Exciting new food hall offering set for Preston's Animate

Preston City Council has agreed a 15-year lease with the Northern Lights Group (NLG) for a new food hall at Animate, the £45+ million entertainment and leisure complex, which is being delivered by Maple Grove Developments.

Animate has already attracted big names such as Arc Cinema and Hollywood Bowl, several national food retailer brands, forming part of the city's ongoing regeneration programme.

The Northern Lights Group will create and run a cocktail bar and four bespoke food kiosks to be let to small businesses.

The Northern Lights Group is one of the region's largest independent hospitality groups. Speaking on behalf of the company Joe Foster said:

"This is another incredibly exciting opportunity for us. As part of our growth strategy, we have been identifying new locations across the region, and Animate is the perfect fit. We look forward to opening our doors in early 2025 and serving the people of Preston with delicious food."

Andrew Dewhurst, development director at Maple Grove Developments, continued:

"The Northern Lights Group is well accustomed with the concept of food halls, successfully operating throughout the North West. Choosing Animate for this latest food hall concept only adds to the draw of Preston as a place to visit.

"In terms of the site development, Eric Wright Construction is continuing to make excellent progress. The brickwork is nearing completion, the tenterhook panels are installed, and the majority of the glass panelling is in place. We're working towards a completion date this autumn. The tenants can then begin to fit out and furnish their units before Animate launches in early 2025."

Animate is one of six major projects planned under Preston's Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme.

Deputy Leader of Preston City Council, Cllr Martyn Rawlinson, said:

"Our ambition for Animate has always been to provide independent operators to be part of this Council-owned entertainment and leisure development and trade alongside national brands which will help build a resilient and inclusive economy for all. Having the Northern Lights Group at Animate will help us deliver an attractive offer for the people of Preston and wider Lancashire while contributing to the city's ongoing social and economic regeneration."

Northern Lights Group will run the bar unit directly, but will be looking to recruit local operators for the other food outlets. The company has a strong social value ethos and provides 'back into work' training and ongoing support to local, start-ups and new food kiosk operators in the Food Halls through its business operation model.  Its commitment to social value is supported by the Council, which will work with the Northern Lights Group in line with its ongoing commitment to Community Wealth Building in Preston.

Bosses at Northern Lights Group are also looking to appoint a local ambassador to a Board that will oversee the Preston Food Hall to strengthen and grow local community connections in the city.

Preston was awarded £20.9m from the Government's national Towns Fund initiative in March 2021, and the Harris Quarter is a unique part of the city centre undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites and public realm into a diverse culture, leisure and employment offering.

John Chesworth, Chair of Preston Towns Fund Strategic Board, added:

"Animate is a major asset in the city's regeneration as it will help draw more people into Preston, but it's acting as a catalyst for further growth and as footfall increases, we'll undoubtedly see businesses want to invest here.

"Preston is really starting to flourish and we're now seeing the fruits of everyone's hard work in helping make the city an attractive place to live, work and play. The Northern Lights Group choosing Preston as a place to do business is a testament to what's being achieved here."

Bradys and Smith Young are the joint lettings agents for Animate and advised Maple Grove Developments. The letting leaves just two units available at Animate. For details visit Preston City Council - units to let in Animate.

Further information

About Northern Lights Group

The Cheshire-based Northern Lights Group has been an established name in the North-West restaurant and hospitality industry for more than four decades with bars and restaurants in Manchester city centre, Media City and various venues through-out the North-West.

The company is one of the region's largest independent hospitality groups, and recent ventures include launching three successful Mexican restaurants and a multi-vendor food court in Stockport at the Produce Hall, and the New Century dining and entertainment venue in Central Manchester.

About Maple Grove Developments

Maple Grove Developments is part of the Eric Wright Group. Founded in 1923, the Eric Wright Group is a leading property and construction company that develops, builds and maintains the UK's infrastructure.

Wholly owned by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, the Group is committed to delivering employment and regeneration opportunities in the communities in which it operates in. All company profits are either invested back into the Eric Wright Group or awarded to charities and projects, predominately throughout the North West, which support young persons' wellbeing, elderly services, education and training, health or carers' support. 

The Eric Wright Charitable Trust owns and operates Water Park Lakeland Adventure Centre in Cumbria and is an employer partner and sponsor of the Eric Wright Learning Foundation at Preston's College, which supports young people aged 14+ studying Level 1 - 3 vocational courses and Apprenticeships.

Based at Bamber Bridge, near Preston, the Eric Wright Group comprises seven specialist divisions that regularly collaborate to deliver joined-up approaches with outstanding results and maintain strong relationships with private and public sector clients and partners. The Group's seven divisions are Maple Grove Developments, Construction, Civil Engineering, Water, Health & Care, Facilities Management (FM) and Applethwaite Homes. 

About Animate

The construction and development phase will help to generate up to 200 full time equivalent construction jobs for the local workforce, and provide opportunities for apprenticeship, work placements, training and upskilling through Eric Wright Group's corporate and social responsibility programme.   

A dedicated Animate Community Benefit Framework has been agreed between Preston City Council and Maple Grove Developments, which will deliver 15 community benefits, in line with Preston's Community Wealth Building programme, to assist the delivery of the project and to provide the maximum impact for Preston's residents and businesses.  

The Community Benefit Framework seeks to use local labour, provide training, employment, volunteering opportunities and placements within local colleges, to promote environmental sustainability, and to ensure that all workers are treated equally and fairly. 

Animate will also provide more than 140 long term jobs when it opens to the public following a two year construction phase.  

About Towns Fund - Town Deals

• On 27 July 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the Towns Fund would support an initial 101 places across England to develop Town Deal proposals, to drive economic regeneration and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. 
• A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between Government, the Lead Council and the Town Deal Board. It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision.  
• See the 101 places being supported to develop Town Deals. Each of the 101 towns selected to work towards a Town Deal also received accelerated funding last year for investment in capital projects that would have an immediate impact and help places "build back better" in the wake of Covid-19.  
• Preston's City Investment Plan is a 15 year vision for Preston setting out Preston's long-term objectives and strategy to transform the city, targeting resources and aligning public and private sector investments to respond to needs and capitalise on opportunities for positive change. For details visit Invest - Preston's City Investment Plan.
• Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone. 
• Lancashire County Council's £800,000 Economic Recovery grant is from its £12.8m  Economic Recovery & Growth programme to fund projects across the 12 Lancashire districts to tackle some of the economic impacts of Covid-19 and support recovery and growth. 

Latest Animate news and updates

Keep up to date with all the latest Animate news and updates on our Animates Cinema and Leisure Scheme news section.