A new food hub and events space for Stretford has been given the green light by councillors. Street food specialist GRUB's latest venture will move into the multi-storey car park in Stretford town centre, with the venue spilling out into Sir Tony Lloyd Square, according to plans.
Day and Night Transformation
By day, it will be home to a bakery, coffee shop and pop-up bottle store before transforming into a larger-scale evening destination with several street food traders and live entertainment from Thursday through to Sunday. The ambition is to be a place where all of the Stretford community can come together for food, events and family activities, those behind the plans say.
It forms part of Trafford council's vision for the regeneration of the town, which has seen widespread transformation over recent years, including the demolition of much of Stretford mall to create a new shopping parade.
Local Residents Excited
Local residents have expressed excitement over the new hub, with many hoping it will bring the town centre back to life. Conor Kelly, 34, previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he thinks the venue will be 'brill', adding: "It's a bit of a disused space at the minute. We've got the new town centre and it's just going to bring lots of people here, new businesses, new food places." He is looking forward to 'just having something' in the town, continuing: "Since the mall closed down, there's not been a huge amount going on." Zoe Sincock, also 34, added: "There's not that many places to go out to eat around here. So it'll be nice to be able to go out for something to eat."
Council Approval and Conditions
Trafford councillors agreed, ruling to approve the plans at the planning committee meeting on Thursday, June 11. Liberal Democrat councillor Ulrich Savary said: "I'm very happy to support it. It's going to be a great addition for Stretford. I don't think there's going to be any negative impact for local residents, so very happy for this to go ahead."
A temporary 'scaffold wall' will be erected around the food hall to 'provide some level of enclosure', planning officers said. The design and details of this are still to be agreed with the council. However, officers do not think this would be an 'appropriate long-term solution' for the front of the unit. As such, they recommended that approval for the hub be granted on a temporary basis of 19 months, which also 'reflects' the length of GRUB's lease for the site, they said.
Noise Concerns Addressed
Some concerns were raised over potential noise from the new events space. Newly elected Green councillor Gareth Twose asked: "If residents feel there is excessive noise coming from the site on a regular, repeated basis, what action can be taken under the noise management plan?" Officers said there was a noise management plan for the site and, if there were breaches of those conditions, enforcement action could be taken to ensure they comply.
The scheme was first announced around three weeks ago, with the statutory consultation period ending only the day before the committee meeting. Trafford council said it had brought the scheme to this month's meeting as GRUB wanted the hub open in time for the football World Cup.
Operating Details
Consent is given for the food hall use on a temporary basis of 19 months, in line with GRUB's expected lease for the site. Opening hours will be from 8am to 11pm, with extended hours expected for home games. Alcohol will be served from midday, with live music potentially taking place between midday and 10pm.
