Workspace and leisure specialist Bruntwood Works has launched an “urban oasis” workplace in the centre of Manchester as part of its £50 million Pioneer redevelopment programme.
Bloc – a re-imagining of the 16-storey office block on Marble Street – has introduced a raft of quality new workspaces, amenities and technology that have all been designed to improve workplace wellbeing and boost productivity for the communities diverse range of businesses.
“Bloc’s transition from a corporate office building to a wellbeing-focused workplace is game-changing for Manchester,” said Ciara Keeling, CEO at Bruntwood Works.
“We have responded directly to what businesses and their employees expect from a modern workspace [as] we’re seeing increased demand for quality spaces that not only provide a wealth of amenities, but support positive work-life balance and create an environment where people want to spend time – both in and outside of work.
“Bloc provides all this and more.”
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So, what do businesses get to benefit from at Bloc then?
“Bloc’s transition to a wellbeing-focused workplace is game-changing for Manchester,” / Credit: Bruntwood Works and gushiyin.xyz
Central to the focus on workplace wellbeing is the introduction of RESET – a new state-of-the-art yoga studio by Manchester’s premium training brand, FORM – which is situated within the serene basement space and hosts a rolling programme of yoga, pilates and wellbeing-based classes to help people blend fitness seamlessly into the working day.
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A sleep pod has also been created to prioritise workers’ wellness and enhance productivity.
Local independent bakery Trove has opened on the ground floor and BrewDog is set to open a new bar and restaurant, as well as its first hotel, on site later this year, providing “unrivalled on-site amenity” for customers.
There will also be a focus on biophilia – which is known to help improve wellbeing, and sustainability – has also been included through the installation of an innovative, two-storey living wall that provides oxygen and helps reduce noise levels and a blue / green roof that reduces the discharge of rainwater and features wildflowers to support biodiversity and provide an additional thermal barrier.
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This is Manchester’s first wildflower roof and also aims to attract a rare native blue butterfly.
Specially-created Trompe L’oeil murals by Sheffield-based artist Rob Lee and cascading greenery throughout help make Bloc an “urban oasis”.
Bloc is an environment where people want to spend time – both in and outside of work / Credit: Bruntwood Works and gushiyin.xyzThe Annexe at Bloc has also been totally transformed into three floors of flexible workspace / Credit: Bruntwood Works and gushiyin.xyz
Ciara Keeling continued: “The increased demand for spaces that support hybrid working and further flexibility has made it clear the office is still so important, just in a new way.
“Through its blend of innovative workspace, lifestyle and retail, Bloc is setting a template for the office of the future.
“We need to create places where people truly want to be.”
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When it comes to workspaces itself, the Annexe at Bloc has also been totally transformed into three floors of flexible workspace, including 200 desks in a variety of serviced office suites, communal kitchens and lounge areas, with tech-enhanced meeting rooms to suit every need on the ground floor.
🌿 Bloc is reborn 🌿
Our most innovative #Pioneer redevelopment to date, Bloc’s transformation to an urban oasis is a game changer for #Manchester.
New additions to Bloc also include a coworking studio with 20 desks, which are available to customers on a flexible Pay As You Go basis, with day passes bookable online and monthly coworking memberships available.
Serviced offices and traditional leased spaces that range from 500 sq ft to 7,500 sq ft are also available on site.
A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
So this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Century-old Didsbury Sports Ground left devastated after Greater Manchester flooding
Danny Jones
As residents and local businesses in various parts of the region continue to pick up the pieces after recent flooding, one of the venues worst affected is Didsbury Sports Ground, which sadly suffered “catastrophic” levels of damage.
Having stood in South Manchester for over 100 years, Didsbury Sports Ground (DSG) has been a key community institution for generations, home to rugby, cricket and football clubs, as well as the weekly parkrun, just to name a few of its regular leisure activities.
Unfortunately, following the recent floods which hit several of the 10 boroughs hard, as well as many parts of Cheshire from New Year’s Eve onwards, the pitches, car park, clubhouse, storage and changing rooms have all rendered unusable or completely ruined following the major incident.
And when we say unusable, we mean a lot of it is still underwater.
Credit: Didsbury Sports Ground (supplied)
After banks burst up and down the River Mersey and the North West downpour continued, not only were the various playing fields left heavily waterlogged, but the club’s central building also suffered significant structural damage.
In addition to a large hole being knocked through the main clubhouse wall, with collapsed fencing and tree limbs littering the perimeter, the constant flow of water has seeped right down to the foundations.
Speaking on the damage,DSG‘s director Ian Bailey said: “The devastation caused by the flooding is nothing short of heart-wrenching. The Grounds have been a landmark and local hub within the village for over a century. The damage is catastrophic and the impact on the community is immense.
“Our Ground is far more than just a sports facility, it is a place where people connect, grow, and thrive, and embrace the community spirit. To lose such an iconic and central community resource would be unthinkable and such a travesty, which is why we’re calling on local and central government support.”
“Every week, DSG brings together over 800 people from the local area for Manchester sports, fitness, social activities, recreation and community events, creating a place for well-being, a fantastic social circle and helping to build an all-round happier and healthier community.”
As a result of the damage and loss to the community, the team behind DSG are now frantically trying to raise enough funds to carry out a raft of remedial repairs and some serious groundwork.
Setting themselves a total target of £50,000 for the entire clean-up operation, every penny of which will go towards getting the sports ground back in a usable state.
Thus far, thanks to nearly 500 donations by loving locals and kindhearted Mancunians who know the value of leisure centres and clubs like this, they have already more than 30% of the amount needed in just over a week (just over £17k). Legends, every single one of them.
Bailey went on to add: “We are so grateful for the immediate help of our volunteers and the fantastic people at this club […] We will, however, need more than time, we will require the funds to bring the Grounds and Clubhouse back into full use and to safeguard from future flooding, which is why we have launched our ‘Repair & Rescue’ Fund.
As Ian reiterated, “Every contribution will make a huge difference”; you can see more proof of just how much work needs to be done and donate if you wish HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
1st June 2021 
