The new plans for the restaurant space inside Gary Neville’s Stock Exchange Hotel have been revealed, after Tom Kerridge announced he would be departing at the end of the year.
The shock closure of the Bull & Bear was announced last month, with not much information as to what would happen to the space next.
Then the Schofield brothers, who run the award-winning Schofield’s Bar (among others) confirmed that they would take charge of the enormous space.
And now the new vision for the restaurant has been revealed.
The former Bull & Bear site will become The Stock Market Grill, operated by Joe and Daniel Schofield and wine expert James Brandwood.
ADVERTISEMENT
This will be their first restaurant concept after successfully launching Schofield’s Bar, Atomeca and Sterling in the past 18 months.
Credit: The Bull & BearJoe and Daniel Schofield, James Brandwood, and Gary Neville. Credit: The Bull & BearStock Market Grill restaurant will take the place of The Bull & Bear at the Stock Exchange Hotel.
And the Bury-born bartender brothers are already well-acquainted with the hotel’s Manchester United legend owner Gary Neville – Sterling is based beneath the Stock Exchange hotel, in a former bank vault.
ADVERTISEMENT
Set to open in February, the kitchen will be led by head chef Joshua Reed Cooper, whose CV includes stints at The French, Where The Light Gets In, and Mana.
The Stock Market Grill promises ‘traditional British dishes executed with technique’, with a bespoke menu that will include dishes like whipped black pudding on toast, tartare of rib-eye with caper jam and smoked dripping, steamed cod with caramelised mash, and a sticky toffee tart with honey custard.
Gary Neville, owner of Stock Exchange Hotel, said: “I am incredibly excited to be working with Joe, Daniel and James again on the launch of The Stock Market Grill.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I know they will bring another world class-brand to the Stock Exchange Hotel and to our city.”
Joe, Daniel and James said: “We are really looking forward to the launch of The Stock Market Grill. This is a concept that we have wanted to bring forward for some time and the former trading floor of the Stock Exchange seemed like the perfect option.
“Our aim is to reinvent the traditional hotel restaurant, to become a space destined for food and drink travellers, whilst providing an expectation exceeding experience for the residents of the hotel.”
Stock Exchange Hotel won Times Travel and The Sunday Times Best Hotel in the North of England in 2020 and has recently won Leading Hotel of the Year at the This is MCR Awards 2022.
The Bull & Bear is set to close on 31 December, with Tom Kerridge and Neville amicably parting ways, insisting ‘there is no falling out’ but they were both making moves that were best for both businesses.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Stock Market Grill restaurant will open at the Stock Exchange at the end of February 2023.
Featured image: The Bull & Bear
Eats
The best rooftop bars and terraces in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
It doesn’t matter whether it’s spring, pure summer heat, or even on a crisp autumn/winter’s day; whenever the sun breaks out in Manchester, part of our brain immediately turns to going for a pint – ideally on a rooftop bar, if possible.
Yes, beer gardens are great, but sunlight often gets blocked out by the rising number of tall buildings going up around the city centre.
Unless you’re up top in one of those buildings…
It’s not an absolute science, nor is it for everyone, but those of you who do like a few scoops up high on the odd occasion, here are some of the best rooftop bars and drinking terraces in Manchester.
The 10 best rooftop and ‘sky’ bars in Manchester city centre
1. YES
First up, whenever someone asks you the question, “Do you want to go and sit on a sun-soaked rooftop terrace with some bevs?”, the answer is simple: HELL. YES.
So many members of our team, both past and present, have called this their favourite outdoor drinking spot or bar in town full-stop, whether they spent their uni days here or love those cheap discounted Aperol spritzes every summer. Yes, it gets busy sometimes, but it’s for good reason – the place is mint.
2. Sora
Number two is more of a bar and restaurant, in truth, but we do love it a lot. Located above Malmaison’s Deansgate location – dangerously close to our office, by the way (like, literally next door) – Sora specialises in Pan-Asian-inspired dishes and drinks, including some very good sushi.
It’s well worth going along to try their ‘oriental afternoon tea‘ if you’re so inclined, but even if not, it’s just a very cool place to sip away.
Our third choice is one of Manchester city centre’s newest and fanciest additions, situated within the ever-growing St. Michael’s complex, developed by Gary Neville.
A number of recent openings have popped up in here, including Grind Coffee, which also benefits from the rooftop setting, but ‘Claude’s Skyview Bar’ inside Chotto Matte’s Manchester site is something very unique, indeed.
From the high end to the downright legendary for our money, in most people’s books, it doesn’t get much better than the likes of Terrace in the Northern Quarter, which has the benefit of having not only three floors but multiple outdoor areas and patios.
The best of the lot, however, is undeniably the rooftop area, which stretches nearly the entire square footage of the Thomas Street venue, and itself has multiple sections – each with a slightly different feel.
