Extending the shipping container village means new outlets, with even more shopping and socialising opportunities
STICKING a few shipping containers and picnic tables under the Mancunian Way flyover on Oxford Road has turned out to be a cracking idea and Hatch is continuing to go from strength to strength. Originally focusing the concept on eats and beats, the offer has expanded along with the physical site, and now includes permanent sites as well as pop-up spaces plus fashion, arts and crafts, and interiors.
Food and drink
An old Citroen jalopy in the form of a refitted French van is now rocking the street food courtyard world, courtesy of Panquake – serving up savoury and sweet crepes and waffles. Spanish flavours are incoming from Ana’s Abeja Tapas, with cooked-from-scratch family recipes originally hailing from the Granada region. Mezze, meanwhile, have moved their Cypriot kitchen from their pop-up spot and into a larger unit, as have Kyle and Ellie’s Parmogeddon, with their vegan as well as meaty versions of the North East cheese-slathered Parmo treat.
Retail
This Thing Of Ours is one of the new traders growing Hatch’s retail side, bringing Tim McTavish’s independent clothing and lifestyle store for men to the table, stocking hard-to-find US and Japanese brands like Comfy Outdoor Garment. Just down the courtyard is Shmyls, where founder Sarah sells a range of ethically made and environmentally friendly homewares, jewellery and cards. ‘Simple and sustainable’ Arctic Fox & Co, meanwhile, is inspired by Icelandic and Scandinavian design, and puts 5% of profits towards the WWF’s climate change-limiting projects.
Also on the green front is Bulb Flower Studio, who have added a second, larger unit to their Hatch portfolio following the success of their first florists near the road. After something more permanent than just saying it with flowers? The Gold Panther Tattoo studio has just taken up residence.
To celebrate its expansion, Hatch recently commissioned acclaimed poet Mike Garry to create a pop-up ode to Oxford Road. The poem will soon be on display, meantime check out Garry's powerful reading on the website.
