Team behind Alty Market and Mackie Mayor open a third venue
After undergoing a complete transformation, Macclesfield’s oldest cinema has reopened this week as Picturedrome – the third venue from Nick Johnson, Jenny Thompson and team, who are also behind Altrincham Market and Manchester’s Mackie Mayor.
The popular kid-friendly, dog-friendly market concept has provided a new home for food operators - including many who also have stalls at Altrincham and Manchester such as Honest Crust sourdough pizzas (from £10), Tender Cow for rare breed steak sandwiches (£11) and their sister company Fin who offer ‘proper’ beer battered fish and chips (£14) or fish finger butties (£11.)
Chocolatier and patisserie Sam Joseph produce and sell handmade chocolates as well as serving a variety of indulgent hot chocolates, milkshakes, coffee and desserts.
Local Macclesfield producers Flour Water Salt, who have their own full production bakery nearby, offer a range of freshly baked pastries along with Mancoco coffee, loose leaf tea and soft drinks.
Pasta company Terroni is making its debut at the Picturedrome, serving a selection of breakfast and brunch dishes, including a home made granola bowl, frittata and their signature slow roasted porchetta sandwich (£10.50) - until 3pm when the menu changes over to comforting pasta dishes.
Picturedrome opens from 9am, so customers can get a hearty breakfast from Rubens, who will sort you out with anything Levantine from baked Turkish eggs (£8), to a smoked aubergine sabich (£6.50). Lunchtime flatbreads and grain bowls include Yorkshire lamb kofte (£9.50), chicken shwarma (£8.50) or homemade falafel (£7).
Although it isn’t possible to book or reserve a place, communal benches and tables seat 180 customers and there are loads of easily identifiable team members wearing pale blue shirts branded with the Picturedrome’s star logo milling around to help clear tables and full up carafes of water.
On the upper ground floor on one side you’ll find a bar area with a selection of craft beers provided by Jack In The Box, next to a wine bar and bottle shop by market favourites Reserve.
In a post shared on social media, the market operators announced: “Picturedrome is the third spiritual sister in the Market Operations family. Home to over seven outstanding kitchens, a coffee shop, chocolatier, craft beer bar, and wine bar and merchant, Picturedrome is an attempt to enrich lives by providing high-quality, everyday food in a social setting – where families, friends, and strangers get together around shared tables and ‘break bread’.
“If we can win our way into Macclesfield hearts we hope we can return the favour and become the beating heart of this great and ‘proper’ town and find our part into its noble history”.
Work is still commencing on Picturedrome Yard, an adjacent external area, which will have room for even more traders including street food favourite Savage Mussels. and should be complete in a few weeks
Instagram - @picturedromemacc
Picturedrome, 102-104 Chestergate, Macclesfield, SK11 6DU
Open Tues-Sat 9am-10pm, Sunday 9am-6pm
