Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford – also known as DJ duo the Unabombers – are aiming to create a venue with ‘soul’ that will be something that ‘the city has never really seen before’.
It follows a major £7m overhaul of the Starwood-owned hotel, which will re-launch under a new ‘urban lifestyle’ brand later this year.
Cowdrey said: “We’re thrilled to come on board and launch this new chapter in The Palace’s history. It’s very exciting – this sleeping giant has been lying dormant and now it will be awakened.
“We’re not interested in a contrived formal fine dining experience with no bustle; we want something with energy and effervescence where the food experience is serious but never forced or stiff.”
Dancing and dining
Volta and The Palace will be working with Gorgeous Group to create the menu, name and concept over the next few months, with more details set to be revealed this summer.
The new open-plan venue will launch on the site of the hotel’s former Tempus restaurant.
Matt Townley, hotel manager at The Palace, said: “Justin and Luke are hugely respected, not only in Manchester but also in the UK. By combining their experience in dining and the world of DJ’s, music, international festival and club promotion, we’re paving the way for a dining revolution and can’t wait for the new offering to launch.”
The Palace Hotel was originally built as the headquarters of the Refuge Assurance Company in 1895.
The site was bought by the Principal Hayley Group in 1994 and redeveloped in to a 252-room hotel, before Starwood acquired the group in a £360m deal in 2013.