Matt Nellany, Trof: how to survive a decade in hospitality

In the second of three interviews, we ask business owners what the secret is to surviving as a business in the Northern Quarter (NQ).

Next up is Matt Nellany, general manager of Trof since 2016 and now owner of the Thomas Street stalwart.

1. How does it feel to still be going strong in NQ?

It feels really good. Obviously there’s been some tough times and Covid was especially challenging for anybody in hospitality but Trof’s been established for 17 years, and the reason we got through is because we've been able to establish a regular base of customers who come in all the time.

They've been very supportive through that tough time and understand that we're now an independent business, although we were part of Mission Mars at one time. The other help was going independent and that being public knowledge. People were very supportive of that and we got more business because of it.

I feel like I just hold the lead and Trof is its own beast

I felt trade levels maintained when we expected them to drop and we saw regular faces coming in again. People seem to be very happy about us going independent anyway. I think people feel like they’ve got their own personal investment in the place.

Although it’s now solely myself that’s taken the place on, I feel like I just hold the lead and it's its own beast. There are regulars that’ve been coming in here before I could even drink. So they’ve got an expectation of what the place is - Trof is its own thing and I just let it be.

2. What do you think has helped you have continued success over the years?

I'd say it's that we’re an all-rounder. It goes against what I've learned in other places where I’ve worked, which is usually to do one thing really well. Whereas I think Trof's one of the first places I worked at where we do everything really well. We do breakfast and brunch, so we've got the regular clientele for that. We’ve then got evening food and some people know us for that. Friday and Saturday night we’ve got a bourbon bar that gets a bit busier and people come in for that and then there’s Sunday roast.

So there's some regulars who might be in on a Saturday night and then they're in to cure the hangover on a Sunday with breakfast. We’re known for different things, and I think that's what's got us through it.

3. Why do you think there’s been a quite a few short-lived bars and restaurants in NQ over the years? 

What I noticed about some of the places opening nearby was they were - I wouldn't say a fad - but they were concept driven. They were very specific in exactly what they did and that matched a trend at the time. But trends dip, they go up and down.

4. What’s the strangest fad you’ve seen come through NQ in your time?

I don't want to say something bad about anywhere that's open, but that Blockbuster place on Oldham Street is probably the weirdest one. But it’s cool and it's different. I've never seen anything like that.

5. What was NQ like when you opened in 2012?

It was a lot more hustle and bustle. There was a lot more footfall to rely on - you saw a lot more different faces as opposed to more regular faces, I'd say. It was a lot more ‘pop in a bar, stand up and have a drink or two and then bounce to the next place’, there was a lot more bar-hopping. Whereas now stood up drinking seems to have gone a bit. The first thing people are looking for is a seat. Then once they’ve got a seat people stay in longer.

6. How do you think NQ has changed since you opened?

When I started in 2017 there seemed to be a younger, professional clientele. I'd say now it's a vast mix. It's definitely changed in that it's a complete mix. You’ve still got some hipsters and professionals sticking around, but you’ve also got people who visit Manchester and come to see ‘The Northern Quarter’ - the area full of bars and restaurants. There’s older clientele and that didn't seem to be as much the case back when I first started.

7. What do you think the future holds for NQ?

I think Manchester is getting to be the biggest for restaurants and bars outside London, and it's only going to get bigger and bigger. So as opposed to there being areas that pop up, like Deansgate did and Spinningfields and then Ancoats, I don't think the Northern Quarter will ever drop off. I think it's always going to be that place known for bars and restaurants. I don't think you've got another area in Manchester that is solely dedicated to bars and restaurants, and if you think of Thomas Street and the streets adjacent, it's just full of them.

8. What advice would you give to someone thinking of opening something in NQ? 

My advice would be to stick to what you're really passionate about. I wouldn't advise trying to second guess what a customer wants or looking at a trend and trying to jump on that. I don't think that's the right way to go.

I feel my customers want to see that passion from us, and being independent means you’re hands on and running it. They want to see that as opposed to you trying to guess what they want. I think they've come to see something different.

Read next - Beau Myers, Almost Famous: how to survive a decade in hospitality

Read again - The Messi Burger, Hard Rock Café reviewed, as the Premier League returns

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