Huge new ‘creative neighbourhood’ featuring food halls, gardens and a brewery planned for Piccadilly

A huge new food hall, brewery, night market, urban garden and beer hall is being planned for Piccadilly, from the people behind the likes of Ramona, The Firehouse, Gorilla and Trof.

The 200,000 sq ft plot is on the site of the former Presbar Diecast foundry on Store Street, which dates back to 1870 and backs on to Ducie Street, just spitting distance from both the Northern Quarter and Ancoats.

As well as a ‘large food and beer hall’, the proposals also feature a bakery, coffee bar, barbers, nail salon, startup offices for small tech and creative businesses, workshops, studios, meeting spaces, record store, neighbourhood gym, stores for small traders, a cycle park and workshop.

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There will also be green spaces and garden areas running alongside the canal, which will form part of the large beer garden.

Currently, the project, called Diecast Manchester, is under consultation, but it hopes to provide employment for over 1000 people.

It’s been devised by Joel Wilkinson, Adelaide Winter and Dan Mullen, formerly of Mission Mars, the company behind the likes of Albert’s Schloss and the Albert Hall, Trof and The Deaf Institute.

The development will feature a brewery, offices and a bakery (A Very Inc)

They’ve since gone on to co-found A Very Inc, which is behind Ramona and The Firehouse on Swan Street.

Should the project be successful in its planning application, it’s hoped that the project will begin construction soon, with a view to opening as soon as September this year.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, marketing director at A Very Inc, Andy Windsor, said: “It’s very early days, but we want it to be a new creative neighbourhood and a hub for the creative industries.

“It’s hopefully going to be a really positive thing for the area, and with an artisan approach.

The project is in the planning stages but could be open by September (A Very Inc)

“Because of the size of the project, it’s going to give us the ability to make things and produce things on the premises, which is going to be an exciting thing to explore.”

They will also be collaborating with local independent operators, as well as being a real living wage employer and providing apprenticeship schemes and professional development programs.

The consultation will then remain open until February 28, after which the full planning application will be submitted.

Details of the project as it develops can be found at @diecastmcr