'Iconic' - Stockport pyramid curry house would be over four floors with three banquet halls as plans confirmed

Plans for a curry house in Stockport’s famous Pyramid have been submitted – with drawings revealing proposals for sprawling diner spanning four floors with three separate banquet halls.

It was revealed in July that plans were being drawn up by restaurant chain Royal Nawaab to take over the iconic landmark, which has been empty for the past five years.

Construction started on the Stockport Pyramid in 1987. The building was occupied by the Co-operative Bank from 1995 until it moved to the NOMA area of Manchester city centre in 2018. It was originally supposed to be one of five pyramid structures built in what was to be Manchester’s own ‘Valley of Kings’, but these plans never came to fruition.

A Saudi Arabian investor bought the vacant 86,000 sq ft site from the Co-operative Bank in 2019 for around £45m through Eamar Developments (UK). The company lists Saleh Abdullah Alnaeem as its director.

Proposals for the curry house development show plans for a 350-seat dining space with a buffet area as well as private VIP rooms on the ground floor of the pyramid. The first floor, if planning is granted, will have a large banquet hall with space for up to 700 people, along with a bar area and a bride’s room for wedding events. On the second floor will be two more banquet halls, seating 150 and 300 guests. On the third and fourth floors there are plans to create a space for furniture storage, and have office administration space.

Mahboob Hussain of Royal Nawaab said: “We are hoping to breathe much needed life into this iconic building and bring with it a significant investment and job creation into the Stockport and Greater Manchester region.

“We have received a positive reaction to our plans from local people and media. It truly is an iconic building that has put Stockport on the map. We now want to bring it back to life with a truly unforgettable dining experience for diners across Stockport, Greater Manchester and beyond.”

If the application is successful, the site would become a space not just for dining but also for entertainment such as parties and corporate events.

Fozia Alharby from Eamar Developments said: “The owner Dr Abdullah Alnaeem is delighted that Royal Nawaab is now able to share their plans for the Pyramid.

“We have long been fans of the brand and we wanted to ensure that we brought something special to Stockport, they are the perfect fit. The plans for the space will offer so much more than a restaurant, it presents a destination to bring more people to Stockport.”

NK Architects, which is based in Cheadle in Stockport, has been working on the plans.