North West

Chop chop

Memorial Hall - Hotel & Restaurant-  The Albert Square Chop Manchester

Situated in a prime location within Manchester city centre, The Albert Square Chop House is the latest dining pub and British restaurant from the Victorian Chop House Company.

The new diner has been installed within the 1864-6 Memorial Hall, a Grade II* Listed building designed by Thomas Worthington.

In addition to a public house and restaurant, the newly transformed Memorial Hall is soon set to include an eight-bedroom boutique hotel. In order to facilitate the grand transformation the project has been divided into two phases.

Phase One began in May 2012 and reached completion in November 2012. It comprises a restaurant and kitchen at lower ground level, a bar at ground floor, and function suites and meeting spaces at first floor.

Meanwhile, Phase Two comprises of an eight-room boutique hotel which will be situated on the second and third floors of the building. Work on Phase Two is currently scheduled to begin towards the end of spring 2013.

Memorial Hall - Hotel & Restaurant-  The Albert Square Chop Manchester

Barnfield Construction is the main contractor on The Albert Square Chop House project, whilst Hurd Rolland Partnership is the architect.

Discussing the location of Manchester’s latest Chop House, Hurd Rolland Partnership Architect, Gwenno Jones, said:

“The building is situated on Albert Square, in a very prominent area of Manchester. Prior to the redevelopment of the site, the building had been empty for a number of years so when the Victorian Chop House Company were looking for a good location for their next Chop House this building was perfect.”

Gwenno added:

“Memorial Hall is quite an unusual building so the aim of this project was to retain and enhance any existing the features and to bring the overall building back to life, whilst creating a fantastic new dining experience for Manchester.

Memorial Hall - Hotel & Restaurant-  The Albert Square Chop Manchester

“Externally we’ve refurbished windows and installed signage, but at the same time have been respectful of the original structure. There were a number of constraints because of the Listing, but this has made for a more interesting project overall.

“The Victorian Chop House Company felt very strongly about retaining the rich history of the building  so our aim was to showcase as much of the building as possible. Maintaining these features has worked to our advantage and the feedback so far has been very positive.”

Mechanical and electrical engineers, Bill Logan Associates is responsible for all of the M&E work on the project, which includes heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, power & data systems, CCTV and fire and security systems.

Memorial Hall - Hotel & Restaurant-  The Albert Square Chop Manchester

Commenting on the project, Bill Logan Associates Company Owner, said:

“This is the first time that we have worked on a project for the Victorian Chop House Company. This is a very prestigious project and we are extremely pleased to be involved.”

The restaurant at Albert Square Chop House is located within the basement level of Memorial Hall and is overseen by head chef Paul Falkner. The restaurant boasts a range of stunning features, including booth seating, a semi-private dining area and an open kitchen.

Situated on the level above the restaurant is the bar, which is the ideal meeting place for friends, work colleagues or for parties. The bar menu includes a range of light dishes and Chop House classics, alongside an extensive wine list.

The Function Suites and Boardroom located on the first floor are available for private hire.

Memorial Hall - Hotel & Restaurant-  The Albert Square Chop Manchester

Gwenno said:

“It has been great for us to be involved with a historic city centre listed building, and a building that we all know so well. Our office is just around the corner, so it is great to see a building which is quite close to our hearts being given a new lease of life.”

For more information about The Albert Square Chop House, please visit: www.albertsquarechophouse.com.

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