Ole’ El Gate Negro aims to reign on King Street

A FORMER retail unit is to be reborn as a new Spanish restaurant in Manchester city centre.

El Gato Negro, which closed in Ripponden, Yorkshire last year ahead of the move over the Pennines, will open at 52 King Street, a former Ted Baker and All Saints shop unit.

The restaurant, which will be spread across three floors, will also feature an outside dining area. It will open in late summer.

The King Street site was secured after talks with a number of potential venues in the city centre – a deal was nearly reached for the space vacated some years ago by Raymond Blanc at 55 King Street –  and planning is now underway to transform the newly-acquired space.

The brainchild of chef Simon Shaw, El Gato Negro won countless awards during its nine years in business including recognition from Hardens, Michelin, and The Good Food Guide. Last year the restaurant was awarded a prestigious Michelin Guide 2015 Bib Gourmand for the second year running.

Shaw said: “Bringing El Gato Negro to Manchester is a timely opportunity to showcase a broader selection of the dishes and wines I’m so passionate about. There’s a massive resurgence in the new British wave of Spanish restaurants and we want to go further with the dining experience we pioneered almost 10 years ago.

“The redevelopment of King Street, one of Manchester’s most iconic addresses, presents us with the unique opportunity not only to bring El Gato Negro to Manchester but to play a significant role in shaping the heart of the city.

“52 King Street is the perfect destination for us.  It’s a fantastic building – inviting and airy with great ceiling heights that are so very typical of a traditional tapas bar – it feels like it was made for El Gato Negro.”

El Gato Negro Manchester is a partnership between Shaw and Mills Hill Developments – which is a venture backed  by North West private investors.