12 Restaurants Revealed for £30m Corn Exchange Development

Manchester’s Corn Exchange has received an unprecedented response from popular and independent eateries to launch in the dining destination, since its re-launch announcement last year.

Corn Exchange will become a restaurant and café hub…a new dining destination unique to Manchester

Following the plans from the Aviva Investors Property Trust, owners of Corn Exchange Manchester and developers Queensberry Real Estate to revitalise the building and transform it into one of the UK’s best dining facilities, interest has been high with 12 units now already snapped up.

Works began on the historic Grade II listed building just last month and hoardings are being installed this week to give commuters and shoppers a glimpse of the exciting new line-up already confirmed.

Manchester Corn Exchange will become a restaurant and café hub that will establish a new dining destination unique to Manchester and will be home to a brand new and exclusive eateries from the UK’s leading restaurant companies, including “Eclectic Grill”, new from Individual Restaurants, the company responsible for amazing restaurants including Piccolino, The Restaurant Bar & Grill, Zinc Bar & Grill and Bank Restaurant & Bar.

In addition to this, two of London’s most popular restaurant brands – Mexican street food eatery, Wahaca and casual Italian restaurant, Vapiano – have confirmed plans to open their first sites outside the capital.

The owners of the exciting Vapiano restaurant franchise promise a laid-back atmosphere with buzzing conversations over the best Italian pasta, pizza and salads cooked and prepared fresh to order.

Phil Sermon, UK and US Managing Director of Vapiano comments on their choice of Manchester for their new restaurant; “We have had many guests visiting us in London request that we open in Manchester, which makes it even more exciting to be opening in one of our favourite cities and in such a fantastic development.

These exciting signings will also be joined by quirky and unique firsts for Manchester – casual dining and drinking lounge, The Cosy Club, award-winning Brasilian Barbecue, Cabana, authentically prepared Vietnamese street food, Pho, as well as Bar and Kitchen Banyan and the second ‘proper burger’ place for Manchester, Byron.

To further strengthen the dining offering, newly re-imagined Salvi’s Deli and Tampopo concept restaurants, both of which are currently trading as pop ups in Exchange Square, will join when the dining destination opens, as well as Pizza Express and Zizzi Ristorante, as part of the exciting redevelopment plans to turn the historic building in Manchester city centre into a must-visit destination for food lovers.

Simon Green from owners Aviva Property Investors Trust said; “Manchester Corn Exchange, has a rich commercial heritage and this planned development will build on this, ensuring Corn Exchange plays a vital future role in the commercial heart of the city.

“The redevelopment means a brand new offer for the city centre that is focused on great restaurants that simply aren’t available in Manchester currently, providing an environment where the best regional and independent food outlets can flourish in this incredible building – a gastronomic exchange.”

Stuart Harris from Queensberry Real Estates, the company overseeing the buildings transformation said; “We’ve got a great line up of local, regional, and national restaurant operators who will offer a broad range of casual dining options designed to suit the huge footfall the area attracts both in the day and evening. Interest has been fantastic and we are now in discussions with operators for the final few units”.

“We want to make sure these final units go to operators who offer something different but complement our line up”.

The building’s new layout will mean that all restaurants will have street access and visibility along one of the buildings three sides with the central atrium and dome being used for year-round, all-weather al-fresco dining.

Additionally, as part of the £30m leisure re-development programme, plans are in place to open an 86-room boutique hotel in the upper floors of this historic Grade II listed building that will be the icing on the cake for this landmark development.

The whole ethos of the planned refurbishment and development from Aviva Investors is to enhance the building’s character, soul and integrity and to strengthen the unique positioning of the destination.

The building is set to be completed with the first restaurants opening in June 2015.

The reconfiguration and restoration of the historic building is being designed by the Manchester office of 5plus Architects.