A new hotel with 144 bedrooms is set to open in Wigan as part of the town’s £135 million redevelopment project.
Officially announced this week by Wigan Council, in collaboration with its development partner Cityheart, the franchise agreement with world-renowned hotel brand, Hilton, will see a stunning six-storey Hampton by Hilton hotel pop up right in the heart of Wigan town centre, located just off Market Street.
Designed by JM Architects, and managed and operated by Leaf Hospitality, the new venture forms part of the Greater Manchester town’s £135 million redevelopment of the former Galleries Shopping Centre – which was approved last summer.
The hotel will be located directly-opposite the bus station entrance of New Market Street, and is within 500 yards of both town centre train stations.
It’s being called “one of the most important elements” of the Galleries masterplan.
ADVERTISEMENT
Artist impression images of the £135m Wigan Galleries redevelopment project / Credit: Cityheart
As well as the 144 bedrooms – with ‘accessible’ rooms to be built on each accommodation level – the new hotel will also house a gym overlooking the new square, a main reception area and dining space on the ground floor, and secure parking will be available for guests.
More than 60 staff are expected to be employed at the new hotel – which the Council says will provide a range of job opportunities for local residents.
ADVERTISEMENT
Councillor David Molyneux MBE, who is the Leader of Wigan Council, says the new hotel is an “exciting chapter” for Wigan’s future.
“It’s really exciting to welcome Hilton to this multi-million-pound redevelopment,” he commented as the plans were announced this week. “This well-known and prestigious brand coming to Wigan demonstrates the confidence that investors, businesses, and partners have… in our town centre.”
The new hotel is being called “one of the most important elements” of the Galleries masterplan / Credit: Cityheart
Graham Dodd, who is the Managing Director of Development at Hilton UK & Ireland, added: “Our partnership with Wigan Council marks an exciting new chapter, as part of Hilton’s growing presence in the North West. We were impressed by the Council and Cityheart’s vision to provide a thriving new retail, leisure, commercial and residential destination, and are excited to be part of Wigan’s transformation.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We look forward to welcoming guests to Hampton by Hilton and showcasing the town’s great potential to our global network.”
Wigan Council says “significant progress” is currently being made in preparing the cleared site for delivery of phase one of the Galleries redevelopment in the town centre – which includes this new Hampton by Hilton hotel, as well as new market hall and food court.
This initial phase will be closely followed with the construction of the Pavilion building and the MMC, all before 464 homes across seven new residential buildings are built, alongside a retirement living complex too.
Find out more about the Wigan Galleries £135 million redevelopment project here.
Featured Image – Cityheart / Wigan Council
News
Historic hidden library in Manchester city centre reveals £11m transformation plans
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to transform one of Manchester’s greatest historical hidden gems have been announced.
Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library – which is hidden in plain sight on Mosley Street, in the heart of the city centre – played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then, it has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.
But now, these new transformation plans, titled The Reunited Project, will ensure the building not only survives, but also thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.
The Portico Library‘s transformational scheme is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.
Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.
There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage.
There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.
A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.
“Portico Reunited is about more than restoring a building,” explained Dr Thom Keep, who is a Librarian & the Chief Executive of the Portico Library, after the transformation plans were submitted to Manchester City Council.
“It’s about opening doors to stories, ideas, heritage and communities across Greater Manchester.
“These plans secure Portico’s future, unlocking the power of heritage to inspire Manchester’s visitors and residents to explore, share, and celebrate their stories and the city’s literary and global heritage.”
If the plans are approved by the Council, The Portico Library will close for around 18 months for construction, during which it will continue to engage the public through its ‘Portigo !’ pop-up programme.
Featured Image – Portico Library
News
Government announces homebuying overhaul to fix country’s ‘broken’ housing system
Emily Sergeant
The Government has announced what it’s calling the biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history.
In a bid to ‘rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership for thousands nationwide, the Government has today (Monday 6 October) unveiled proposals that it says will speed up the long-drawn out and costly process of buying a home by four weeks.
The Housing Secretary says this will not only save people money, but unnecessary stress too.
The proposed new plans would see sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with ‘vital’ information about a property upfront – including the condition of the home, leasehold costs, and chains of people waiting to move.
It’s hoped this will help end any last-minute chain collapses and ultimately give greater confidence to first-time buyers when they’re making one of life’s most important decisions.
The Government has announced plans to fix the country’s ‘broken’ housing system / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Binding contracts could also be introduced to stop people walking away from agreements after buyers painstakingly spend months in negotiations to hopefully halve the number of failed transactions.
The new reforms are also proposing that prospective buyers are provided with side-by-side information on estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, alongside new mandatory qualifications and Code of Practice to drive up standards and work to rebuild trust in the industry.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to Twitter this morning to address the proposed new homebuying overhaul, commenting: “I promised that my Government would fix the broken housing system.
“Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives. That’s national renewal.”
I promised that my government would fix the broken housing system.
Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives.
Emily Sergeant -
15th March 2024 
