Market Halls' new concept could roll out across the UK
The Hall at intu Lakeside, in Essex, will bring together independent food traders from across the South East in a 14,500 sq ft site.
It will feature seven kitchens, a coffee shop, pop-up areas for food trucks and two bars championing British-made beers, spirits and soft drinks.
Andy Lewis-Pratt, chief executive of Market Halls, says The Hall will provide a “new and vibrant” social dining option for the 20 million people who visit intu Lakeside every year.
He says “in theory” there could be at least another 15 opportunities similar to Lakeside across the UK.
"We're looking at areas with a large catchment population so places such as Birmingham, Cardiff and Liverpool are on our radar.”
Rebecca Ryman, regional managing director of intu, says The Hall was an important part of the shopping centre company’s £72m, 175,000 sq ft leisure extension to the Lakeside shopping centre.
The Hall will have seating for 680 and will open for all-day dining from breakfast through to late-night snacks. It will also have private function space.
A spokeswoman for Market Halls described The Hall format as “a new nationwide concept” for existing out of town retail spaces.
The Market Halls concept has so-far given old buildings, such as the old Pacha site in London's Victoria or the former ticket office in Fulham Broadway, a new lease of life and restored them to use.
A spokeswoman says: “The Hall will use the big-city energy, theatre and excitement of street food to create a first-of-its-kind casual dining experience for out-of-town shopping centres across the UK.”
An opening date has not yet been confirmed but would be “late spring”, she says.
Market Halls launched in spring last year and has since opened two major central London sites in Fulham and Victoria, with food traders including Koya Ko, Monty’s Deli, Squirrel and Kerbisher & Malt.
A Market Hall West End has been lined up for the autumn in Oxford Street and will include a mix of local producers, retailers, restaurants, street-food vendors, four bars, event spaces and a demo kitchen.
