Travel & Tourism

Huge food hall, luxury shops and more set to open at Manchester Airport

Including the airport's first-ever Wetherspoons

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 19th September 2024

Manchester Airport has today revealed details of more than 20 new shops, bars and restaurants that will open at its shiny new Terminal 2 next year, including a huge new street food hall.

Everything from luxury retail units to a new pub will be opening to cater to passengers before they jet off on their holidays.

Manchester Airport has lined up an impressive array of food, drink and retail for this final phase of its £1.3bn transformation programme.

This includes the airport’s first ever Wetherspoons pub, a Chanel makeup and skincare boutique, a Pandora, Greggs, and Joe and the Juice.

Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport will also include plenty of local food names again – you’ll be able to indulge on Gooey bakes in the new food hall, visit an expanded Amber Alehouse from Seven Brothers Brewery, as well as visiting the existing locations of Pot Kettle Black, Archie’s and Sam Carlo.

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The huge new phase for the airport, completing in Summer 2025, will feature a Boutique Mall home to brands like Chanel and a Fever-Tree cocktail bar, as well as a high street-style strip called The Avenue, where passengers will find LEGO, Pandora and Rituals.

Of the 22-strong list of new businesses joining the Manchester Airport, a big name is the 472-seat market hall-style street food venue, which will have seven different kitchens within it, including a Gooey dessert bar.

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The Great Northern Market will feature a diverse range of world street food options including pizza, Mexican food, noodles and more, with a regularly rotating offering.

The Great Northern market has been created with street food pioneer Dominic Cools-Lartigue, the founder of food markets Street Feast and Dalston Yard, and Airport Retail Enterprise.

The Great Northern market is part of the new phase of Manchester Airport. Credit: MAG
The Great Northern market is part of the new phase of Manchester Airport. Credit: MAG

Alongside it will be the first JD Wetherspoon’s pub at Manchester Airport, which will feature nods to sporting greats of the North in its decor, as well as brands like Upper Crust, Starbucks, and WHSmith’s Grindsmith Café.

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A new World Duty Free store will span a whopping 2,165sq metres, packed with names like Christian Dior, Gucci, YSL and Charlotte Tilbury, plus other luxury and beauty brands, premium liquor, souvenirs, food and drink, and loads more, with smaller ‘Express’ stores dotted through the terminal.

Manchester Airport’s £1.3bn transformation project has been ongoing for almost a decade, said to be generating 16,400 extra jobs by 2040 as a result of the economic activity stimulated by the expansion of the airport and its route network.

More than 30 million passengers have already used the Terminal Two extension since the first phase opened in 2021.

A planned extension to the Amber Alehouse by Seven Bro7hers at Manchester Airport. Credit: MAG
A planned extension to the Amber Alehouse by Seven Bro7hers at Manchester Airport. Credit: MAG

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “We are really proud to connect the North to the world – and now through our brand new Terminal 2 we’re able to do that in a setting that rivals any airport in any major capital city.

“The new shops, bars and restaurants we’re adding in the second phase of the development of Terminal 2 will really elevate the experience and help people feel like they’re starting their holidays at the airport.

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“Whatever your budget and preferences, you’ll be able to find something to your tastes in Terminal 2.

“Not only that, you’ll also be able to enjoy modern, world-class facilities and one of Europe’s most extensive route networks – so wherever you’re travelling, you’ll be able to start your trip in style.”

John Butts at Director, Airport Retail Enterprise, added: “We are delighted to be such a huge part of the new Terminal 2 expansion and to be bringing a food market to Manchester Airport.

“Manchester’s food and beverage scene is world class and food market halls have played an integral role in this culture – they offer choice, convenience, speed and the buzz of communal dining at an affordable price.

A new duty free will also be added to Manchester Airport Terminal 2 along with the new food and drink offerings. Credit: MAG
A new duty free will also be added to Manchester Airport Terminal 2 along with the new food and drink offerings. Credit: MAG

“We’ve brought together a fabulous team including those behind Manchester icons Gooey and Dominic Cools-Lartigue, the founder of food markets Street Feast and Dalston Yard. We are bringing local suppliers to a fantastic open space which will include murals hand-painted by local artists.

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“Airport dining has never looked better and it is our vision that Great Northern Market will rival any high street experience.”

