Ever wondered what the huge, blue pyramid building was looming over the M60 near Stockport? Well, after sitting empty for almost seven years, the iconic 86,000 sq ft structure in the south of Manchester is undergoing a £15m transformation to become a huge luxury restaurant and banquet hall with a capacity of 2,000 people.
Located off Junction One of the M60, the Stockport Pyramid, owned by Eamar Developments, is arguably one of the North West’s most recognisable buildings. The iconic glass structure has not been occupied since the Co-op, which paid for the construction, moved out in 2017 and relocated to NOMA in Manchester city centre.
The huge structure next to the M60 was designed in the late 1980s when construction work began, before it opened in 1992. The Stockport pyramid was originally built as part of a ‘Valley of Kings’ project, that would’ve seen five pyramids built along the River Mersey in a nod to ancient Egypt, today it stands alone after developers went into bankruptcy.
However, the huge building is getting a new lease of life as the owners of one of South Manchester’s most popular curry houses have taken on the pyramid.
Plans by the Royal Nawaab, which were submitted in 2023, to turn Stockport’s iconic landmark into a huge curry house will feature space for 1,500 diners, with a buffet restaurant and banquet halls across three floors (a capacity of 400 at the ground floor restaurant, 800 on the first floor banqueting hall and 400 on the second floor). The Pyramid will be used to host large events such as weddings within a ‘lavish spacious area’. The venue will also be larger than the Royal Nawaab London site which has 1,300 covers full every weekend
The ‘live’ dessert kitchen will feature 40 different desserts, and the ‘walk-in dishwasher’ will have the capacity to wash 2,000 dishes an hour. The third and fourth floors of the building are due to used as storage and office space for the restaurant.
Royal Nawaab currently has two sites in London and recently closed its original 2003 restaurant on Stockport Road and was taken over by Indian restaurant My Nawaab. Mahboob Hussain of Royal Nawaab said: “Living close to Stockport, the Pyramid has always been an iconic symbol of the town for me.
“It is unique and we are thrilled to be bringing Royal Nawaab Manchester. This is definitely not ‘a curry house’. Royal Nawaab will be a destination and will attract visitors from across the UK and beyond to experience the best cuisine in the most stunning of settings.”
From the kitchen install to the lighting design, Royal Nawaab have worked with all local suppliers. In fact, £8 million of the project’s budget has been spent on working with local tradespeople such as bespoke lighting designers Chantelle Lighting, WDC Creative designers and Style Matters interior design.
The Pyramid Building is expected to open later this year and you can sign up to be the first to hear when the Royal Nawaab restaurant is opening at the Stockport Pyramid building here.
Royal Nawaab, The Pyramid Building, The Valley of Kings, Stockport, SK4 2JZ.