Pret A Manger will be celebrating the opening of its eighth Greater Manchester shop with a prime spot in MediaCityUK.
Currently scheduled to open on 20 November, the new shop is creating up to 20 new jobs, which the company is currently finalising recruitment for. Roles include baristas, hot food chefs and front-of-house team members.
To mark the opening, Pret baristas will be parking up their coffee van near the shop on the 18 and 19 November to hand out free coffees to commuters on their way into work.
Inside the shop, customers will be welcomed by Pret’s full menu of handmade natural food, including sandwiches, salads, wraps, baguettes and hot options, as well as a menu of organic teas and coffees, and a large selection of juices and cold drinks.
On the menu from the day of opening will be Pret’s hotly-anticipated Christmas range, including its popular Christmas Lunch and Veggie Christmas Lunch sandwiches, and a variety of festive baguettes, soup and sweet treats.
The new site will feature free WiFi and a seating area of 60 indoor spaces, with a further 30 outdoor spots for al fresco dining during the warmer months.
Pret’s full range of fresh food is handmade in each shop kitchen every day and never kept overnight. Instead, the company donates unsold food to local charities supporting the homeless every evening. In 2014 Pret donated 3million food items around the UK.
Pret already supports charities in Manchester including Chapter 1, Cornerstone and Coffee4Craig, but is looking for additional charities for the MediaCityUK shop to partner with. Suggestions can be made to Pret’s Foundation Trust Manager via Giovanna.Pasini@pret.com.
Sarah Bayley, Manager of the new Pret said, “The new MediaCityUK space has become an exciting, vibrant hub in Manchester and we’re thrilled to be part of the development. There are a lot of people working long and varying hours in the area so we’re looking forward to keeping them fuelled with fresh, handmade food and plenty of organic coffee throughout the day!”
Sarah comments that the shop is also hoping to do its bit to help alleviate the pressures of homelessness in the Manchester area, “We’re currently looking for local charities to support through food donations each night, and would love to be contacted by any organisations who feel they could benefit from collecting fresh, unsold food from us in the evenings.”
Lynn Haime, Property Manager for MediaCityUK said, “MediaCityUK is a rapidly expanding destination and we’re actively responding to the wants and needs of our business community, students, residents and visitors – by attracting a diverse range of retailers from independent establishments, to well-known and loved brands like Pret. We’re delighted to welcome Pret and its exciting menu to MediaCityUK and to give people a new place to eat and drink.”
