Stretford Foodhall, a local favourite that’s been at the heart of an entire town centre’s regeneration, has announced its shocking and sudden closure.
The business, which is part retailer and part food hall, said that it has been a ‘tortuous few years’ and that it will be closing for good next week.
Stretford Foodhall is part of the General Stores group, perhaps best-known for operating Ancoats General Store.
While the bulk of the business has always been about crafting the region’s ‘coolest cornershops’, where you can browse local produce and products alongside your usual essentials, Stretford Foodhall was a new offering entirely.
A huge portion of their site on the edge of Stretford Mall was given over to a dining space, with an ever-rotating selection of local traders taking up residence in the kitchens.
Stretford Foodhall was quickly award-winning and has often been praised for helping to kick-start the area’s regeneration.
But they have now written that they have ‘no more left in the tank’ and will close for good on Sunday 11 February.
In a lengthy statement, signed by founder Mital Morar, they wrote that they had had problems from their opening in 2019, when they were ‘too busy with not enough seats’.
Egg & Co was a recent trader at Stretford Foodhall. Credit: The Manc GroupWaffle Kart also had a residency at Stretford Foodhall. Credit: The Manc Group
Stretford Foodhall then said it never properly recovered from the impact of Covid, which struck less than a year after its launch.
Mital’s open letter stated: “We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day.”
It continued by praising its ‘individual and amazing’ staff, and thanking all the many food traders, pop ups, breweries, and artists who have been part of the journey over the last five years.
Stretford Foodhall’s statement concluded: “As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_.”
The news of the closure comes less than a year after the group shut down its Sale Foodhall.
It comes with great sadness and torment that we have decided to close on Sunday 11th February 2024
Opening in 2019 to much risk and applaud we very quickly had problems! We were too busy, didn’t have enough seats and had to evolve very quickly. A good problem! For all the naysayers, Stretford supported us and we couldn’t have been happier.
We hadn’t even traded one year and along came covid and changed all that. We haven’t ever really recovered. Whilst trading through, winning awards, doing takeaway food and coffee, we evolved as much as we could with what we could post covid. Entering inflation, cost of living crisis and this crazy enduring energy situation… we have no more left in the tank.
We continue to be involved with the GMCA dialogue to support them in lobbying government for change in the hospitality sector. Too many friends are suffering and we stand with you.
We are very concious of our strengths and weaknesses. We are very concious of the current environment and we have tried our best with all the headwinds to make a go of it and keep going for the greater good. We are grateful for the support from our customers, our relationships with food traders and suppliers. We appreciate BRUNTWOOD who helped where they could and we have no doubt the new and final vision will deliver the goods. Sadly, our part in this journey cannot continue.
We are acutely aware, on this journey of survival, we have let some people down. We apologise unreservedly for this and hope to make right one day. As you know, our roots are embedded in retail. We will continue on this journey and navigate this tough environment there.
This message is written by Mital, as Proprietor. This closure isn’t a reflection of our colleagues in branch, they too have endured a tough ride of uncertainty and changing decisions day to day. We have had to become an operation we don’t aspire to be and this too cannot continue. We Thank You for your service and will support your roles and continuity as best we can. You are all individual and amazing and we wish you only the best for the future.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the food traders, creatives, pop ups, breweries, artists and more who have engaged and explored this road with us in Stretford. Our warmest wishes to our business neighbours and community friends who have humbled us with your friendship. We will meet again one day.
As a Manchester born and bred business, local and independent, our confidence and Ikigai (as Masako once taught us) has been knocked. It has been a tortuous few years. But we get up and fight daily. Whilst we are closing, we haven’t given up. We look forward to serving you again one day… for now see us at @generalstores_
Thank You Thank You… Mital & Family
Featured image: Publicity picture
News
Manchester City issue statement as they reach agreement over ‘APT’ controversy
Danny Jones
Manchester City and the Premier League have agreed a settlement over their long, drawn-out APT rules controversy.
For starters, no: this is not to do with the outstanding 115 charges still alleged against the local side; that’s to do with FFP.
In case you weren’t aware of the latest with this story, after winning a watershed court case against the English top flight last October regarding ‘Associated Party Transactions’ (APT) – an outcome with the Premier League contested – Man City have now put the case behind them.
Updating supporters on social media this week, the club revealed that the situation has now been resolved and is essentially over.
