Local schools join together to celebrate start of food hall construction in Wythenshawe

Following the demolition of the former Peacocks building in Wythenshawe, construction of the town’s new foodie hot spot can begin imminently. This was marked by a memorable time capsule ceremony this week involving local school children.

Students from Haveley Hey Community School and St Anthonys Catholic Primary School joined us and the Leader of Manchester City Council and to create and bury the capsule, celebrating the start of the works.

Designed to be opened after 2050, the time capsule has been filled with drawings and ideas from the school children, imagining what Wythenshawe might look like in the next 25 years. Some pupils included letters to their future selves and family members, offering a personal glimpse into today’s hopes for the future.

The food hall, located in the new town centre square at the top of the Birtles, is set to become a foodie destination, filled with independent traders and local vendors. Designed to bring local people together, the new food hall will offer a welcoming space where the community can gather to relax and enjoy the food and drink options on offer.

Joe Stockton, development director, said:

“The food hall will create a vibrant new space for people of all ages to come together and ensure the next generation of the town continues to feel proud of its community and all it has to offer.”

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:

“The pace we are working at to transform Wythenshawe’s town centre is truly exciting. This next start on site at the food hall is another major milestone in the £500m programme of investment in this community. And it’s true to the vision we have for our high streets across Manchester – creating quality spaces for local people to come together and spend time in a high street they can be properly proud of.”

Sue Spiteri, CEO and Executive Headteacher at Children of Success Schools Trust, said:

“Being involved in this important occasion is a fantastic opportunity for the children at both Haveley Hey Community School and St Anthonys Catholic Primary School, who are very excited to play a part in the regeneration of Wythenshawe’s town centre.

“Over the last week, there has been a real buzz across both schools, as the children prepared for today by drawing and painting their visions of what Wythenshawe might look like when the capsule is opened again in 25 years.”

The new food hall is part of a wider plan to refresh Civic which has seen £20 million of funding from the UK Government and a further £11.9m from the Council.

Construction of the new Culture Hub is also underway, along with plans to enhance the existing open spaces in and around Civic. The regeneration of Civic is expected to complete in 2027.

Works on two of the three new housing communities set to create 422 new affordable homes have also been granted planning approval, with the third expected to get the green light soon.

To stay up to date with the town’s regeneration, local residents are being encouraged to sign up for updates by visiting: Wythenshawe Town Centre | Home