Work starts on converting rooftop space to new city centre restaurant and bar

Christopher Laidler at Blackfriars

A rooftop restaurant is set to open in the heart of Manchester this autumn.

Climat, will be situated on the rooftop of Bruntwood Works’ Blackfriars House, in the Parsonage Gardens Conservation Zone.

Work has begun on transforming the site, which will open as a wine-led restaurant and bar, the second venue for the team behind Chester’s wine and food hotspot, Covino, which recently figured in the Michelin guide.

Bruntwood Works aims to feature the brand as part of its ethos to blend work and lifestyle, which has been an important driving force in the city centre’s post-pandemic revival.

Chester’s Covino started out as a small 300 sq ft restaurant and bar in 2016. Outgrowing its first location after two years, the restaurant moved to bigger premises around the corner where it transformed into a fully-fledged restaurant. After navigating the challenges of the pandemic lockdowns, the business is now thriving and looking for its next adventure.

Climat will offer customers a seasonally-inspired, daily changing food menu. It will also offer an expertly curated collection of approximately 250 different wines, with a focus on the Burgundy region. All this will be enjoyed with 360 degree panoramic views of the city centre.

Covino head chef, Luke Richardson, will move to the role of executive chef operating across both sites.

Blackfriars has welcomed a number of businesses through its growth and redevelopment and the building is now fully let with Climat completing the transformation. The site underwent a multimillion-pound refurbishment which launched in March 2020. The transformation, which was part of the Bruntwood Works £200m Pioneer programme, has welcomed a host of new technology, creative and digital businesses.

Charlotte Wild, head of retail & leisure at Bruntwood Works, said: “As we are seeing a big return to the city centre post-COVID, it felt it was the right time to launch this extraordinary new dining and drinking space in Manchester.

“Climat will bring a unique experience to this exciting part of the city. With an eclectic wine range and seasonally inspired food in a beautiful new destination dining spot, it’s set to be an inspiring addition to Manchester.”

She added: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Chris and his team to our Blackfriars community – they have an amazing vision and will complement this beautiful building perfectly. For us, hospitality is completely central to the workplace of the future and so to have such a high quality offering at Blackfriars makes perfect sense.”

Christopher Laidler, owner of Covino and Climat restaurants, said: “It’s great to get our foot in the door in Manchester. It represents a big step up for us.

“The site has so much to offer and we’re going to add something special to a great city. The space will be unique to others with its panoramic views and we can’t wait to share our progress during the build leading up to opening in autumn.

“Ultimately we want our guests to have a great dining experience and come and share our passion for really good food and drink.”

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