Manchester Airport has announced which new restaurants, bars and shops will feature at its brand new Terminal 2 as it nears completion – after all, the holiday starts at the airport. In early 2023, the airport announced a £440m project to complete the new Terminal 2 building, marking the final phase of the £1.3bn transformation programme.
Manchester Airport began work on the next major phase with lead contractor Mace in Summer 2023, which consists of a new pier, mirroring Terminal 2’s Pier 1, and will provide 12 new spacious boarding gates and flexible aircraft stands for next-generation aircraft. It will also be equipped to handle the giant Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft currently in operation.
Upon completion in 2025, around 80% of all passengers will use the expanded Terminal 2, which will also boast 22 new shops, bars and restaurants, including a high-street style shopping area, a champagne bar and a food hall. Now more details regarding the food and drink offering and the shopping zone at Manchester Airport, which will be known as ‘The Avenue’, has been revealed.
The extended departure lounge will feature a 472-seat food market serving a variety of world cuisines and quick eats, including desserts from popular Manchester bakery Gooey. For those who prefer a more casual dining experience, the terminal will include a boutique high street-style shopping area complete with a Champagne Bar and premium brands, artisan cafes and a brasserie, plus a Fever-Tree bar serving cocktails.
Luxury brands like Chanel and the Fever-Tree bar will be situated in a Boutique Mall, while LEGO, Pandora and Rituals will be located on a high street style shopping strip called The Avenue, which will link up with the existing departure lounge in the section of Terminal 2 that is already open.
Which shops and restaurants will be at Manchester Airport Terminal 2?
Boutique brands and high street favourites will be among almost two dozen new shops, restaurants and bars opening to passengers next summer. The 22 new units will open next year as the second and final phase of the airport’s new Terminal 2 opens to the public.
Shops, bars and restaurants at Manchester Airport Terminal 2 include:
- New luxury retailers, including Chanel, alongside other big names like Pandora, LEGO, WH Smith, and Boots
- The Great Northern Market – a 472-seat food hall bringing the best of Manchester’s street food scene to the airport, featuring six international street food kitchens including a Gooey desserts unit
- New cafes, bars and restaurants, including Fever-Tree, JD Wetherspoon and Joe And The Juice and Greggs – plus an extension to the popular Amber Alehouse by Salford brewery Seven Bro7hers.
- A new 2,165sqm World Duty Free store featuring well-known brands like Christian Dior, Gucci, YSL and Charlotte Tilbury and more.
The expanded offering of restaurants and shops forms part of the transformation programme’s second phase, which will see the original Manchester Airport Terminal 2 building remodelled and upgraded, in sync with the recently-opened terminal extension. Work is expected to be completed by Summer 2025.
The first phase of the airport’s Terminal 2 opened in 2021 and features local brands like fast-food restaurant Archies, pizza favourites San Carlo, café chain Pot Kettle Black and brewpubs by Joseph Holt and Se7en Brothers – as well as a range of airport favourites like Pret A Manger, M&S Food and Starbucks.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We are really proud to connect the North to the world – and now through our brand new Terminal 2 we’re able to do that in a setting that rivals any airport in any major capital city.
“The new shops, bars and restaurants we’re adding in the second phase of the development of Terminal 2 will really elevate the experience and help people feel like they’re starting their holidays at the airport. Whatever your budget and preferences, you’ll be able to find something to your tastes in Terminal 2.
“Not only that, you’ll also be able to enjoy modern, world-class facilities and one of Europe’s most extensive route networks – so wherever you’re travelling, you’ll be able to start your trip in style.”