Boutique brands and high street favourites will be among almost two dozen new shops, restaurants and bars opening to passengers next summer, as Manchester Airport completes its £1.3bn transformation programme.
The 22 new units will open next year as the second and final phase of the airport’s new Terminal 2 opens to the public.
Highlights include:
- New luxury retailers, including Chanel, alongside other big names like Pandora, LEGO, WH Smith, and Boots;
- The Great Northern Market – a 472-seat food hall bringing the best of Manchester’s street food scene to the airport, featuring six international street food kitchens including a Gooey desserts unit;
- New cafes, bars and restaurants, including Fever-Tree, JD Wetherspoon and Joe And The Juice and Greggs – plus an extension to the popular Amber Alehouse by Salford brewery Seven Bro7hers.
- A new 2,165sqm World Duty Free store featuring well-known brands like Christian Dior, Gucci, YSL and Charlotte Tilbury and more.
The first phase of the airport’s Terminal 2 opened in 2021 and features local brands like fast-food restaurant Archies, pizza favourites San Carlo, cafe chain Pot Kettle Black and brewpubs by Joseph Holt and Se7en Brothers – as well as a range of airport favourites like Pret A Manger, M&S Food and Starbucks.
The second phase of the project will be finished by the summer of 2025.
Chris Woodroofe – Managing Director, Manchester Airport said “We are really proud to connect the North to the world – and now through our brand new Terminal 2 we’re able to do that in a setting that rivals any airport in any major capital city.
“The new shops, bars and restaurants we’re adding in the second phase of the development of Terminal 2 will really elevate the experience and help people feel like they’re starting their holidays at the airport.
“Whatever your budget and preferences, you’ll be able to find something to your tastes in Terminal 2.
“Not only that, you’ll also be able to enjoy modern, world-class facilities and one of Europe’s most extensive route networks – so wherever you’re travelling, you’ll be able to start your trip in style.”
Luxury brands like Chanel and the Fever-Tree bar will be situated in a Boutique Mall, while LEGO, Pandora and Rituals will be located on a high street style shopping strip called The Avenue, which will link up with the existing departure lounge in the section of Terminal 2 that is already open.
Units will showcase the best of the North, through the design of their stores and the range of products on offer.
Ross Monaghan – Sales Director, Pandora UK says “Manchester and the surrounding areas have always been an important focus for Pandora, and we are delighted to bring our new Evoke concept, now featuring diamonds, to the heart of Manchester Airport. Airports provide us with a unique opportunity to engage with many of our customers, and with the exciting new extension at Manchester Airport, we look forward to working with the Manchester Airports Group as we continue to offer our customers not only great gifts, but also a way to remember their special getaways.”
There will be no shortage of places to grab food and drink, catering for everything from light bites and food on the go, to fine dining. The Great Northern Market will feature a diverse range of world street food options including pizza, Mexican food, noodles and more. The offers will rotate regularly in line with food market trends and customer demand.
The Great Northern market has been created by airport food and drink specialists Airport Retail Enterprises with street food pioneer Dominic Cools-Lartigue. It will be complemented by well-known brands like JD Wetherspoon, Upper Crust, Starbucks, and WHSmith’s Grindsmith Café.
JD Wetherspoon’s pub, its first at Manchester Airport, will feature nods to sporting greats of the North in its decor.
All passengers using Terminal 2 will be able to access its existing range of bars, restaurants and cafes.
John Butts – Director, Airport Retail Enterprise said “We are delighted to be such a huge part of the new Terminal 2 expansion and to be bringing a food market to Manchester Airport.
“Manchester’s food & beverage scene is world class and food market halls have played an integral role in this culture – they offer choice, convenience, speed and the buzz of communal dining at an affordable price. We’ve brought together a fabulous team including those behind Manchester icons Gooey and Dominic Cools-Lartigue, the founder of food markets Street Feast and Dalston Yard. We are bringing local suppliers to a fantastic open space which will include murals hand-painted by local artists.
“Airport dining has never looked better and it is our vision that Great Northern Market will rival any high street experience.”
Craig Maitland – Retail Operations Director, Fever-Tree said “As part of our quest to premiumise airport drinking and dining experiences globally, we are thrilled to open our Fever-Tree Cocktails & Champagne bar in Manchester Airport’s brand-new Terminal Two. As the UK’s global gateway in the North, this fantastic location allows travellers the opportunity to start their journeys by enjoying our expertly crafted drinks and quality food menus whilst relaxing under our iconic Fever-Tree canopy.”
World Duty Free, operated by global travel experience player Avolta, will open a new main store offering an extensive range of luxury and beauty brands, premium liquor, food & confectionery, souvenirs and gifts. Avolta will also continue to operate its existing World Duty Free store in the Terminal 2 extension.
A number of smaller World Duty Free Express stores will be situated at other points on the passenger journey through the terminal, giving travellers the chance to grab a bargain at their convenience. Avolta will also operate smaller stores dedicated to premium Estée Lauder Companies brands such as Tom Ford, Jo Malone London and Le Labo.
Richard Jackson – Retail Director, Manchester Airport said “We are proud of the world-class facilities on offer in Terminal 2, and a key part of our vision for the finished terminal is to provide an unrivalled experience for passengers shopping and dining before they catch their flight.
“We’re delighted to be bringing such a varied offering to the second phase of our brand-new Terminal 2, with local brands complemented by well-known high street names and options to suit every budget.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure we’re bringing exciting, classic brands like Chanel and Pandora to the airport as well as Fever-Tree opening a statement cocktail bar and our very own Lego store – while also making sure people have the brands they love to see in an airport setting like Wetherspoon and Greggs.
“On top of that our Great Northern Market will be a unique airport offering – allowing people to enjoy the popular ‘market hall’ style dining experience with a range of individual street food style pop ups around a central eating area. It will let groups of people dine together while being able to choose from a range of different and varied menus.”
The announcement of the retail line-up in Terminal 2 is the latest milestone in the transformation project, which is coming to a conclusion after almost a decade. In that time, thousands of people have worked on the project – several hundred of whom were apprentices starting out their careers – while an independent report commissioned last year showed around 16,400 extra jobs will be generated by 2040 as a result of the economic activity stimulated by the expansion of the airport and its route network.
The same research – by York Aviation – revealed that Manchester Airport’s contribution to the Northern economy is expected to soar by nearly 80%, to £6.3bn by 2040 as a result of the full delivery of the transformation programme. A further £2.9bn boost will be triggered through the increased productivity of businesses travelling and trading globally through Manchester over the same period.
More than 30 million passengers have already used the Terminal Two extension – which received a prestigious UNESCO-backed architecture award last November.
Earlier this year, plans were announced to reinstate one of Terminal 1’s iconic chandeliers as part of an art installation, and a link bridge was installed ahead of construction starting on a new pier – the final piece of major new construction on the programme.
