Oldham Council has today announced that Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), the premium burger brand, Loungers and Nando’s are to launch flagship restaurants in the £36.7m Old Town Hall. The opening date has also been revealed, with the Old Town Hall set to welcome its first visitors on October 21.
GBK’s new 2,464 sq ft restaurant is situated next to the Odeon cinema in the development. The brand, which was established in 2001, will open with 70 covers. In addition, Loungers, the all-day café bar concept, is launching a 3,272 sq ft restaurant, along with Nando’s with its 3,264 sq ft eatery. The three brands join Costa as Old Town Hall’s first raft of tenants to sign.
Fusion DNA, the market-leading consultancy with over 20 years’ experience within the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors, will design the GBK interior. It will have a distressed, casual, urban feel that uses natural materials such as oak, brick and metals.
Councillor Jean Stretton, leader of Oldham council, said, “We are delighted to have formally signed GBK, Loungers and Nando’s and confirmed the opening date. Along with Odeon and Costa, the Old Town Hall is really taking shape ahead of its opening next month, and we are experiencing very strong interest from a number of other leading restaurants to complete the line-up.
“This first wave of signings also reflects the growing recognition that Oldham is changing, thanks to a large extent by significant investment in a range of initiatives in the town centre, from the three tram stops to landmark developments such as the Old Town Hall.
Keith Bird, Chief Operating Officer at GBK, added, “The Old Town Hall is the perfect location for the expansion of GBK. The building has great character, with so many of the period features retained. The accessibility of parking and the tram were significant draws too, as was the investment being made by the Council to improve the town centre for residents and visitors. We are looking forward to opening.”
The announcement is the latest phase in the extensive investment programme led by Oldham Council. The Old Town Hall is being transformed into a new daytime and evening leisure destination for Oldham and north east Greater Manchester.
The new leisure destination includes an 800-seat, seven-screen Odeon cinema and up to seven restaurant units, ranging in size from 2,464 sq ft to 6,700 sq ft. Many original period features are being restored, and a new glazed addition, the Light Box, is being added to the side of the building, overlooking a new public square for the town centre.
Two units are available to let including the iconic Eygptian room (unit four), which is the final ground floor unit and offers an exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurial restaurant operator.