New Images Show Bury Market Food Hall Nearing Completion 2026

Key Points

• New photographs and footage released by Bury Council show work continuing inside the two-floor Casewells flexi-hall.
• The Bury Market food hall is part of a £33m investment in the town’s market.
• The 22,000 sq ft venue is planned to have 12 food and retail units, a central bar and a performance stage.
• The hall will provide space for eating, drinking and live performances.
• Midlands Events Bury Ltd is expected to operate the venue when it opens.
• Bury Council hopes the development will bring more people into the town centre and expand the local food offer.
• Public reaction has been mixed, with some residents supporting the plans and others questioning the need for another food venue.
• Bury Council expects the Casewells building to open in autumn 2026.

Bury (Manchester Mirror) August 25, 2026 – uk/local/bury/">Bury Market food hall construction is continuing, with new images and footage released by Bury Council showing progress inside the planned Casewells flexi-hall.

The two-floor venue covers approximately 22,000 square feet and is being delivered as part of a £33m investment in Bury Market. According to the Bury Times, the finished building is expected to contain 12 food and retail units, a central bar and a stage for performances.

The council has described the new hall as a destination where people will be able to eat, drink and watch performances. Its planned flexible design is intended to support different uses and events, rather than operate solely as a conventional food court.

The latest images provide an update on a project that remains under construction. They show the interior taking shape as the council works towards an expected opening in autumn 2026.

When is the Casewells flexi-hall expected to open?

Bury Council has said the Casewells building is expected to open in autumn 2026. The council has not provided a more specific opening date.

The announcement means the project is moving towards its next significant stage: completing the building, fitting out the units and preparing the space for operators and visitors. The final appearance is expected to follow the CGI images released by the council, although construction work remains under way.

The venue’s name is connected to Bury’s food and trading history. The Casewells hall is named after what the council says was the first shop in Bury to sell black pudding.

That connection gives the development a direct link to one of the market town’s best-known food traditions. The planned combination of food, retail and performances is intended to give the venue a broader identity than a collection of places to eat.

Who will operate the new food hall?

Midlands Events Bury Ltd, also known as MEB, is expected to run the hall once it opens.

The company is also behind Queens Market in Rhyl. Its involvement means the future operation of the venue will be separate from the council’s role as the developer and public authority responsible for the wider investment.

The operator will be responsible for managing the venue and its commercial activity after completion. That is likely to include coordinating the food and retail units, operating the central bar and arranging performances on the stage.

The report does not identify the individual businesses that will occupy the 12 planned units. It also does not state which performers or events will appear at the venue after opening.

Why is Bury Council developing the food hall?

Bury Council hopes the new hall will increase footfall in the town centre and improve the local food offer.

The development forms part of a wider £33m investment in Bury Market, which the council describes as world-famous. The planned venue is intended to attract visitors by combining food, drink and entertainment in one location.

A food hall can serve several purposes within a town-centre regeneration project. It can provide an additional reason for people to visit, encourage visitors to remain in the area for longer and create space for businesses that may not operate in a traditional market setting.

However, the council’s stated objectives will depend on how the venue performs after opening. Visitor numbers, the quality and range of the tenants, pricing and the programme of events will all influence whether the hall adds to the town-centre economy.

The council has not claimed in the report that the development will resolve all challenges facing Bury Market or guarantee increased trade for existing businesses.

How have residents responded to the project?

Public reaction to the Casewells development has been mixed.

Some people have welcomed the project. The Bury Times reported that supporters said the new hall “looks fabulous” and that they “can’t wait” for it to open. These comments indicate that some residents view the venue as a positive addition to the town centre and are looking forward to its food and entertainment offer.

Other residents have questioned whether Bury needs another food venue. Their concern is that the new hall could take trade away from businesses already operating in Bury Market.

Some critics have described the project as a “waste of money”. Others said they had hoped the investment would be used to replace the indoor market, which has been closed since 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, commonly known as RAAC, was found in its roof.

The differing responses reflect two competing expectations for the investment. Supporters see Casewells as a new attraction that could bring more people into Bury, while critics are focused on the condition and future of the existing indoor market.

Could the food hall affect existing market businesses?

The potential effect on existing traders is one of the main issues raised in response to the project.

The new hall is designed to include food and retail units, meaning it may compete for some of the same customers as established market businesses. The extent of that competition will depend on the types of businesses selected, their prices, the opening hours and whether the venue attracts new visitors who would not otherwise have visited the market.

If Casewells brings additional footfall into the area, existing traders could benefit from visitors moving between the new hall and other parts of the market. If customers view the two areas as substitutes, some businesses could instead face greater competition.

The council’s stated aim is to enhance Bury’s overall food offer and increase town-centre footfall. The report does not provide evidence showing how the project will affect individual traders because the hall has not opened.

The relationship between the new venue and existing market businesses is therefore likely to become clearer only after the opening and the publication of trading or visitor figures.

What is the wider context of the £33m investment?

The Casewells project is part of a £33m investment in Bury Market. The development is taking place while the indoor market remains closed following the discovery of RAAC in its roof in 2023.

That background has shaped some of the criticism directed at the food hall. Some residents have questioned why a new venue is being developed while the indoor market has not been replaced, according to the Bury Times.

The report does not say that Casewells is a replacement for the closed indoor market. Instead, it presents the project as a new two-floor venue intended for food, retail and performances.

This distinction is important because the development is being judged against different expectations. For the council, Casewells is part of an investment programme aimed at strengthening the town centre. For some residents, the more immediate priority is the future of the indoor market and the businesses affected by its closure.

What happens next before the venue opens?

Construction work will need to continue before the building can welcome the public.

The next stages are expected to include completing the internal areas, preparing the food and retail units, installing the bar and stage facilities, and finalising arrangements for events and operations. The report does not provide a detailed construction timetable or list of confirmed tenants.

Midlands Events Bury Ltd will also need to prepare the operating model for the venue. This will include determining how the 12 units are occupied and how the performance space is used.

The council’s autumn 2026 target provides a broad timeframe rather than a confirmed public opening day. Any change to the construction programme, fit-out work or operator arrangements could affect the final date.

Background to the Casewells development

Casewells is a planned two-floor, 22,000 sq ft flexi-hall at Bury Market. It is being delivered as part of Bury Council’s £33m investment in the market and is intended to combine food, retail and entertainment.

The venue is expected to include 12 food and retail units, a central bar and a stage. Its name refers to the first shop in Bury that the council says sold black pudding.

Bury Council has said the building will provide a place to eat, drink and watch performances. Midlands Events Bury Ltd is expected to operate the venue and is also associated with Queens Market in Rhyl.

The development comes after the indoor market closed in 2023 when RAAC was found in the roof. While some residents expected the investment to support a replacement indoor market, Casewells is being presented as a new venue rather than a direct replacement. The council expects the flexi-hall to open in autumn 2026.

How could Bury Market food hall affect visitors and traders?

The Bury Market food hall could give visitors another reason to visit the town centre, particularly if the venue offers a varied range of food, reasonably priced products and regular performances.

For existing traders, the outcome will depend on whether the hall attracts new customers or mainly redirects spending from other parts of the market. A successful venue could increase overall footfall, but businesses offering similar products may face additional competition.

For local residents, the project will provide a new leisure and dining space, although its value will be judged against concerns about public spending and the unresolved future of the indoor market.

At this stage, the likely impact cannot be measured because the hall is still under construction. The clearest indicators after opening will be visitor numbers, tenant occupancy, customer spending, event attendance and the effect on established market businesses.