A huge new European-Style dining hall overlooking The River Irwell could be coming to Manchester City Centre

The new site, which will be called Shipyard, will be a fantastic new dining and drinking destination sat on the banks of the River Irwell in St John’s.

High-ceilinged and with many nods to its former industrial heritage, the European-styled food hall will be a welcome addition to the cities bustling food scene.

Food halls have been a big hit in Greater Manchester so far; with Mackie Mayor, Altrincham Market, Exhibition, New Century, ‘Foodie Friday’ in Stockport Market, Hatch and many more showcasing the success of the dining genre.

The promoters say the vendors will be a mixture of permanent artisan vendors and ever-changing smaller stalls to keep things varied and fresh.

Shipyard marks the latest exciting venture to be opening in an up-and-coming area of the city, just a stone’s throw away from where Factory International will open later this summer.

Last year there were murmurs that BoxPark would be coming to the site, after their successes in the capital with their pop up dining and shopping experience.

Those rumours have now been put to rest, however the owners of BoxPark, Allied London, are in control of the site.

Having first announced plans for the venue in 2019, Allied London has now submitted a planning application for the 30,000 sq ft food hall project.

On their website, they say: “Shipyard will become an exciting, buzzing destination in the evenings and at weekends for Manchester and the region with a mix of permanent artisan vendors and rolling smaller stalls for variety, creating an eclectic and well curated destination.

“Shipyard will be a must-see foodie paradise that will pride itself on the ‘theatre of food and beverage’ offering a range of interesting outlets to create pockets of discovery.

“The concept will also create a new market subculture for Manchester with active programming and a mix of street food and more artisanal concepts to cater for everyone.”

Concept drawings for the site showcase ‘industrial features’ with exposed metal frames and brickwork.

There will also be artwork featured at the site.

Designs that have been submitted to the Manchester Council Website show Shipyard will be set across three floors; with a car park on the ground floor, then a mezzanine level which will have a terrace, an events stage and a private dining space.

There will also be several kitchens and bar rooms.

To learn more about the scheme, search for reference number 136041/FO/2023 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.