New Century drops its food hall for Locker, a 450-capacity gig venue, and one kitchen

New Century in Manchester has changed what its ground floor is for. The old New Century Kitchens food hall has gone, and two concepts have launched side by side in its place, The Manc reports:

• Locker, a 450-capacity grassroots live music venue
• In Hand, one food offer built for gig nights: Detroit-style focaccia pizza by the slice or as 8x10-inch pies, 24-hour brined and double-fried chicken tenders, sandos with fries, and grab-and-go sides

The menu is designed so you can eat between sets with a drink in your other hand, instead of leaving to find food. In Hand is also open during the day for post-work drinks and food, alongside the existing bar. The previous food traders have moved on to new ventures.

For your venue: food halls with lots of traders are hard to run, and this swaps that for one kitchen tied to what the building does best, which is music. If you're near NOMA or the Northern Quarter, expect more gig-night crowds looking for pre- and post-show drinks. If you run events, it's a reminder that food built for speed and one hand can sell more on a busy night than a full menu.