December opening for Stockport Market Place Produce Hall

Renowned restauranteur Steve Pilling has unveiled images to transform the Produce Hall, one of two new restaurants he is opening in Stockport Market Place with both planned to open before Christmas.

Steve Pilling has over 30 years culinary experience running award winning restaurants such as Sam’s Chop House, Damson, Roost and La Cantina.

Steve is set to use his expertise to transform Stockport Market Place with a brand new social food and drink offering at the historic Produce Hall and create a must-visit eatery at Blackshaws where visitors can enjoy a wide range delicious food, drink and entertainment.

The Grade II listed Produce Hall will be sensitively refurbished into a thriving food hall housing up to eight independent kitchens and bars, with seating for 150 people. A rotating selection of guest pop-ups and street food traders will mean that no two visits will be ever the same, and live entertainment will also help transform the Produce Hall into a buzzing food and drink destination.

Just round the corner from the Produce Hall is Blackshaws Café. Dating back to the 1860’s this former bakers and confectioners will be home to a new ‘deli-style’ café bar operated by Pilling.

The openings come as new restaurants in Stockport Market Place are quickly establishing the historic area as the region’s newest hotspot for food-lovers. Over the past few months there has been a flurry of lettings in the Market Place, meaning the area’s well established food and drink scene, that includes award winning restaurant Where The Light Gets In and new bar Project 53 will soon be joined by number of other bars and restaurants, as well as Steve Pilling’s eateries.

Councillor Kate Butler, Stockport Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration said:

“I’m delighted with the plans for The Produce Hall and Blackshaws.

“It has taken a little time to deal with the complexities involved in converting historically significant buildings into restaurants Stockport residents can be proud of, but I believe we have achieved this.

“At the same time, we have also successfully relocated the businesses who used to be based in the Produce Hall into new homes from where they are now trading.

“These openings will cement Stockport Market Place’s position as a thriving, exciting food destination for visitors both locally and from further afield. We’ve been working hard to ensure the Market Place is a key feature of our plans for town centre regeneration and that the full potential of the whole area is unlocked. It will be fantastic to see even more visitors coming back to this important and beautiful part of our town to shop, eat, relax and enjoy its unique historic charm.”

£7million is currently being invested by Stockport Council in helping revitalise Stockport’s Market Place and Underbanks.

The opening of new restaurants, bars and other businesses comes at the same time as events are being launched in the area, the independent businesses are being supported, and buildings are being restored or given new uses for the future.

The work, which is part of a £1 billion transformation taking place across the town, is building on Stockport’s strengths making it an even better place to live, work, play and connect for the future.

Find out more about the investment work taking place across Stockport