Big news for Manchester’s hospitality pedigree as Freight Island is soon to expand beyond 0161, swapping the North West for the North East for their second venture in none other than Newcastle.
Mayfield’s shipping container village packed with food, drink, entertainment and more has become a go-to destination all of its own over the past couple of years.
First opening back in 2020 and undergoing somewhat of a rebrand in 2023, Freight Island welcomes thousands of visitors every week, serving up stunning selections from independent traders based in and around the city, the North West and beyond.
Now a well-known regional attraction beyond just us Greater Mancunians, Freight’s reputation has now grown large enough for the owners to expand into fellow Northern city Newcastle later this year.
Credit: Eldon Square’s last major redevelopment was in 2008. (Credit: Newcastle City Council/Andrew Tryon via Geograph)
Hopoing to take further inspiration from the likes of waterside amusements like Coney Island in New York and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen (though this location will be a good 15 minutes from the Tyne River), the second Freight Island venue is due to open this autumn.
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The reported £16 million investment is part of a Newcastle City Council’s wider £50m City Centre Transformation Programme, including an extensive redevelopment of the Pilgrim Street district.
Set to span an impressive 60,000 square feet, the new site will see the top floor of the former Debenhams unit reclaimed along with an additional roof-top space, where local food and drinks vendors will be able to set up shop.
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Beyond your standard burgers, beers and other popular scran, Freight Island Newcastle will also host the UK’s first wine tanks as part of a new sustainability-focused single-producer-led wine programme, as well as specialist Aperitivo cocktail bar with expertly crafted drinks.
They’re promising everything “from kids’ raves and Michelin-star level dining to live performances, late-night parties” and more.
For instance, right now Freight Island has transformed a good chunk of its indoor space into the biggest Six Nations fan zone in the country.
Speaking via the Council, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Freight Island, Dan Morris, said: “This venue has been designed with scale, prominence, and long-term investment in mind and we’re delighted to have worked with Pradera Lateral, XPE Group plc and Newcastle City Council to bring it to Newcastle.
“We hope to replicate the huge success of Freight Island in Manchester, where it has already contributed over £30 million to the local economy. This incredible venue in the heart of a very special city offers a truly exciting opportunity to create a cultural space that could become a focal point of Newcastle for years to come.
Cllr Dan Greenhough, Newcastle City Council Cabinet Member for Economy, Jobs and Skills, added “The launch of Freight Island at Eldon Square marks an important moment in the transformation of Newcastle city centre and is something that I’m sure our residents will be incredibly excited about.
Featured Images — CGIs (via Newcastle City Council)/The Manc Group
Eats
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse to reopen
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme – the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue will live on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, is currently being carefully restored ahead of its big relaunch just next week.
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’ll also be affordable, hearty pub grub including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
The team bringing The Abbey to life are Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth – Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manchester venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year; and Gareth is the founder of multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch is part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
Glimpses of The Abbey’s refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth Hemmingfield from The Abbey commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area. Honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Danny Jones -
6th February 2025 
