As part of a brand new partnership with Manchester brewer, Joseph Holt, TRG Concessions opened what is set to become their flagship pub in T2 at Manchester Airport.
The extended terminal is the centrepiece of MAG’s £1bn Manchester Airport Transformation Project, which was first announced in 2015 with the £3m Bridgewater Exchange as its largest airside bar.
The Bridgewater Exchange is a 972sqm pub and kitchen offering an all-day menu which champions local flavours and products.
Developed in partnership with Joseph Holt, guests will find familiar favourites from their classic pub menu as well as brand new dishes created by the Exec chef team at TRG for the opening.
Guests can also find a full range of Joseph Holt beers to sample including a great tasting flight comprising three third pints of any Joseph Holt draught beer and served with a handy tasting notes booklet.
Built with a distinctly modern feel, The Bridgewater Exchange also retains the welcoming hallmarks of a classic Joseph Holt pub: from the overhead beams and wooden floors to the green-cushioned fixed booth seating.
Commissioned portraits of key figures from the six generations involved in running the 172-year-old family business hang on the wall.
Meanwhile, other quirky additions to the pub include a large glass topped “poser” table flecked with hundreds of Holt’s bottle tops and supported by barrels imported from the brewery.
In addition to the traditional pub operation, The Bridgewater Exchange feature’s Europe’s first airside microbrewery. Located at the end of the bar, the brewery is built behind bomb-proof glass with the huge steel brewing barrels in full view of the bar area giving guests the opportunity to witness the house beer in the making.
Built in full collaboration with Joseph Holt, the brewery is set to produce Bridgewater’s signature beer; Bridgewater Ale, a pale gold IPA available exclusively from the pub’s bar.
Every effort has been made throughout the design, range and branding to represent the best of Manchester’s rich and cultural history; from quoting famous Mancs to the colours of Emmeline Pankhurst’s Votes for Women movement, the Bridgewater Exchange is Manchester through and through.
Richard Kershaw, Chief Executive, and fifth generation of the Joseph Holt family,(pictured left with Director Jane Kershaw, right), said, 'The opening of The Bridgewater Exchange pub is a unique opportunity for travellers from all over the world to sample Joseph Holt beer as well as watch it being brewed right before their eyes.
'The super terminal will consolidate Manchester`s position as an international travelling hub and I am delighted the Joseph Holt is playing a part in this.
'Our brewery is now in its 172nd year - and so forms an integral part of the history of Manchester. The opening of the Bridgewater Exchange confirms our commitment to the future and success of the city.'
Jonathan Knight, Managing Director of The Restaurant Group’s Leisure & Concessions Division, (pictured centre), said, 'We are thrilled to have opened this brilliant pub in the world class Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport.
'After 3 years in development and a number of delays following the Coronavirus pandemic, we’re proud to open a fantastic new brand showcasing the best that Manchester has to offer.
'Our exciting new partnership with Joseph Holt has allowed us to really take our operation and range at The Bridgewater Exchange to a whole new level and after a very positive first week’s trading, I’m looking forward to seeing the great things that this location will deliver.'