A new food hub and events space for Stretford has been approved by councillors, with street-food specialist GRUB set to take over the ground floor of the town centre multi-storey car park and spill out into Sir Tony Lloyd Square.
The venue will operate on a dual-purpose model: by day it will house a bakery, coffee shop and pop-up bottle store, before transforming from Thursday to Sunday into a larger evening destination with several street-food traders and live entertainment. Those behind the plans say the ambition is to create a place where the whole Stretford community can come together for food, events and family activities.
Temporary approval and the reasons behind it
Planning consent has been granted on a temporary basis of 19 months, a period that matches the length of GRUB’s lease for the site. The temporary nature was driven partly by the design of the venue’s enclosure: a temporary “scaffold wall” will be erected around the food hall to provide some level of enclosure, but planning officers do not consider this an “appropriate long-term solution” for the front of the unit. The final details of the scaffold wall are still to be agreed with the council.
Concerns about potential noise from the events space also shaped the conditions of approval. Newly elected Green councillor Gareth Twose asked what action could be taken under the noise management plan if residents experienced excessive noise on a regular basis. Officers confirmed that a noise management plan is in place for the site and that enforcement action could be taken if conditions were breached.
The scheme was first announced roughly three weeks before the planning committee meeting, with the statutory consultation period ending only the day before. Trafford Council said it had brought the application forward to this month’s meeting because GRUB wanted the hub open in time for the football World Cup, with screenings already planned.
The operator and its Manchester roots
GRUB is a well-established street-food curator that has been operating in Manchester for more than a decade, building a loyal following through its independent food markets, film nights, beer festivals and grassroots events. Its previous home was a converted textile warehouse at 50 Red Bank in Cheetham Hill, which featured a craft beer bar, cinema and large beer garden and was recognised as one of the UK’s top food halls outside London. That site closed at the end of 2025 as GRUB prepared for a new city-centre location. The Stretford venture marks its first expansion into the Trafford borough and will occupy 6,000 sq ft on the ground floor of the car park.
Stretford’s wider regeneration
The food hub is part of Trafford Council’s broader vision for the regeneration of Stretford town centre, which has already seen widespread transformation. A key milestone was the public opening of the restored King Street and the newly created Sir Tony Lloyd Square in August 2025 — a collaboration between Bruntwood and the council intended to create a “communal heart” for the town centre. King Street now features new ground-floor units for shops and hospitality, and a mezzanine arcade called The Mezz for service-led businesses.
The square was named Sir Tony Lloyd Square following a community competition, in tribute to the late local MP who served Stretford between 1983 and 1997 and later became Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner. Stretford Mall closed for the final time on 27 February 2026, with demolition work beginning the following month. Plans for the former mall site include 248 new homes — a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats and duplexes — a new public park and two retail units intended for food and drink venues. Bruntwood has said it aims to “resurrect Stretford’s legacy as the Garden of Lancashire”.
Local reactions and council support
Local residents have expressed excitement about the hub, hoping it will bring the town centre back to life. Conor Kelly, 34, said the venue would 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 said he looked forward to “just having something” in the town, noting that since the mall closed “there’s not been a huge amount going on”. Zoe Sincock, also 34, said: “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.” Carole Kelly said she hoped the new space would be “anything like the Altrincham Market House”, and Ann Rayner said the food hub could be a “good move”, encouraging more people into the area and creating employment.
Liberal Democrat councillor Ulrich Savary, who represents Broadheath, 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.”
Opening hours and conditions
The food hub will operate Tuesday to Sunday with opening hours from 8am to 11pm, with extended hours expected for home football matches. Alcohol will be served from midday, and live music may take place between midday and 10pm.
