Hatch, the much-loved street food destination located underneath the Mancunian Way, is set to close down as the property company behind it plans to redevelop the site. Bruntwood announced today (September 1) plans for the closure of the award-winning retail and leisure space on the Oxford Road Corridor in Manchester on September 30.
Opening back in December 2017, the shipping container village has been home to many independent traders with current ones including the likes of plant-based powerhouse Herbivorous, dreamy dessert makers Crumbled, nail art whizzs It’s A Nail Thing and king of crepes (trainers) Sneaker Pharm, to name a few. Many of these food, drink, retail plus hair and beauty businesses will shut at the end of the month with the exception of ÖL Brewery – the only venue that will remain open throughout the redevelopment process.
The Hatch site is set to close down in order to undergo a transformation, with a joint planning application with leisure developer STACK for the redevelopment of the site currently in progress. According to Bruntwood, “plans will see Hatch become STACK creating a permanent offering with a larger footprint, providing more opportunities for traders in the city.”
STACK, which already has experience in the North East of creating leisure hubs out of shipping containers as well as repurposing empty retail properties, is set to work similarly to Hatch where it will bring bringing street food and bars to a central plaza area with live entertainment.
Peter Bearpark, Asset Management Director at Bruntwood, said: “We are incredibly proud of what we accomplished at Hatch. Originally conceived as an idea for how to utilise unused space while Circle Square was in development, it has been a success in terms of the vision we set out for it – supporting start-up businesses, allowing brands to experiment, grow and thrive, and creating a place for people to enjoy excellent food, drink and shopping. It’s always hard to say goodbye to a site that we are proud of, but now is the right time for Stack to take it to the next stage in its development.”
STACK’s owners have confirmed that all food and beverage traders at Hatch will be given priority during the selection process if they choose to apply for a unit within the newly created STACK when it reopens. Permanent site staff are currently undergoing a period of consultation.
Neill Winch, CEO of STACK, added: “STACK is delighted to bring its successful leisure brand to Manchester and continue the fantastic work that Bruntwood has started at Hatch in creating a place for businesses to grow and thrive – something that we are also very passionate about.
“We have a proven track record in providing venues which bring together the very best in street food, bars and we are also renowned for delivering a full programme of live entertainment for people of all ages, which has been a huge part of our success and an element we are looking forward to elevating in Manchester.”
All Hatch traders will remain open until September 30.