5. 20 Stories
Back over to the posher side of things now, and 20 Stories is one of those places that people literally travel into Manchester for to grab a great new profile picture with their tipple, and it is an undeniably Instagram-worthy venue.
With wonderful views across the city from No. 1 Spinningfields on Hardman Square, it’s an ideal suggestion for a classy glass of wine or fizz on a special occasion, though you’ll be far from the only one making the most of the vantage point.
Time for a nice middle ground in the form of Atlas Bar over on the corner of the Deansgate-Castlefield interchange, which has been sitting pretty on its little perch for three decades now.
While it may not be high up in the sky, the canopied terrace on the cosy balcony out the back, complete with outdoor heaters, benches in direct sunlight, as well as comfy cushioned seating under the retractable cover, might just be one of the best all-seasons drinking spots of this ilk. Always has been.
7. King Street Townhouse Hotel
Heading back across the city now and over to King Street Townhouse, the stunning hotel and spa operated by THG sits as somewhat of a best-kept secret on the back of Booth St, and one of the reasons it’s such a hidden gem is that stunning rooftop terrace.
It may only be small in comparison to some other rooftop bars in Manchester, but that’s part of what we think makes it special. Whether you’re there for a full stay, a treatment, or just a drink, this is where you should tie a ribbon on it.
Next up, once again, we’re going for an entirely different vibe with this one, and another admittedly more student-centric hangout, but Brickhouse Social is nevertheless a very fun place to grab a pint up high.
They cover several floors these days, including the Kable nightclub down in the basement, but their rooftop terrace is also one of the best value-for-money bars in Manchester city centre. Catch you at ‘The Greenhouse’ sometime soon.
Over to our Amy’s favourite beer garden/outdoor drinking spot, which just so happens to be Beeswing elevated right above the Nell’s over at Kampus.
Sitting just across the water from Canal Street and the bustle of Gay Village, this one feels like arguably the perfect blend of handy central location and lively atmosphere, while still feeling tucked away enough for you to enjoy a quiet moment.
Last but not least, we have to speak a little bit about the still relatively new ‘Ivy on the Roof’ experience over at the famous bar and brasserie over in Spinningfields, where footballers and countless other celebrities dine, drink and dance every week.
As for us lot, let’s be honest: we’re the real ones that make places like this truly tick all year-round; there’s also the slightly more intimate ‘Skylight Terrace’ room, which offers another sanctuary up and away from the rest of the glitz and glamour of the restaurant.
Finally, before we leave you, we couldn’t wrap this up without mentioning the long-standing Cloud 23 bar sitting the same number of storeys up in the former Hilton skyscraper, now simply known as The Manchester Deansgate Hotel.
ADVERTISEMENT
You could argue that the Beetham Tower bar is the one that started it all here in Manchester, offering that kind of panoramic view over drinks long before virtually anyone else in the city. Most of you don’t need telling that it’s there, but we thought it’d be rude not to give a nod to one of the OGs.
Now, it goes without saying that this is by no means an exhaustive list, and if you think there’s somewhere that’s been criminally overlooked, feel free to give us some stick in the comments.
There’s something novel about rooftop bars that we’ll simply never tire of, and with Manchester’s skyline growing and getting taller and taller all the time, you can expect more and more of them to pop up in the coming years.
A glimpse at Manchester’s newest restaurant and bar, opening soon with beautiful skyline views
Daisy Jackson
A beautiful new 14th-floor food and drink destination is coming to Manchester in the coming weeks, home to both a new restaurant AND a new bar.
This will be the latest addition to Manchester’s Treehouse Hotel, which opened last year transforming a huge building at the end of Deansgate.
Now the hotel is unveiling the final chapter of its opening, with a new elevated dining and drinking offering, with beautiful skyline views.
Up first will be rooftop restaurant Sistermoon, a new project from acclaimed chef Sam Grainger (you know him from Madre, among others).
Sam will be working alongside Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford (Electric Chair, Volta, Freight Island) on Sistermoon, a Southeast Asian BBQ concept inspired by his time cooking with a local family in Thailand.
Also opening way up here on the 14th floor will be The Nest, a new signature bar with panoramic views of Manchester that will be a destination for late-night drinks and social occasions.
Treehouse Hotel is opening a new 14th-floor restaurant and bar
And at the very top of the hotel, The Hideout will open as an intimate rooftop lounge and event space designed for private hire.
The final phase of the hotel will also see nine premium suites open, from huge Presidential Suites to interconnecting rooms – expect walk-in wardrobes, kitchens, and skyline views.
Treehouse Hotel is already home to 224 playful guest rooms, the award-winning Pip restaurant, the private Flix cinema, and Playground gym.
Sistermoon, The Nest, and The Hideout will open on 11 June – you can sign up to find out more HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
14th December 2022 
