The best restaurant in the UK has just been named as L’Enclume, the much-loved Lake District restaurant owned by Simon Rogan.
And the north west has shone across the board in the Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants, with eight other local spots making the prestigious list.
There were two entries for Greater Manchester, three for Lancashire, and three in Cumbria.
Both Mana in Ancoats and Where The Light Gets In in Stockport were awarded positions in the top 100, with the latter storming into the top 50.
It comes off the back of Where The Light Gets In being awarded a fourth AA rosette just a few months ago, to go on its mantelpiece with its Michelin Green Star.
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But the top spot this year in the Harden’s guide has gone to L’Enclume, a restaurant that has always featured on the list but never before made it to number one.
Diners hailed the 17-course set menu at L’Enclume as ‘a completely faultless experience’.
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Chef owner Simon Rogan says: “My team and myself are honoured that L’Enclume has been rated the number 1 restaurant in the UK by diners on behalf of Harden’s.
Simon Rogan of L’Enclume restaurant, just named the best in the UK. Credit: Supplied
“To have been featured in Harden’s Top 100 every year since its inception in 2011 is an amazing achievement and being awarded the top spot for the 2024 edition is a testament to the amazing year we’ve had.”
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, added: “L’Enclume has always been consistent in its top quality offering and it was wonderful to hear the recent news that Paul Burgalières, who has been a key figure in L’Enclume’s evolution over the past six years, has now been appointed Executive Chef.
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“Coming in at £300+ it’s certainly one of the higher priced restaurants in our listings, but we see none of the resistance from diners with regards to paying those prices that we’ve seen at other top establishments. Those who’ve made the pilgrimage think it’s money very well spent.”
Paul Burgalières added: “I am very proud of everything we have achieved at L’Enclume over the past couple of years. To take the position of Executive Chef has been a great honour, and I am excited that our work at the restaurant has achieved such a high level of recognition.”
The number of London restaurants on the list has fallen to an all-time low as the spotlight moves further north, with the North West now one of the best-performing regions outside the capital.
Where The Light Gets In in Stockport. Credit: Instagram, @arestaurantwherethelightgetsin
Mana was praised for its ‘outstanding all-round’ form while Where The Light Gets In was celebrated for its ‘major emphasis on sustainability and local sourcing’ with ‘delicious wine pairings’ all served by ‘lovely staff’.
Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall, just up the road in Aughton, also shot into the top 10 and placed at number six.
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Northcote, also in Lancashire, ranked 70th in the top 100 and the White Swan at Fence was labelled ‘restaurant of the year’.
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, comments: “This year it has been interesting to note that London’s grip on the Top 100 list is the weakest that we have ever recorded (the lowest previous figure was 41 in the 2020 guide). Whilst 12 months is too little data for firm pronouncements, this swing to the shires may reflect the increasing excellence of dining out across the UK.
“The North-West has made a strong showing in this year’s list, not necessarily for the cities themselves but for top dining in leafy touristic locations such as the Lake District and Lancashire. With more and more diners seemingly valuing and indeed seeking out these types of dining experiences, the region could have even more to gain by drawing further attention to its stunning countryside locales.”
Gary Neville’s five-star hotel is expanding, with 95 new suites
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville‘s luxury Stock Exchange Hotel is expanding in a big way, announcing today the Stock Exchange Suites.
The expansion will see 95 new suites added to the five-star hotel, taking over the building just opposite the existing hotel.
As well as the new suites, the Stock Exchange Suites will add a new food and drink offering to the city centre, plus a boutique gym and spa.
Expected to open in early 2027, it will dramatically boost the capacity of the hotel, which currently has just 40 individually designed rooms and suites.
The Stock Exchange Hotel has become the go-to accommodation for the rich and famous visiting Manchester, with Hugh Grant, Madonna, Noel Gallagher, Ed Sheeran, and Rosalia all choosing to stay here for their respective events in recent years.
The 95 room addition aims to be a ‘seamless extension of the hotel’s outstanding guest experience’ and will triple its current capacity.
