Plans to turn a Grade II-listed building in Manchester city centre into a £6 million “innovation hub” have been given the green light.
Manchester City Council has approved “transformational plans” for the historic 117-119 Portland Street building in the heart of the city centre, and the ambitious £6 million project will now see the Grade II-listed building become the so-called “gateway” into Manchester’s innovation district, the Oxford Road Corridor.
Part of Bruntwood SciTech’s collection of refurbished Victorian warehouses, this new workspace is expected to be a “central hub” for collaboration, wellness, and events.
Developers want to make it a “vibrant social community” for all the businesses within the building.
The 35,000 sq ft building will be refurbished into a multi-let workspace that provides a mixture of offices for up to 80 people – with each offering a range of flexible options for companies working in the creative, tech, and media sectors.
Nine fully-fitted workspaces will be created in total, each being equipped with kitchens, meeting rooms, and breakout areas.
The innovation hub will retain many of its original features that pay homage to its rich history.
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Dating all the way back to 1886, the building was formerly home to Schill Seebohm & Co shipping merchants, which used it as a warehouse to showcase, sell, and ship its Manchester-made textiles, and now it’s set to become another inspiring space for businesses to grow and thrive.
Plans have been approved to transform a historic Manchester building into £6m ‘innovation hub’ / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech
State-of-the-art shared facilities and amenities will also be incorporated into the new-look building as part of a “reimagining” of the ground and lower ground floors areas – including breakout spaces and lounge areas, an on-site gym, boutique gym-quality shower and changing facilities, and an auditorium for events.
Developers will also be improving the historic building’s sustainability credentials in a bid to bring it into the “modern age”.
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Richard Roper, who is the Associate Director and Asset Management for Bruntwood SciTech, said the approval of these plans marks the next “exciting phase” in the partnership’s vision to “enhance and improve” workspaces across Manchester city centre.
Developers want to make the Grade II-listed building a “vibrant social community” for all / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech
“Our cluster of buildings on Portland Street are uniquely positioned to become the connecting junction between the Oxford Road Corridor and our city centre innovation hubs, further supporting businesses to access a city-wide innovation ecosystem,” he added.
“This cornerstone of the city has been lacking investment into creating workspaces that galvanise collaboration, creativity, and ingenuity, and offer like-minded communities to connect with.
Work to transform 117-119 Portland Street is anticipated to get underway from spring 2025.
Featured Image – Bruntwood SciTech
Business
Brewdog’s beer hotel in Manchester has closed with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
The ‘beer hotel’ operated by Brewdog in Manchester has closed with immediate effect, as part of the Scottish brewery’s £33m sale.
A whopping 38 Brewdog bars around the UK have closed, resulting in hundreds of job losses.
As well as the beer hotel known as DogHouse in Manchester, which was home to a large bar and rooftop terrace, the Oxford Road brewpub known as the OutPost has also closed.
The DogHouse Hotel on Fountain Street had a range of boutique bedrooms, fitted with features like beer fridges in the shower, beer taps in the room, guitars, record players, and pet beds.
Just 11 pubs have been retained in the rescue deal, including the Brewdog bar on Peter Street in Manchester city centre.
The brewery has been bought by US beverage and medical cannabis company Tilray for £33m, a sale which includes its UK brewery operations, brand, and a handful of pubs.
Yesterday, Brewdog announced all of its bars would be closed for the day to enable staff to attend staff meetings.
Administrators confirmed yesterday that 484 jobs had been lost in the sale, with 38 bars closing.
Unite, the union which represents thousands of hospitality workers, said it is ‘appalled’ at how Brewdog staff have been treated during the sale.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a devastating day for Brewdog workers. Nearly 500 lost livelihoods while yet another corporate deal is stitched together behind closed doors.
“Brewdog workers built this brand. They deserved respect. Instead, they were treated as disposable pawns. Unite will not rest until our members have legal and financial justice.”
Unite national lead for hospitality Bryan Simpson said: “The way in which senior management have conducted themselves throughout this sales process has been nothing short of a national disgrace – with workers being given no information about the company’s plans or their futures.
“For the CEO to tell workers that they were redundant with immediate effect, on a conference call with only 25 minutes notice, has echoes of P&O and is deplorable. Unite will be ensuring that our members receive everything they are legally entitled to.”
Brewdog was founded in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie.
Søstrene Grene announces official opening date for new Manchester Arndale store
Emily Sergeant
Søstrene Grene has now confirmed the official opening date for its brand-new store inside Manchester Arndale.
In case you missed it, the beloved Scandinavian lifestyle and home decor retailer announced back in September that Manchester Arndale was the latest location to get the ‘Grene’ light for a new 4,952 sq ft store – with the shopping centre saying it was ‘delighted’ by the addition.
Known for its contemporary – yet surprisingly affordable – home decor, furniture, and stylish lifestyle products, stepping foot inside a Søstrene Grene is store is arguably unlike any other experience on the high street, thanks to its unique layout and winding aisles making it feel like you’re discovering something new around every corner.
The retailer offers a wide assortment of homeware, kitchen items, craft supplies, soft furnishings, toys, gift ideas, seasonal décor, and everything in between.
Søstrene Grene has just announced the official opening date for its new Manchester Arndale store / Credit: Supplied
The new Søstrene Grene store follows a recent flurry of other openings and announcements at Manchester Arndale, including Sephora, Alo Yoga, PureSeoul, Represent, and more, and also comes after the lifestyle brand announced that it would be opening a new store in Stockport.
And now, it’s been confirmed that the Arndale store will officially open its doors later this month on Thursday 26 March.
“Manchester has always had a special atmosphere and opening a second store here is a reflection of the city’s creativity and enthusiasm for design,” commented Mikkel Grene, who is the Group CEO and co-owner of Søstrene Grene, as the opening date was announced.
“Each new store allows us to bring more of our Scandinavian-inspired vision to communities across the UK, offering spaces that are calm, thoughtful and full of inspiration.
“This launch is another exciting step in our UK journey and we’re proud to continue sharing what makes Søstrene Grene unique.”
Emily Sergeant -
17th June 2024 