Sharing the update on social media, they gave a brief overview of how the debate related to transparency surrounding sponsorship deals and commercial dealings was finally concluded.
A statement reads as follows: “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have reached a settlement in relation to the arbitration commenced by the club earlier this year concerning the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction, and as a result, the parties have agreed to terminate the proceedings.
“This settlement brings an end to the dispute between the parties regarding the APT Rules. As part of the settlement, Manchester City accepts that the current APT Rules are valid and binding.
“It has been agreed that neither the Premier League nor the club will be making any further comment about the matter.
Although the decision was ultimately reached following extensive investigation by an independent commission, some are already speculating about what this could mean in terms of wider controversies surrounding the club. It’s also opened the door for them to resume partnerships already in the pipeline.
#ManCity have accepted the Premier League’s new ATP rules and have received assurances that they will not be treated differently when securing sponsorship with companies linked to their owners.
Manchester City are now able to complete a hugely lucrative, long-term deal with… pic.twitter.com/oqn9seWSbS
Conversely, the Premier League itself is yet to offer any public response of its own, with the assurance that the City Football Group (CFG) accepts that said APT Rules are “valid and binding” essentially being the final word.
Many fans have been quick to question online whether this has any impact on the aforementioned FFP saga (don’t forget City’s 115 charges were actually increased to 130 back in December), but very little is still publicly known about the latter.
The hearing itself technically began this time last year, but we have yet to actually find out what the result was, despite the 10-week process ending in December.
Meanwhile, that isn’t the only concern for die-hard Blues of late…
The Manchester public are being invited to consult on ‘landmark’ development plans for Red Bank
Danny Jones
Members of the Greater Manchester public are being invited to take part in the official consultation period ahead of the proposed plans for a big new development in Red Bank.
The central district, located right near Cheetham Hill and now considered a key part of the Northern Gateway regeneration area, is on the verge of a significant transformation in the shape of two huge new ‘landmark’ towers.
With more skyscrapers steadily popping up all over the city centre and neighbouring parts of Salford (at an increasingly quick rate, we’d hasten to add), local residents are rightly being encouraged to come and share their thoughts and feedback on the impending project.
CGIs of the two new towers from near and afar. (Credit: Supplied)
Pencilled in by LWP Redbank Limited, the public consultation is not just specifically related to 50–54 Red Bank, but the surrounding area too.
With two separate planning permission applications submitted to Manchester City Council – one regarding the apartment blocks themselves and another to the ‘public realm’, which includes the immediate vicinity and, most notably, potential “future access to the historic viaduct.”
The headline of the major update to the Red Bank neighbourhood is, of course, the two apartment buildings, which would create a total of 509 new homes and employment opportunities.
Made up of a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats said to be suitable for both single occupants and families, the developers are also slated to create several shared amenities, landscaped outdoor areas, and sweeping city views.
Equally important is how it will integrate into the existing area at ground level, with new commercial units set to complement the thriving businesses under the recognisable Red Bank arches; more than 2,000 square metres of open space will link the towers to the viaduct.
Sustainability is said to be at the heart of the proposals too, with the scheme expected to be largely car-free, as well as improving travel links to public transport networks, cycle parking, energy-efficient features, “including air source heat pumps and other low-carbon technologies.”
At present, those for the construction argue that limited use is being made of the space.
Locals hoping for a positive dialogue during the consultation period will be pleased to hear that “native planting, trees, and rain gardens will create green and welcoming spaces, with active frontages and open sightlines improving safety and vibrancy” have all been promised.
Issuing a statement on behalf of the project team, a spokesperson said in a recent press release: “Red Bank is fast becoming a creative and vibrant part of Manchester, and our vision is to build on this character to create a distinctive new neighbourhood.
“These proposals bring forward much-needed homes, alongside new public space, and active ground-floor uses that will add to the life of the area. We look forward to hearing what local people think during our consultation, which is being held until Friday, 3 October.”
A consultation drop-in event will take place at GRUB MCR, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill (M4 4HF) from 3-7pm on Wednesday, 17 September. Further feedback is also welcome either HERE, over the email at [email protected], or by freephone: 0800 689 1095 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm).
If all goes ahead as planned, you can expect work to start on this particular part of the ‘Victoria North Masterplan’ early next year, if not even sooner.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd February 2024 
