Manchester Central

Not one to rest on its laurels, Manchester is developing apace. New builds rise, older ones are rebranded, and the city offers more meetings possibilities than ever. Ben Lerwill picks seven of the best

IF CITIES had egos, Manchester would have more reason than most to feel big headed. In the last year alone, it has welcomed the Labour and Conservative Parties for large-scale conferences and unveiled the 48-storey Beetham Tower, the tallest UK building outside of London. Business tourism continues to flood in, new hotels are opening and regeneration and civic investment have had tangible outward impact. More often than not these days, it’s a dynamic place to be. Its flagship venues, G-MEX and the MICC, have been rebranded as the snappier Manchester Central, and the city’s proving itself forward-looking in other respects too. The council has declared its aim to be the UK’s greenest city by 2010, running workshops for local hotels and venues and compiling a Green Event Guide (see www.positiveimpactmcr.com). At the same time, the traditional pillars of the Manchester appeal – innovative arts, top-drawer sport and a none-more-cool nightlife – are holding strong.  

Wow Factor
Name: The Lowry Hotel
Address: 50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf,
Manchester, M3 5LH
Tel: 0161 827 4000
Email: reservations.lowry@roccofortecollection.com
Web: www.thelowryhotel.com

Rocco Forte’s Lowry Hotel ticks all the boxes you’d expect it to. Greater Manchester’s first five-star property boasts a plum location, high-end service levels and a striking modernist design. For event organisers, it works well – there’s a dedicated meetings floor with nine boardroom-style spaces and a separate street-level entrance, while a banqueting room caters for up to 330 delegates. Elsewhere, guests can indulge themselves as they see fit, with spa treatments, bespoke cocktails and free Playstation use. There are 165 rooms and suites, all offering high-speed internet access. The on-site River Bar and Restaurant, meanwhile, is as famous for award-winning chef Eyck Zimmer as it is for its glam clientele. 

Quirky Venue
Name: Urbis
Address: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, M4 3BG
Tel: 0161 605 8219
Email: event@urbis.org.uk
Web: www.urbis.org.uk

Urbis is a dramatically constructed exhibition centre in the heart of town and no stranger to the attention of the meetings industry. The sweeping glass building describes itself as offering “unique insights into the culture of the modern city, about Manchester, art and culture”, making it a fitting setting for groups looking for that creative spark. Located in Cathedral Gardens, it hosts five floors of regularly changing shows and can welcome anything from breakfast meetings and product launches to full-blown conferences and glitzy receptions. Up to 100 can be comfortably accommodated in a theatre-style set-up. The venue’s café-bar, The Social, provides an additional option.

New Kid on the Block
Name: City Inn Manchester
Address: One Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn Street,
Manchester, M1 3DG
Tel: 0161 242 1000
Email: manchester.events@cityinn.com
Web: www.cityinn.com/manchester

Open since the end of May, City Inn Manchester is a four-star deluxe property already cementing something of a stylish reputation. The 285-room hotel has 12 conference and event rooms, all with floor-to-ceiling windows – the largest can accommodate 72 in a theatre-style set-up. Other event spaces include the Gallery, able to welcome 230 for receptions, and the Skylounge, a more intimate space for up to 75. Free wifi and broadband access are available across all areas. In-room, there are complimentary music and movie DVDs to choose from, while a pair of “destination bars” allow ample scope for laid-back networking. 

Money No Object
Name: Orient Express Northern Belle
Address: The Old Bookstall, Victoria Station,
Manchester, M3 1PB
Tel: 0161 831 7900
Email: howard.barclay@orient-express.com
Web: www.orient-express.com

Quite a prospect, this. The Orient Express Northern Belle is a luxuriously furnished ‘30s train and can be chartered exclusively for return day or evening trips out of Manchester. The six carriages are each pictures of old-world elegance and polished charm, with extras such as jazz bands on hand to add an extra kick to an event. Up to 252 passengers can be catered for – expect fine wines, impressive menus and silver service, not to mention jealous looks from those on the other side of the glass. Importantly, the carriages allow room for guests to circulate. The train also operates out of other UK cities.   

On a Shoestring
Name: The University of Manchester
Address: Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL
Tel: 0161 306 4100
Email: meeting@manchester.ac.uk
Web: www.conference.manchester.ac.uk

The University of Manchester offers the competitive rates that academic venues are known for, as well as a genuinely strong scope of meeting facilities. Among them, its Manchester Conference Centre & Days Hotel is suitable for anything from training days to 300-delegate conferences, offering 117 bedrooms to boot. Slightly less central, the Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is a self-contained venue with 75 bedrooms and a lecture theatre for up to 125. Of particular interest, however, is University Place – a £65m building set to open in February 2008 with a 1000-seat auditorium, 23 seminar rooms and on-site exhibition space. The university is the largest conference venue provider in the north of England.  

Wired Up
Name: Manchester Central
Address: Petersfield, Manchester, M2 3GX
Tel: 0161 834 2700
Email: info@manchestercentral.co.uk
Web: www.manchestercentral.co.uk

Formerly the Manchester International Convention Centre and G-MEX, Manchester Central has heritage when it comes to hosting events in need of up-to-speed technology. Aside from the ongoing attention that the venue is attracting from the two main political parties – the colossal Central Hall can seat up to 9,000 people – it also holds dozens of prominent fairs, exhibitions and concerts over the course of a year. This means its audio-visual team knows its stuff, offering a range of IT services to suit each particular event and able to create one-off technical set-ups. There are more than 2,500 hotel rooms within five minutes’ walk of the venue.

Small but Perfectly Formed
Name: Manchester Cathedral Visitor Centre
Address: 10 Cateaton Street, Manchester, M3 1SQ
Tel: 0161 835 4030
Email: visitorcentre@manchestercathedral.com
Web: www.manchestercathedral.com

A central location, good rates and a compact, flexible complex makes the Cathedral Visitor Centre a decent find. There are four meeting suites on site, all offering natural daylight and high beamed ceilings – the two largest can accommodate 60 apiece, while the smaller rooms are both fit for 30. An on-site licensed restaurant means teas and lunches can be easily catered for. The cathedral itself is a commanding medieval structure dating back to 1215, and best known for its 15th-century Hanging Bridge. There’s also an interactive exhibition area looking at
the city’s history – just the thing for those coffee breaks.   

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