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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Daisy Jackson

First look inside Stockport's Grade II-listed food hall The Produce Hall

Stockport's The Produce Hall is preparing to open its doors early next week, following a complete transformation into a food hall.

The Grade II-listed building, which faces the historical indoor market, will have a number of food traders operating within it plus a bar serving local craft beers.

Restaurateur Steve Pilling is behind the project, after a hotly-contested battle to secure the building saw the family behind Foodie Friday narrowly miss out.

Steve has a long-standing relationship with the building, having visited with his mother as a child for cheese and onion pies and plates of tripe.

The mezzanine levels, with views across Stockport Market (Manchester Evening News)

The rebuild started in November after delays, having previously planned to open in time for Christmas.

Pilling has worked with Stockport Homes for the project, offering training and employment to ex-military workers and those who have struggled with homelesseness.

Pilling has installed a black and brass spiral staircase (Manchester Evening News)

Inside, towering vaulted ceilings with glass windows flood the enormous 150-cover hall with light.

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Original beams and pillars have been exposed and painted in dark grey and a rich red, with teal and yellow tiling at each food station.

Chalkboard menus display food and drink offerings (Manchester Evening News)

A mezzanine level upstairs, accessed via a black and brass spiral staircase, contains further seating and has views over the rooftops of Market Place.

The view from the mezzanine level (Manchester Evening News)

It's a simple fit-out with mismatched wooden furniture, low-hanging lighting and white walls displaying a smattering of local artwork.

10 food traders will start service within The Produce Hall when it fully opens next Tuesday.

The view across the hall from a spiral black and brass staircase (Manchester Evening News)

Black Market Espresso Co. will serve coffees and teas starting from £2, plus soups and sandwiches and slices of cake from Silver Apples Bakery.

Next to that sits the family-friendly Oh My Cod, with fish fillet (£7), fish goujons (£5.50) and fish cakes (£5) served with a selection of chips, mushy peas and classic chippy sauces.

Craft beer kegs are visible below the bar (Manchester Evening News)

Poco Mas will deal in tapas - small Spanish plates including classic patatas bravas (£3), calamari (£3.50), croquettas (£3.50) and meatballs (£4.50) - while neighbouring Brood sticks to whole (£8.95) or half (£4.95) roast chickens with a range of sauces.

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Homemade pies (£3), with fillings including steak and blue cheese and chicken tikka, will come from Pie-curious, with pizzas (starting from £6.50)coming straight from mosaic-tiled pizza oven across the room at Doughboys.

The bar is simple at The Produce Hall (Manchester Evening News)

Fat Louis (burgers from £4.50), Flat Iron Steak (steak, obviously, from £6.75) and Foccaine (pasta from £6.50) complete the food line-up.

A minimalist bar displays the beers on offer, with pours coming from local breweries such as First Chop, Track, Beatnikz Republic and Shindigger.

Beers at The Produce Hall (Manchester Evening News)

18 kegs are visible below the glass-fronted bar, with more than 50 beers from the local area and beyond being served on rotation.

There's a concise range of wines and fizz, ranging in price from £3.75 to £4.60 for a 175ml glass.

Outside, there will be seating with patio heaters and umbrellas, connecting with neighbouring Project 53 and Bakers Vaults to create a strip of pavement-side drinking and dining.

The Produce Hall will officially open on Tuesday April 2 from 11am.

It will then be open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am until around 10.30pm every week.

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