What a few months it’s been for Escape to Freight Island.
The socially distanced street food market and entertainment complex opened in July, was crowned Newcomer of the Year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival awards in October, announced huge expansion plans for winter and was then locked down in November.
Open for just a few days before the national lockdown, the newly-developed Ticket Hall is the second phase of the project following the hugely successful Platform 15. And now, to give more people a chance to visit, the Freight Island team has announced that the venue will be open seven days a week in December.
Plus, taking over the outdoor area at Freight Island will be the Winter Island which will now run until January 2021.
Dan Morris, Managing Director of Escape to Freight Island said: “We opened The Ticket Hall for just five days before we had to close for the national lockdown. This meant disappointing thousands of people booked in during November.
“To make sure we could rebook everyone back into the Ticket Hall and Winter Island, which is located in our outdoor space next to the new Ticket Hall, we have opened up reservations for seven days a week throughout December in both areas and extended Winter Island into January, which means another month of cosy vibes, hog roast, delicious sausages and mulled wine seeing us into 2021.”
The Ticket Hall
The Ticket Hall is located inside the cavernous industrial space of the Mayfield Depot building, opposite Manchester Piccadilly station, which has housed events like Warehouse Project and Manchester Pride.
The fully-heated area has plenty of table seating and lots of new food and drink vendors.
Now in the Ticket Hall for winter are some of existing Freight Island favourites including Voodoo Ray’s, Patty Queen, Baratxuri, Madre Tacos and Krum Doughnuts.
There are some new faces in the line up too including, popular Northenden Vietnamese restaurant Mi & Pho; Ancoats and Altrincham favourite Sugo Pasta Kitchen; and Plant Grill, a vegan offering from the makers of Fire Bird Hope and Krum.
Joining them are critically acclaimed Liverpool restaurant Belzan Pasta Kitchen, and El Boleto, a San Sebastian style deli serving delicious small plates and fresh produce to enjoy on site or take home.
For drinks, visitors can enjoy beers from the Ticket Hall’s two taprooms, Pomona Island and Camden Town. There’s wine too from independent shop Forever Changes.
Set high up in the heart of the Ticket Hall, The Jane Eyre’s cosy cocktail bar offers great views across the space, and will be serving a selection of classic and signature cocktails.
A bike cloakroom in partnership with Rapha cyclewear is in situ too, meaning that bikes can be parked safely while visiting Freight Island.
The Ticket Hall is now also home to Manchester’s first ice curling rink. Pretty exciting stuff for those of us who got really into the sport at the most recent Winter Olympics – sweeping brushes at the ready! If you don’t know what we mean, bear with us, you’ll be superfans in no time.
Winter Island
Alongside the Ticket Hall, the outdoor space has been transformed in the Winter Island, which also hopes to reopen on December 3.
Nestled underneath a 45ft Christmas tree, a fully heated outdoor event space with a 1500 sq ft tent which will host new festive traders and stalls.
Visitors to Winter Island will be able to enjoy all the classic festive favourites including traditional hog roast, bratwurst, mulled wine and hot cider. There will also be a local chocolatier and artisanal cheese stall.
The Winter Island has announced it will stay open until January 2021, to give us all the dose of festive merriment we deserve.
Live entertainment
The entertainment schedule has also been re-scheduled allowing for the cancelled shows in November to move into December. The line up includes DJ sets from Hot Chip, Rhys from The Horrors, Huey Morgan, Mr Scruff and DJ Paulette. Plus, festival collaborations from the likes of We Out Here festival and Festival No.6.
Amuse Bouche will continue with its Sunday Drag spectacular with special guests Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon, and there will be a weekly Christmas cabaret from The Untold Orchestra performing David Bowie and Stevie Wonder favourites.
For the kids, there will be a big brass band Disney sing-along and some events from The Playhouse Project and Born to be Wild Child.
A comedy night called Just the Tonic joins the line up, plus local talent takeovers by Reform Radio and The Golden Lion.
How to book
Escape to Freight Island is currently accepting bookings from Thursday 3 December for up to six people from the same household both indoors and outdoors.
For more information and to book, visit: escapetofreightisland.com.
