Factory International, the new £210m cultural space tipped by Time Out magazine to be one of the best places to visit in 2023, has revealed details of its upcoming food offering – and there’s a lot to get excited about.
With plans to introduce a ground floor foyer café and public bar, as well as two auditorium bars when it opens later this year, the team has been busy looking for hospitality partners to come on board.
Today, bosses have confirmed that two of the north west’s best-loved operators – one of which is behind YES in Manchester and Ox Club in Leeds – will come together to service the new multi-million-pound arts venue.
Set to be known as Super Serve Manchester, the new hospitality collaboration will see operators Solitaire Restaurants Ltd and Square One join forces in a new partnership.
Together, they will look after all the permanent food and beverage services on site when it opens at the heart of the city’s new St. John’s neighbourhood, formerly home to Granada TV and next to the Science and Industry Museum, later this year.
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With menus changing seasonally, the inaugural offer at Factory International will include brunch, grab-and-go options and a late-night street-style offering when it launches this summer.
Super Serve, alongside other local traders, will also provide catering for the much-loved Festival Square which this year relocates to the venues’ new river-side public spaces for the first time.
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Solitaire Restaurants Ltd has a twenty-year proven track record of successful independent food and drink establishments and is well known locally for the busy bar and venue YES, which first burst onto the Manchester scene in 2018.
Solitaire is a well-known operator across the north west, with its team also responsible for favourites such as Ox Club, Belgrave Music Hall and Headrow House (Leeds) and Nightcrawler Pizza (Liverpool).
Square One, meanwhile, is an independent north west operator which provides infrastructure for events of all sizes, specialising in directing large-scale bar operations.
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The team brings experience delivering support at scale in the north for the likes of Highest Point Festival, The Depot at Mayfield, Creamfields, Parklife and the Garden Party.
Speaking on the new opening, Super Serve Manchester Managing Director Stevie Mulgrave said: “With many of the team starting their hospitality careers right here in Manchester before going on to work with some of the best independent operators throughout the North West, it’s an honour now to be chosen as the Food & Beverage partner for Factory International.
“Already billed by Time Out magazine as one of the best things to visit in 2023, we can’t wait to be a part of this amazing project in the heart of our city.”
Solitaire Director of Operations Gemma Hampton-Stone added: “We’ll be taking our inspiration from dining tables across Manchester.
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“We’re interested in working with the local community to deliver a diverse and accessible offer; working alongside suppliers who have the highest regard for sustainability and animal welfare and engaging in non-intensive and traditional techniques to create some of the best tasting and highest quality products around.
“We’re looking forward to presenting a seasonally changing menu that reflects the vibrancy the area has to offer.”
Sheena Wrigley, Venue Director, Factory International, said: “We are thrilled to be working with the newly formed Super Serve as our food and beverage partner.
“That two companies at the top of their game have come together to collaborate and created something new just for Factory International couldn’t be more fitting.
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“Not only does the team bring a wealth of expertise as Soltaire and Square One and understanding of the Manchester and North West hospitality scene, but they also showed a real commitment to supporting our values including sustainability, community engagement, and accessible pricing.
“We are excited to be working together establishing a creative, eclectic, welcoming new social space and in a unique part of the city.”
Programmed and operated by Factory International, the team behind the world-renowned Manchester International Festival, the new venue will host a year-round programme of original creative work, music and special events – from intimate concerts to immersive installations. Outside, pop-up performances, events and markets will create a buzzing riverside destination for all to enjoy.
Audiences will be invited to preview the trailblazing new cultural space during this year’s Manchester International Festival which returns across the city from 29 June to 16 July.
The venue’s official opening will be in October with the production Free Your Mind, a large-scale immersive performance based on The Matrix films created by Danny Boyle, Es Devlin and the co-founders of Olivier Award-winning Boy Blue.
Featured image – Supplied
City Centre
Some of the best St. Patrick’s Day deals, offers and specials in Manchester city centre this year
Danny Jones
St Patrick’s Day 2026 is nearly upon us, and we can’t wait to drink a river of Guinness, sing old Irish classics, dance a jig and be generally merry.
It’s a good job we know exactly where to make the most of the festivities then, isn’t it?
The best Paddy’s Day deals and offers around Manchester | 2026
1. Cheap Guinness and brilliant, beefy pies at The Black Friar – Salford
First up on our list this year, the beautiful Black Friar pub and bistro over on the edge of Salford is doing £4.50 Guinness for St. Patrick’s Day 2026 – one of the best prices you’ll find in town these days.
But that’s not all: they’re also doing a special Guinness and Beef Pie special, which you can grab with a pint of the good stuff for £17, plus £15 bottles of wine, as well as beers and cocktails for just a fiver. You can book a table HERE.
2. St Patrick’s Day specials at Hello Oriental – Oxford Road
More of a fun little one-off rather than a deal or discount, per se, but when we saw that even pan-Asian food hall Hello Oriental was getting involved with Paddy’s Day, we couldn’t ignore it.
