A NEW ERA FOR ONE OF MANCHESTER’S OLDEST PUBS — AND FOOD LOVERS CAN BE PART OF IT

Talented foodies are being offered the chance to help shape a new chapter for one of Manchester’s oldest pubs.

A £2 million refurbishment is currently underway at what was The Shamrock in Ancoats. It will reopen as The Spinners Rest in the Spring. The 200-year-old pub was taken over by the family-run Joseph Holt brewery in 2019, and the extensive renovation of the Bengal Street landmark is now progressing at pace. Now, as part of the relaunch, Joseph Holt is seeking an independent food partner to join the project and help define the pub’s new identity.

“If you’re a street-food trader, pop-up chef, mobile kitchen, or small food brand ready to reach a wider audience, this is your chance to showcase your food at a landmark on Manchester’s hospitality and contribute to the next stage in this piece of pub history,” says Niall McCloskey, area manager for Jospeh Holt. “Ancoats has gone through such a change in recent years and the area is full of bars, restaurants, and modern urban living. That`s why it felt like the right moment to give a much-loved pub, which boasts the area’s only beer garden, a fresh identity that reflects its changing surroundings. And the right food partner will really add to this, whilst at the same time use the platform to consolidate their own reputation.”

As part of a culinary partnership, the Spinners Rest will offer space for a truck or cart to run an independent food operation, supported by a brand-new on-site prep kitchen.

Even though the pub is entering a new chapter, it still nods to the heritage of the area . Its new name, The Spinners Rest, chosen in a public vote and pays tribute to the mill workers who once lived and worked in the area. During its time as The Shamrock, the pub served as a social hub for Manchester’s Irish and Italian communities, particularly in the early 20th century.

Pubs have historically been launchpads for culinary talent—perhaps most famously Tom Kerridge, whose first pub, The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, became the UK’s only two-Michelin-starred pub. It is now hoped The Spinners Rest can offer a similar opportunity to the next generation of food innovators.

Adds Niall. “This is an opportunity to put your food at the heart of a brand-new pub and shape the venue’s character from day one. Whether you serve tacos, burgers, bao, BBQ, pizza, wings, curries, or something completely original—we want to hear from you.”