The summer closure of Stack in Newcastle came as a huge blow to its fans but it seems that you just can't keep a good thing down and the company behind the pioneering container village followed up with big plans for its return - and now those plans are getting even bigger.
After the city centre venue shut down in May, due to the redevelopment of its Pilgrim Street site for the new HMRC offices, its developer Danieli Group came up with the idea of a pop-up Stack to run over the festive season in the Stephenson Quarter behind the Central Station. While these plans were later shelved following local objections, Stack is now set to make a permanent comeback in the city, with a new home found in Worswick Chambers in Pilgrim Street which is currently being redeveloped.
Set to open in winter next year, this will include eight bars, seven street food units, two cocktail bars and a roof terrace. Also in the pipeline are plans for Stack outlets in Durham, Bishop Auckland and beyond the region in Lincoln and Carlisle - and now comes a whole new project, with hopes to open a pop-up Stack in Middlesbrough too by next spring.
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If successful in its planning application, the leisure brand - which also runs a popular Stack in Seaburn - will run a container village for three years in the town, on the site of an 'arcaded undercroft' area of the A66 flyover adjacent to Exchange Square. The set-up would include 25 shipping containers, designed around Stack's trademark central plaza, with seating surrounded by five street food vendor outlets and three bars plus a stage for live performances and events.
A Hadrian's Tipi - a pop-up which is also run by Danieli Group - would feature alongside it. If given the go-ahead, work on the Middlesbrough Stack would get under way immediately, with the aim of opening for Easter 2023. The scheme could also create around 115 jobs.
The project would also follow upon from the group's plans to create a new branch of its pan-Asian restaurant The Muddler in the town. Neill Winch, chief executive officer of Danieli Group, said: “We have a very strong growth strategy for Stack and have announced a number of new sites in recent months.
"We are very happy at the prospect of a pop-up scheme in Middlesbrough which, if successful, will be in place for three years." He added: “Given the rapid expansion of the brand, we would also hope to identify a site for a permanent Stack in Middlesbrough in the long term.”
The town's mayor Andy Preston has also spoken up for the proposal, saying it would be a "fantastic addition" to Exchange Square which has been given a new lease of life.
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