As well as they’re already viral spice bags, they’re also doing a Black Bean Guinness Noodles dish – available with chicken or completely vegan – and we’ll admit we’re very keen to try it for ourselves.
3. Lots of the black stuff at Black Cat Club – Central
No-nonsense here: £5 pints of black gold, £2.50 shots of Baby Guinness, and a special ‘Frozen Fat Frog’ cocktail, which is basically an alcoholic slushie with Blue WKD, Smirnoff Ice and Orange Bacardi Breezer.
They’ve also got a special Irish-themed food menu for the weekend, too, including Guinness-glazed wings, spice bags, which can be enjoyed with crispy chicken and chip shop curry sauce.
Plus, there are always games to be played. (Credit: The Manc)
4. A big St. Patrick’s Day party on Peter Street – Deansgate
Albert’s Schloss remains one of the best nights in town for all seasons, so it’s no surprise that they’re throwing a smashing St. Patrick’s Day bash every year.
This time around, there’ll be ‘Kunst Kabarat’, Celtic comfort foods like pie, Irish boxty and sticky toffee pudding serving out of the Cook Haus, as well as prizes to be won like free merch, drinks tokens and even £100 off your bill. Tickets are available now.
5. Free entry and MUCH more at O’Malleys – Portland Street
At the other end of the spectrum, you could argue that free entry isn’t anything too spectacular, but it’s becoming increasingly common on Paddy’s Day, and luckily, O’Malleys has lots of other stuff going on too – all the way until 4am.
How about merch, ‘Seflie Guinness’ (with you face on) from their ‘Stoutie’ machine, a happy hour running from 3-6pm on 16, 18 and 20 March, with £6 cocktails, £4 selected beers/ciders, £18 house wine and £5 Guinness available? Oh, and they also do bottomless Guinness brunches, too, so yeah – there’s plenty.
6. Guinness pastries, pies and plenty of pints at O’Connell’s – Oxford Road
It may not be the Thirsty Scholar anymore, but what that does mean is they go extra ham over at O’Connell’s at this time of year nowadays – and they’re bringing back an exclusive fan favourite special as well.
As well as the recent and extremely popular beef and Guinness collab with V. Goode Pies returning for the day, they’ve also teamed up with Half Dozen Other to create a Guinness Pain Suisse – yes, really – which will serve as arguably the best pub snacks in the entire city come 17 March 2026.
7. 50% off special Paddy’s Day cocktails at Slug & Lettuce – Piccadilly (only)
Everyone knows the Slug, it doesn’t need any introduction – BUT, they’ll likely be busy all week around Paddy’s Day and do have a banging offer this year.
They’re doing a Paddy’s Apple and Lemonade made with the brand’s fruity Irish whisky, topped with apple juice and lemonade for half price between 16 March and 12 April, when you download the MiXR app ahead of time. Simple as that.
Now, this is by no means a comprehensive list; we just thought we’d put you on to a few good ones we’ve seen in and around the city.
And, of course, if you spot any good St. Patrick’s Day deals in Manchester, do let us know and drop them in the comments for everyone to make the most of.
We hope you enjoy the celebrations, and please drink responsibly.
Before you leave us, you might as well check out some of our favourite Irish pubs and bars in the area for Paddy’s Day 2026…
Manchester Flower Festival set to fill the city centre with fresh blooms this summer
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s annual Flower Festival is set to return once again early this summer, filling the city centre with fresh blooms.
Now in its ninth year, and always billed as being one of the most colourful and ‘Instagrammable’ events in the annual calendar, The Manchester Flower Festival is set to make a return this upcoming late May bank holiday weekend, and as always, it’s expected that this fabulous floral spectacle will attract thousands of visitors into Manchester city centre.
This is your chance to celebrate the start of summer, as the city comes alive with stunning floral displays, green installations, and dozens of free events, all alongside outdoor dining and entertainment.
This theme of this year’s festival, which is organised annually by Manchester BID, is ‘Green Manchester’.
Manchester Flower Festival is set to fill the city centre with fresh blooms again this summer / Credit: Supplied
It’s all about celebrating the city’s green spaces and future developments – including the Castlefield Viaduct extension, Piccadilly Gardens redevelopment, and Cyan Lines, which is a project to connect 100-miles of nature across the city.
As mentioned, returning this late May bank holiday weekend from Saturday 23 – Monday 25 May, there are lots of ways to participate and get involved in this year’s festival – including various ‘Show Gardens’, floristry displays, festival market stalls, and loads of other events.
The Floral Trail will be at the heart of the event, where visitors can wind their way around the city’s shopping streets to find some of the most beautiful gardens and flowers.
There’ll be a dedicated Festival Zone providing all the action, as well as a Floral Marquee on New Cathedral Street where you can find a collection of beautiful displays from local Manchester florists, alongside daily workshops.
Local businesses in the city centre are also encouraged to show their support for the annual festival by creating window, building, or in-store floral displays, and even hosting dedicated offers and food and drinks specials.
Georgina Pellant -
16th May 2023 
