A historic mill in Manchester which has been used as a creative space for hundreds of musicians and artists is being turned into flats – with those who worked in the space forced to move out.
Brunswick Mill sits on the edge of Ancoats, alongside the Pollard Yard community of shipping containers that’s also home to a group of local creative businesses.
This former cotton mill will be a familiar sight to most of us – not just because of its traditional red-brick, canal-side appearance, but also because it’s cropped up on TV plenty of times over the years.
Both Liam Gallagher and Louis Tomlinson picked Brunswick Mill for their music videos, and Netflix and Disney+ crews have also used it as a location.
But more important than its fancy TV credentials is what the building has meant for so many local artists over the years.
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Liam Gallagher’s One Of Us music videoLiam Gallagher in one of the studios. Credit: Brunswick Mill Credit: Brunswick MillBrunswick Mill as it looks today. Credit: All My FriendsLiam Gallagher at Brunswick Mill and (swipe across) how the space looked as it closed
Brunswick Mill has acted as a rehearsal space, recording studio and meeting space for hundreds of musicians, who have been able to rent their own permanent, soundproofed rooms. The building is as grassroots and authentic and brilliantly Manc as it gets, down to its ‘very ropey toilets’ – but now the dream is over.
The developers are moving in and, before long, Brunswick Mill will be an apartment block.
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Arrowsmith Investments is planning a £58m redevelopment of the mill, which will see it turned into a block of 150 flats (127 further homes will be built next door). The plans fall short of the 20% affordable homes percentage.
Plans for Brunswick Mill. Credit: Hodder + PartnersPlans for Brunswick Mill. Credit: Hodder + Partners
Tales of heartbreak are emerging from the mill’s ancient walls as the musicians who have been based here over the last 17 years pack up and move out.
While Brunswick Mill’s team has found a new home in Salford, the new space is much smaller, and it means not all of the residents from Ancoats can go with it.
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One particularly gut-wrenching blog post has been shared by Liam Donoghue, founder of dance music blog and club night All My Friends, who wrote about how the closure will ‘hit Manchester’s creative community pretty hard’.
He said: “Brunswick Mill was a wreck. It was a dilapidated mill on the edge of Manchester which had some very ropey toilets and a lot of pigeon sh*t. But it was also an artistic hub that housed over 100 bands, producers artists, and DJs during its 20-year history.
“AMF moved into Brunswick Mill in 2019 and we’re sad to say we’re losing our studio after a brilliant 4 years. Yes, the toilets were a bit minging but the freedom it gave musicians of all stripes to play music as loud as they wanted and not have to worry about noise complaints and neighbors was a real boon to Manchester musical community.”
The post continued: “I do think it’s sad that any form of creative space is being squeezed out of Manchester. Even the outskirts aren’t safe…
“Personally, this city needs to reassess its relationship with its nightlife and music scene Manchester is a city with a proud musical heritage but that will quickly dry up without places like Brunswick to nurture new talent.”
Manchester rapper Aitch is doing a charity skydive for Down Syndrome awareness
Emily Sergeant
Aitch is to brave a whopping 15,000ft free fall as he takes on a charity skydive in the name of Down Syndrome awareness.
You may remember that the chart-topping rapper – real name Harrison Armstrong, who proudly hails from Moston in North Manchester – became an ambassador of the Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) back in October last year in honour of his sister Gracie, who has Down Syndrome.
The 23-year-old’s role as an ambassador came after he made a generous donation from the budget of his music video for his track ‘My G’ – which is dedicated to his little sister, affectionately known as ‘G’ – to the charity, with the rapper describing the song as the most important track on his debut album, Close to Home.
Aitch said at the time of becoming an ambassador that there was “nothing more important in the world” to him than Gracie, and that’s why the role meant so much to him.
And now, he’s taking his support one step further – and a big step at that.
As this week is Down Syndrome Awareness Week here in the UK, the BRIT Award-winner has decided to take the leap and will be bravely free falling in tandem with an instructor from a plane that’s 15,000ft above the ground this month, all to show just how important Gracie is to him and his family.
Down Syndrome Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about what Down Syndrome is, what it means to have Down Syndrome, and how people who have Down Syndrome play a vital role in our lives and communities.
Aitch will be skydiving alongside his Dad, and successful influencer and former Love Island contestant, Joanna Chimondes – who is also an ambassador for the charity.
“I’m buzzing to jump out of a plane for World Down Syndrome Day,” Aitch said.
“My Dad will be doing it with me, and we’ll be raising awareness for a cause that’s close to me and my family”.
Carol Boys – Chief Executive of the DSA – says that she’s “extremely grateful” to Aitch for agreeing to take on such a big challenge, adding: “Aitch has already done a fantastic job of raising awareness and understanding of Down Syndrome among his fans and followers.
“But to actually jump out of a plane to raise money to help us continue our vital work, is just amazing.”
Aitch has set up a dedicated JustGiving fundraising page for his skydive, and you can find out more and make a donation here.
Featured Image – DSA
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Up-and-coming musicians in Manchester to take over Band on the Wall for FREE shows this month
Daisy Jackson
There’ll be three nights of gorgeous new music taking place across Manchester this month, as the students of Spirit Studios have their degree show.
Up-and-coming talent from the renowned music education provider will take to the stage at the much-loved Band on the Wall and at Spirit Studios itself – and the gigs are totally free.
Spread over three evenings, the degree show will include DJ sets, performances, and immersive audio-visual experiences and soundscapes.
Those showing off their skills have come from the studio’s Electronic Music Production and Performance and Music Production degree courses.
The final year students have been tasked with creating and producing music to show to a public audience as part of their major project.
Spirit Studios. Credit: Supplied
The gigs at both Band on the Wall and Spirit Studios are free to attend, and will take place on 22, 24 and 29 March.
The first event at Band on the Wall will be an evening of live music and DJ sets, spanning indie, hip-hop, EDM and drum and bass.
Then on Friday 24 March, the degree show will head over to Spirit Studios, just past Piccadilly, where guests can explore a range of sound installation, soundscapes, and multi-genre live performances in their very own studios and live venue.
Spirit Studios was established in 1980 as a small creative community of experienced tutors in the heart of Manchester, teaching talented students sound engineering and music production.
As well as degrees, there are other industry and short courses, and the studios and facilities on site can be hired for commercial purposes.
Daisy Jackson -
12th February 2023 
