STACK has been announced as the preferred operator for the new shipping container-inspired food village at Leeds Kirkgate Market.
Big news! Back in 2022, the council announced plans to transform the outdoor market into a container-style street food village. Since then, all has been quiet – until now. After months of deliberation, they’ve now confirmed that STACK has fought off the competition to become their preferred operator and it’s full steam ahead to get planning and licensing approval.
STACK already has a slew of sustainable food villages across the country, including one in Sheffield and another in Manchester, with new sites in Middlesborough and Newcastle on the way. They’re hugely popular and recently secured investment from private equity manager Kings Park Capital to fast-track growth – which means they’re ready and raring to go.
You can expect their new Leeds venture to follow in their other sites’ footsteps, with a plethora of independent street food vendors, housed in shipping containers, and a central plaza where you can tuck in. It’s not just food either, with bars and entertainment on-site, it’s going to be a new nightlife hotspot, just around the corner from Call Lane.
They made it through a rigorous vetting process, fighting off two other private operators to win the favour of the Council. They now need to get planning and licensing approval before they set to work on the venue itself, which is designed to complement the wider market and will be paid for in full by STACK (that’s right, they’re footing the bill, not the Council).
The aim here is not just to create a darned tasty place to eat, drink and be merry, but rather to revitalise the market and bring footfall back to the area. One of the big changes we can expect to see is a move towards a seven-day format, including new Sunday and evening opening hours, which will create new opportunities for the independent traders at the market.
But where will they put it? The outdoor market, which currently has space for 185 stalls, will be reconfigured to accommodate the new food village. But that doesn’t mean we’re losing anything – the new plans leave plenty of space for the 85 traders who currently operate at the outdoor market, with extra spots should anyone else want to join their ranks.
“We’re committed to ensuring that the new container village will be a place where both existing and new traders can thrive, enhancing the overall market and ensuring it remains a key attraction in Leeds,” Neill Winch, STACK’s chief executive officer, told us. “We look forward to working closely with the council and local stakeholders to make this vision a reality.”
STACK is coming to the outdoor market at Leeds Kirkgate Market. The opening date has not been confirmed.
