UK. Manchester Airport is set to enhance its dining portfolio with the opening of the travel hub’s first JD Wetherspoon pub this September, to be named The Belle Vue.
Located in the Terminal 2 departures lounge, the 338sq m venue will offer seating for more than 300 guests, featuring a design-led interior inspired by Belle Vue’s heritage and the sporting culture of the North West of England.
The pub’s name and interior concept pay homage to the famed Mancunian site, once a popular leisure destination featuring a pub, zoological gardens, greyhound racing and a speedway track.
A key social hub from the Victorian era until its final event in 2020, Belle Vue’s legacy is reflected in the pub’s clubhouse-style design, which blends classic and contemporary elements alongside sports memorabilia.
The dining space forms part of Manchester Airport’s decade-long £1.3 billion (US$1.7 billion) transformation of the terminal, marking the final major food & beverage opening in the programme.
The investment has more than doubled the size of the terminal and delivered a UNESCO-backed architecture award, with the expanded departures area bringing together high street names and Northern brands in a refreshed retail mix.
The announcement of the latest dining location also builds on recent openings and upcoming retail and food & beverage concepts delivered by Avolta at Manchester Airport, underlining its continued investment in the transformed Terminal 2.
Manchester Airport Chief Commercial Officer Stephen Turner said, “We’re very excited to be able to reveal more detail about Terminal 2’s new JD Wetherspoon pub The Belle Vue, which will encapsulate the spirit and traditions of sporting entertainment in Manchester.
“This will be the first JD Wetherspoon pub at Manchester Airport and it is fantastic to have yet another household name taking its place among those opening units in the terminal, as part of its £1.3bn transformation.”
Manchester Airport Retail Director Richard Jackson added, “From the outset of the transformation programme, we were keen to ensure we had a varied food and drink offering in the terminal with a strong sense of place. The Belle Vue will complement the existing bars and pubs in Terminal 2, expanding the choice on offer to passengers, with something to suit all tastes and budgets.
“Our new Boutique Mall in Terminal 2, featuring a number of fashion’s big names, will open this summer too – so it is shaping up to be an exciting few months.”
JD Wetherspoon Chief Executive John Hutson said: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.” 
