It’s not every day you get a two-word answer from Robert De Niro, but then this wasn’t any old groundbreaking ceremony.
The Hollywood icon to mark the launch of the Nobu tower, the tallest skyscraper planned for the city centre (so far) and one which will contain a Nobu restaurant, hotel, and luxury residences.
No surprise that some 200 guests came to the cold but spectacular brick-arched vault off Albion Street for a touch of glamour alongside the development hype.
The Nobu tower is part of Salboy’s Viadux cluster. Viadux phase one, which I visited last year, saw a tower built above a network of Victorian brick railway vaults, which have been transformed into beautiful leisure and lounge spaces.
The Nobu tower will be similar but even taller. And this time – in six years’ time or so – the vaults will become a Nobu restaurant, a Northern flagship for the brand launched 30 years ago by Robert De Niro, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Meir Teper.
Mr De Niro, star of iconic films from Taxi Driver to Goodfellas, joined his business partners onstage alongside Trevor Horwell, the British-born CEO of Nobu Hospitality Group, and Salboy boss and proud Salfordian Simon Ismail.
After a video introduction from Salboy founder Fred Done, who said the Nobu tower would be his company’s “masterpiece”, Manchester council leader Bev Craig welcomed Nobu’s investment and told the celebrity guests that Manchester was a “city that’s going places”.
Most attention was on 82-year-old Mr De Niro, who quite rightly had a warming pot of tea on the go.
Mr De Niro was clearly new to Manchester, admitting he “did not know much” yet about the city but was intrigued by the “real character and creative passion” he had already seen here.
And he smiled: “I look forward to coming back when it’s finished, if not before. I plan to be around… I think it will take six years so I will make sure I am around.”
Chef Nobu added: “It’s a city with a great spirit and great energy. This project is about more than a hotel or the residences, it’s about community and lifestyle.
“We are proud to be here and part of it. Viva Manchester!”
The ceremony itself was unusual, with a long thin box of earth placed in front of the stage for a long line of guests to prod with a spade.
The speakers were joined by architect Ian Simpson, who has designed the Nobu tower and so many of Manchester’s landmark skyscrapers. He was described more than once today as the Godfather of Manchester’s modern skyline, though Mr De Niro was clearly far too used to that kind of in-joke to acknowledge it.
After speeches the event broke up briefly for networking and coffee – mostly coffee, it was cold – before resuming for a short press conference.
Mr De Niro was asked more about Manchester – he has chatted to Fred Done about it – and was even cheekily asked what was better, winning an Oscar or eating Chef Nobu’s food. “They’re both totally different experiences, he smiled.
As for me, I asked the Nobu trio if they were still excited about opening new venues around the world.
After a short pause Mr De Niro took the mic to say, I think slightly bemusedly: “Of course!”
Co-founder Meir Teper added: “Yes we are very motivated and excited to do new projects. That’s what keeps us going. So Manchester is one of them for sure.”
Meanwhile Chef Nobu thanked Salboy again for the chance to come to Manchester. He said new projects were a challenge but praised his team – and added: “Now we need to try our best.”
