Quayside MediaCity has revealed that an exciting new development offering waterfront dining and drinking will launch in summer 2023. The Central Bay complex in Salford will house the Kargo food hall, and Kargo Market, all under its 25,000 square foot floorplan.
Central Bay aims to provide exciting food and drink experiences for visitors, while sitting at the heart of cultural landmarks such as The Lowry, Imperial War Museum North and Coronation Street’s studios.
With more than 2,000 square foot of south-facing outside terrace space to enjoy, up to 600 visitors to Central Bay will be able to enjoy unrivalled views of some of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks – including Old Trafford football ground. Add that to the list of destinations for us Mancs when we get the tiniest bit of sun.
The food hall at Central Bay will be run by Blend Family, the operator of the British Street Food Awards 2022 ‘Food Hall of the Year’ winner, who have a mix of design and culinary excellence and will showcase the best in up-and-coming food and drink talent, hand chosen and incubated to bring the best in world food under one roof in Salford.
Central Bay will house four new independent restaurants, 13 kitchens, pop-up events, indie markets, live music performances and recreation space for children, with more announcements to come. It’s set to be a real community hub and a logical next step for the Salford Quays area, given its development in the past decade.
As works progress on the £3.5 million transformation of the waterfront stretch, developers will be working with local artists to ensure Central Bay’s heritage is reflected and celebrated across the destination’s design, from the branding, signage and artwork, through to the re-imagined shipping containers.
Stephen Wild, Managing Director for MediaCity said: “Central Bay is an ambitious and transformational project for Quayside MediaCity which will be a fantastic place for our growing number of residents, workers, students and visitors to enjoy great food, in a tranquil yet vibrant waterside setting.
“It will be truly unique and a celebration of local food, drink and art – which is what we know, from the Salford Vision 2030 research piece, local people want to see and access. Central Bay will add another dimension to MediaCity and Quayside and will bolster its growing reputation as a leading leisure and cultural destination.”
Matt Bigland, Founder and CEO of Blend Family, said: “This is an exciting development for us and the passion that the Quayside MediaCity team have for creating new, exciting experiences for everyone who lives, works, and visits the area is infectious. We can’t wait to announce Central Bay and Kargo’s first line-up of incredible food vendors and bring our offering to Salford.”
Hopefully the opening of Central Bay will herald the arrival of warm weather so we can sit outside on the terrace for days on end, but if not, it’s nice to know we can shelter inside.