Manchester to host week-long hospitality event

THE food and drink industry will be under the spotlight at the inaugural Northern Hospitality Week which is being held in Manchester in March.

Organisers promise to bring leading industry figures and 7,000 restaurateurs, chefs, publicans, bar-owners and hoteliers to the city for debates and special one-off business events.

The focal point will be Northern Restaurant & Bar (NRB), an exhibition held at Manchester Central on March 18-19.

As well as talks, tastings and demonstrations the week will feature awards, charity dinners, networking events, and meetings from trade associations and industry bodies.

Organiser Thom Hetherington, managing director of Glossop-based Holden Media, said: “Northern Restaurant and Bar has always brought the Northern hospitality industry together, and over time has attracted more and more satellite events. It made sense to unify everything under one brand, and to establish Manchester, in March, as an unmissable date in everybody’s diary.”

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “With a booming hospitality and conference sector, Manchester is the natural home for this event and we look forward to giving delegates a warm welcome and sharing with them all that our city has to offer.”

The event starts on March 17.