up bottle store. In the evenings, from Thursday to Sunday, it will transform into a larger-scale destination with several street food traders and live entertainment.
Community Vision
Those behind the plans aim to create a place where the entire Stretford community can gather for food, events, and family activities. The project is part of Trafford council's broader regeneration vision for the town, which has seen significant changes in recent years, including the demolition of much of Stretford mall to create a new shopping parade and planned housing developments.
Local Excitement
Residents have expressed enthusiasm for the hub. Conor Kelly, 34, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s a bit of a disused space at the minute. We’ve got the new town centre and it’s just going to bring lots of people here, new businesses, new food places.” He added that since the mall closed, there hasn’t been much happening in the town.
Zoe Sincock, also 34, said: “There’s not that many places to go out to eat around here. So it’ll be nice to be able to go out for something to eat.”
Council Approval
Trafford councillors approved the plans at the planning committee meeting on Thursday, June 11. Liberal Democrat councillor Ulrich Savary commented: “I'm very happy to support it. It's going to be a great addition for Stretford. I don't think there's going to be any negative impact for local residents, so very happy for this to go ahead.”
Design and Duration
A temporary ‘scaffold wall’ will be erected around the food hall to provide some enclosure, with design details still to be agreed with the council. However, officers noted that this would not be an appropriate long-term solution. Therefore, approval is granted on a temporary basis of 19 months, reflecting the length of GRUB's lease for the site.
Noise Concerns
Newly elected Green councillor Gareth Twose raised concerns about potential noise from the events space. Officers responded that a noise management plan is in place, and enforcement action can be taken if conditions are breached.
Timeline
The scheme was announced about three weeks ago, with the statutory consultation period ending the day before the committee meeting. Trafford council expedited the process as GRUB wanted the hub open in time for the football World Cup. Opening hours will be from 8am to 11pm, with extended hours for home games. Alcohol will be served from midday, and live music may take place between midday and 10pm.
