Printworks’ former Hard Rock, Tiger Tiger to become 1,200-capacity food hall 

Blend Family, which is behind the Cutlery Works dining destination in Sheffield and Kargo at Salford Quays, plans to open its first Manchester site within the vacant restaurant and nightclub.

Blend Family and Printworks landlord DTZ Investors have agreed terms for the former to open a 24-trader food hall within the two vacant units, which total 30,000 sq ft.

In April, Blend founders Matt and Nina Bigland incorporated a company named Blend Printworks on Companies House. The venture would feature three bars and a cafe.

Matt Bigland, co-founder of Blend Family, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing our biggest food hall yet to Printworks. We want it to be somewhere people can come for a great meal, stay for a drink, try something new and feel completely at home.

“The mix of independent Food Partners, the self pour wine and our cookery school means there’ll always be something going on, and we can’t wait to welcome Manchester through the doors.”

Hard Rock Cafe closed its Manchester restaurant after 26 years in January. The former Tiger Tiger unit, more recently occupied by bar Eden, has been without a tenant for a number of years.

A food hall would add to Printworks’ dining offer, which currently includes Dave’s Hot Chicken, Nando’s, Shrimp Shack, and Wetherspoons.

DTZ’s lettings focus over the last few years has been around competitive socialising, with a number of deals aimed at the gamification of Printworks.

In February, Gameface became the latest competitive socialising concept to commit to the 370,000 sq ft complex, following in the footsteps of Boom Battle Bar, Tenpin, and Treetop Golf, which are operational, and Crossbar, a football-based concept due to open this year.

Metis Real Estate Advisors and Stärka are the retained agents for Printworks.