Work complete on £4.2m fish hall at New Smithfield Market

A multi-million pound project to create a modern wholesale fish market at New Smithfield Market in Openshaw is now complete.

The £4.2m scheme, built by Manchester-based contractor Russells Construction, includes a new fish hall, delivery yard and revamped parking for customers.

The site’s old fish hall remained open through the construction process, but was demolished upon completion of the new facility to make way for the upgraded car park.

As part of its work on the project, Russells created seven wholesaler units, a double height customer walkway, chiller and freezer facilities and office space.

Of the seven units created, six are now occupied by existing tenants of New Smithfield Market while the seventh has been taken up by a new business.

Part funded by the European Fisheries Fund via the government’s regulatory Marine Management Organisation, the project was awarded to Russells by Manchester City Council.

Russells Construction’s director, Andrew Russell, said: “It’s great to see the new fish hall open for business and the new parking area provides a smart new welcome for customers.

“We’ve had great feedback from the traders and the Council on both the new facility and how successfully we ensured the construction project didn’t affect the ongoing operation of the market.”

First opened in Manchester’s Northern Quarter in 1872, New Smithfield Market moved it its current 35-acre Openshaw site in the 1970s

Architecture firm GD Lodge designed the scheme alongside the council and an on-site operational team.