Escape to Freight Island
Escape to Freight Island is a huge food hall and entertainment venue in the former Mayfield railway depot, a few minutes from Manchester Piccadilly station. Opened in 2020, it fills around 55,000 square feet with street-food kitchens, bars, a big screen for live sport and an outdoor beer garden.
Photos
Alison B
Food and drink
A changing line-up of independent kitchens covers pizza, burgers, pies, arepas, gyros, cheesecake and more, with long-running traders such as Voodoo Ray's and Burgerism. There are several bars, including a cocktail bar. You order at each kitchen or via an online order-to-table system and get a text when food is ready.
Sport, events and families
A sports bar and one of the city's largest permanent HD screens make it a popular place to watch major fixtures. The outdoor terrace and beer garden come into their own in summer, and a daytime family market runs on the last Sunday of the month. Mayfield Park, the city's first new park in decades, is right next door for a walk. In colder months the indoor hall keeps the atmosphere going with music and events.
Practical tips
Most of the 1,500 seats are walk-in, so you don't usually need to book unless you're a group of ten or more. It's a convenient first or last stop if you're arriving or leaving by train from Piccadilly, and it pairs well with a walk through Mayfield Park or to the Alan Turing Memorial in Sackville Gardens.
Highlights
- Former Mayfield railway depot
- Around 55,000 sq ft and 1,500 seats
- Street-food kitchens and bars
- Big screen for live sport
- Beer garden next to Mayfield Park
Good to know
- Walk-in for most; book for groups of 10 or more.
- Order at each kitchen or online and you'll be texted when food is ready.
- Family market on the last Sunday of each month.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: escapetofreightisland.com