Member Article

City Recognition For Historic Chop House

The Albert Square Chop House has been voted the Best Hospitality Venue in the City of Manchester after competing with giants and beating hugely backed businesses such as Manchester United and the Bridgewater Hall.

The Grade 11 listed Memorial Hall building received the accolade from Downtown In Business after judges praised it’s contribution to the meetings and events offering in the City and for proving the power of the hospitality industry to regenerate disused spaces and to bring new life to their surroundings.

The building, recognised by Historic England as ‘one of the best examples of venetian gothic revival architecture in the City’, had been derelict for a decade when it was bought by independent business man Roger Ward who sensitively converted it into the award winning Albert Square Chop House and reopened 3 storeys in November 2012.

Since then, 6 new leisure operators have opened in the Square, two major property businesses have invested millions acquiring neighbouring properties and the city council has restored its offices too.

Last year and at a time of huge infrastructure disruption in the City, the Albert Square Chop House function suites hosted just under 500 events for major public and private bodies, with events including private dinners, networking events, meetings, celebrations and weddings, all regularly receiving outstanding feedback and tributes to the small 10 strong function team.

Owner Roger Ward says ’Downtown pitched us against legendary world class businesses and the little guy won. I am enormously proud of the team led by Business Development Manager Lawrence Hallows, because they have built our reputation event by event and shown we really do care. This award will help our trade and our recovery and will spur us on to the next phase of developing this 19th century building into a world class business and catalyst for further City regeneration“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jo Leah .