Richard Jackson, Retail Director at Manchester Airport, said: “We are proud of the world-class facilities on offer in Terminal 2, and a key part of our vision for the finished terminal is to provide an unrivalled experience for passengers shopping and dining before they catch their flight.

CGI of the new premium 'high street'-style retail offering at Manchester Airport Terminal 2. Credit: MAG
CGI of the new premium ‘high street’-style retail offering at Manchester Airport Terminal 2. Credit: MAG

“We’re delighted to be bringing such a varied offering to the second phase of our brand-new Terminal 2, with local brands complemented by well-known high street names and options to suit every budget.

“We’ve worked hard to make sure we’re bringing exciting, classic brands like Chanel and Pandora to the airport as well as Fever-Tree opening a statement cocktail bar and our very own Lego store – while also making sure people have the brands they love to see in an airport setting like Wetherspoon and Greggs.

“On top of that our Great Northern Market will be a unique airport offering – allowing people to enjoy the popular ‘market hall’ style dining experience with a range of individual street food style pop ups around a central eating area. It will let groups of people dine together while being able to choose from a range of different and varied menus.”

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Featured image: MAG

Travel & Tourism

‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant A Metrolink tram in Manchester city centre

There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.

Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.

The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.

As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.

Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.

‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM

Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.

Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.

The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.

“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.

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“It is dangerous for fatigued workers to be driving trams and they should not be put in this situation.

“We are demanding that Metrolink and Transport for Greater Manchester work with Unite to find a solution to this problem to avoid industrial action.”

Featured Image – Janus Boye

Travel & Tourism

In pictures – A rare Bornean baby orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A rare Bornean organutan has been born at Chester Zoo

A tiny Bornean orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo, with heartwarming new pictures showing the baby with its mum Leia.

The arrival of the critically-endangered infant has been hailed as an ‘important step forward’ in the efforts to safeguard the species.

Photos shared today Chester Zoo show the new arrival clinging to its experienced mum Leia, looking – if we’re being honest – quite furious to be here.

But the infants adorably grumpy face is a huge moment for the zoo and the species, which is highly threatened due to deforestation, illegal hunting and conflict with people.

This ranks them as a species requiring the highest conservation priority, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Chris Yarwood, Assistant Team Manager of Primates at Chester Zoo, said: “Leia is a wonderful mum. She’s extremely attentive and has spent the first few days holding her baby close, feeding regularly and forming a really strong maternal bond. It’s a huge privilege to witness.

“The baby is still tiny and we haven’t yet been able to determine the sex – but what really matters is that it’s healthy and that Leia is doing a brilliant job, as we knew she would.

“Any birth of a Bornean orangutan is incredibly special given how threatened the species is. It’s an important step forward for the international conservation breeding efforts that are working to prevent this iconic animal from disappearing forever.”

The tropical forests of Borneo – the only place on Earth where Bornean orangutans are found in the wild – have suffered devastating losses in recent decades, with more than 40% lost since the year 2000 due to unsustainable palm oil production, logging, agricultural expansion, poaching and illegal hunting.

A rare Bornean organutan has been born at Chester Zoo
A rare Bornean organutan has been born at Chester Zoo
A rare Bornean organutan has been born at Chester Zoo

Bornean orangutans are one of three orangutan species, all of which are critically endangered. Chester Zoo is the only zoo in the UK to care for two of them – the Sumatran and Bornean orangutan.

As one of the planet’s closest living relatives to humans, they play a vital role in maintaining the health of their rainforest ecosystems.

Cat Barton, Policy Lead on Deforestation-free Commodities at Chester Zoo, added: “Chester Zoo has worked with partners in Borneo for more than 20 years to safeguard wild orangutan populations, restore rainforest habitats and tackle the root causes of deforestation.

“Through long-term initiatives like wildlife corridors, community engagement and reducing human-wildlife conflict, we’ve supported efforts that have now helped the area where we work – the Kinabatangan – earn recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This is a huge milestone for our partners at HUTAN and for global conservation.

“Closer to home, we continue to champion the use of sustainably sourced palm oil, encouraging individuals and businesses to make better choices that protect rainforests and the countless species that depend on them.

“With palm oil found in so many everyday products – from biscuits to shampoo – choosing certified sustainable options is one of the simplest, most powerful actions people can take to help wildlife, including orangutans like Leia’s baby.”

Featured image: Chester Zoo

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