The huge face of a historic Manchester mill is currently being offered up as a blank canvas, ready for a local artist to add to the city’s flourishing art scene.
Developers Capital & Centric are on the hunt for a talented muralist to deliver a striking, permanent piece in Piccadilly East.
And it’s a big one – the successful artist will be tasked with designing a piece for the five-storey west side wall on Neptune Mill.
They’ll also be in charge of the tower rising above it and a smaller spot, with developers looking for a bold, impactful design.
The plan is that the huge mural will help to turn the building into an eye-catching fixture in the city and turn the heads of Manchester’s passionate art seekers.
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The paid commission will be completed before residents move in this summer.
Neptune Mill, a 19th century building on Chapeltown Street, is currently being converted into 22,000 sq ft of creative workspaces.
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Original features like exposed brick, timber beams, huge windows and cast iron columns will be retained, along with contemporary elements.
And Capital & Centric themselves – who are also behind huge projects in Manchester like Kampus and Stockport’s Weir Mill – will be moving their HQ into the building.
As they announce the hunt for a muralist, they’ve also released a new artist impression of a lush new courtyard with outdoor seating for a ground floor coffee shop.
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A new CGI of a courtyard at Neptune Mill, Capital & Centric’s new development. Credit: Supplied
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Manchester’s street art scene is thriving, bringing colour and creativity to the city’s streets.
“Increasingly, some of the pieces are connected to brands and only available for a short spell for people to marvel at. We want to hand over Neptune Mill to a talented artist to paint the piece they’ve always wanted to deliver, creating a permanent fixture on Manchester’s scene.
“The piece will mark the start of the building’s next chapter as a five-storey hub for businesses that want a creative, beautiful base.
“The on-site coffee shop and new courtyard will be really cool spaces where people can spend time and meet like-minded neighbouring businesses.
“Work on site’s progressing well and the first occupiers will be able to move in and call Neptune home this summer.”
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So, if you’ve got artistic flair, this could be the job for you.
Those wanting to express interest in the paid-for street art commission, new workspaces available this summer, and the opportunity to operate the coffee shop can contact: [email protected] or visit www.capitalandcentric.com/neptune-mill
Two towns around an hour away from Manchester named ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home
Emily Sergeant
Two towns that are around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home.
It’s all according to the latest analysis by consumer watchdog Which?, and Lloyds bank.
Getting onto the property ladder remains a struggle for many first time buyers, especially following increases to mortgage rates since the start of spring – but where you buy can make a huge difference, according to Which?, and now new research from Lloyds has revealed the cheapest areas to buy your first home.
Some of the locations on the list are even averaging less than half the price of homes in London, proving the North West is where you want to be to get your foot on the property ladder.
According to research from Lloyds Bank, the most affordable place for first time buyers in the UK is East Ayrshire in Scotland.
But when it comes to the North West, Blackpool is not only the most affordable area in region – ranking at number three on the list – but it’s also the cheapest in the whole of England too, beating Kingston upon Hull by just a few hundred pounds.
Two towns around an hour away from Manchester have been named among the ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott | Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
The average first time buyer price in Blackpool is £150,780, according to the research.
Following Blackpool, ranking at sixth place on the list, is Hyndburn in Lancashire – which is actually a local Government district with borough status, that encompasses towns like Accrington and Great Harwood – with an average first time buyer price of £155,911.
Along with the most affordable areas for first time buyers, Lloyds has also calculated the areas with the youngest first time buyers too – and the North West also takes that title,
In the UK as a whole, the average age of a first time buyer is now 32, however buyers in some parts of the country are getting onto the property ladder much earlier than others, particularly in more affordable areas outside major cities.
The area with the youngest first time buyers is the Ribble Valley, according to Lloyds.
The largest town in this Lancashire district is Clitheroe, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and in less than 40 minutes by car, you can get to Preston, Blackburn, and Burnley, so it’s a pretty well-connected place for also being so affordable.
Featured Image – Stuart Wilding (Geograph)
Property
Four North West towns named among Britain’s top 10 seaside ‘property hotspots’ for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Four North West towns have been named among Britain’s top 10 ‘property hotspots’ by the sea for 2026.
You may already be familiar that, every year, leading property listing website Rightmove takes a look at all the cities, towns, and residential areas across the UK where house prices saw a significant hike on average last year, and puts together a top 10 list.
The ‘hotspot’ table is made up of a variety of locations where prices rose the most, when compared to the end of the year prior.
But now, they’ve done a special seaside version too.
Of course, “Manchester‘s got everything except a beach” so it won’t come as a surprise that no Greater Manchester towns are featured on this list, but that isn’t the case for the rest of the North West though, as Merseyside and Cumbria are well represented.
In fact, it’s actually the North West that’s taken the top spot, as Bootle in Merseyside has been named Britain’s top seaside house price hotspot, with asking prices having risen 11% in the past year alone, and that’s even with an average house price still way below the national average at £141,680.
Four North West towns have been named among Britain’s top 10 seaside ‘property hotspots’ for 2026 / Credit: James Feaver | Gabe Fender (via Unsplash)
Second place can be found just 10 minutes further up the coast in the town of Crosby, where the average asking prices are up 9% compared to last year, reaching £330,900.
Wallasey comes in at sixth place on the list, with house prices rising 7% to £200,753 on average, while Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria ranks at number nine with house prices increasing 6% to an average of £185,169.
Rightmove says the data shows that coastal living remains ‘relatively accessible’ in several areas, with nine of the top 10 fastest growing seaside locations still priced below the national average, and across more than 100 coastal areas analysed, more than 80% also have an average asking price below the national average (£378,304).
“The fastest-growing seaside markets this year show that demand for coastal homes in many areas remains resilient, even as overall price growth across the UK stays more modest,” commented Colleen Babcock, who is Rightmove’s property expert.
“While some locations are seeing strong price increases, there are still many areas where living by the sea is more affordable, giving buyers a wider range of options depending on their budget.”
The Manc -
9th April 2024 