Gary Neville’s five-star hotel is expanding, into Stock Exchange Suites
Stock Exchange Suites – just like the main hotel – will be designed by interior design studio Autoban, with modern luxury touches from materials to furniture.
The luxury suites will span from the first to the fourth floor of the building, with a mix of the brand’s Arthur Hope Suites, Bradshaw Suites and Norfolk Suites.
There’ll also be flexible cluster rooms to accommodate larger groups, with the option to configure different bedroom arrangements and private lounges.
Every room will include super king-sized beds and stunning en suite bathrooms.
On the ground level, there’ll be an expanded Traders Lounge, a 1000 sq ft relaxed lobby space, cafe and bar, to grab everything from morning coffee to evening cocktails.
Plans also include a boutique gym and spa, with steam and sauna rooms plus treatment rooms.
There’ll be 48 car parking spaces and new meeting rooms included in the expansion.
Winston Zahra, Co-Owner of the Stock Exchange and founder of Troo Hospitality said: “We’re delighted to share more details of what’s to come at Stock Exchange Suites at such an exciting time for the city.
“An exceptional start to the year has only strengthened our belief in the opportunity to grow. Stock Exchange Suites is a natural next step — allowing us to enhance our offer and to meet demand for hosting groups and guests from across the globe.
“This expansion reflects both our confidence in the market and our continued commitment to investing in Manchester’s world-class hospitality offering.”
Medlock Square: Manchester’s new £300 million entertainment destination on the Etihad Campus
Danny Jones
Manchester’s newest entertainment destination, located over at the ever-growing Etihad Campus, has finally been given a name ahead of its launch later this year.
Alongside the recently announced and Radisson-run hotel, Medlock Square will see the Manchester City-partnered mini leisure district aim to become a new must-visit part of the city.
Hoping to draw in crowds beyond just matchdays and those heading to concerts across the way, approximately £300 million is being pumped into the project.
With Co-op Live having already brought huge revenues into Greater Manchester, it isn’t just set to be a pricey development, but one that will look to serve as yet another money spinner for the wider City Football Group (CFG) and the City Region.
Credit: CFG (supplied)
Unveiling the first CGIs of the square this week, this new area will essentially see attractions and activities spill out of the Etihad Stadium, Co-op Live and the soon-to-open Medlock hotel and on to the campus as a whole.
With other parts of Sportcity already revolving around the footballing epicentre, such as the Manchester Regional Arena and National Squash Centre, this will not only see even more sporting events and supporters brought to the roughly 80-acre plot, but also fans of various other forms of entertainment.
For instance, within the plans that already include the food and drink offerings you would expect – with Radisson Blu backing more of the relaxation and indulgent side of things – other activities include everything from “an adrenaline-fuelled sky walk experience”, as well as zip-wire and abseiling.
We already knew about some of these from the details in Man City’s stadium expansion plans (including the likes of The Medlock and rooftop bar), and glimpses of the impending hotel opening gave us a better idea of the overall look, but there looks to be plenty more in the pipeline.
You can see a trailer for what they have in mind for Medlock Square down below.
Welcome to Medlock Square. Manchester’s newest entertainment destination. A place where mouthwatering cuisine and world class entertainment, experiences and events converge. Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/4bC7NQbMHT
As per an official press release by the fledgling team, more information on further business and employment opportunities has also now been confirmed, centring around the new ‘One Medlock Square’ structure that will be built on the campus.
“Designed to accommodate up to 300 employees, the state-of-the-art workspace will offer high-quality, modern office facilities alongside access to shared event spaces and wellness amenities, uniquely positioned within Manchester’s most exciting new destination”, the statement reads.
There’s certainly some ambitious stuff in the works, put it that way.
And, of course, these will also slot into a renovated club shop turned meagstore, an all-new Man City museum, the Co-op arena, live music and other open-air events, just to name a few. A specific opening date is yet to be scheduled, but you can guarantee it’ll be a big deal when it does launch.
Daisy Jackson -
13th December 2023 
