A new £45 million four-star luxury hotel has opened its doors in the heart of Manchester city centre this week.
Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre – which is part of the Dalata Hotel Group, and is the company’s second site in Manchester – is located on Portland Street with a wide range of shopping destinations, art galleries, bars and restaurants, and more on the doorstep, as well as being just less than a 10-minute walk away from both the convenient Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester Piccadilly railway station.
With 18-storeys and 329 bedrooms that are perfect for relaxing in after a busy day in Manchester, Clayton Hotel features sleek modern interiors, with a mezzanine overlooking the bustling bar area on the ground floor, and a stunning feature staircase.
The site of the new hotel was previously home to a 12-storey office block, which was demolished as part of the £45 million project.
Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre is located on Portland Street / Credit: Clayton Hotels
In its place, the new luxury hotel has five state-of-the-art meeting rooms that are equipped with the industry-leading Clevertouch technology to host up to 153 delegates.
ADVERTISEMENT
This makes it the perfect venue for events and to meet and do business in the city.
The hotel also provides air-conditioned rooms, a fitness centre and a bar, a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout.
ADVERTISEMENT
And as well as both impressive business and accommodation facilities, Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre is also home to the No. 55 Restaurant & Bar, which is an ideal place to grab a bite to eat at any time of the day, and prides itself on working with local suppliers to offer a range of modern British cuisine.
There’s sleek modern interiors, a mezzanine overlooking the bustling bar area on the ground floor, and a stunning feature staircase / Credit: Clayton Hotels
Dermot Crowley – Chief Executive of the Dalata Hotel Group – said the hotel’s opening this week was further evidence of the company’s confidence in Manchester and the North West region, adding that this is “the first of six new hotels that we are opening in the first half of this year”.
He also said that the company is continuing to look for “further opportunities” in the large cities around the UK.
ADVERTISEMENT
He continued: “Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre has been made possible through the hard work of our partners on the project – Russells WHBO who constructed the hotel, Property Alliance Group who put together the project as developers, and Aviva who funded the scheme.”
Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre has created 87 new jobs.
“We recognise the current challenges in recruiting and retaining people in the hospitality industry as a result of COVID,” Mr Crowley admitted, “but we look to overcome these challenges by offering people opportunities to grow their careers in Dalata within a culture of integrity, fairness and inclusion.”
“I look forward to seeing this new hotel become an established part of the Manchester community in the coming months and years,” he concluded.
Alex Russell – Managing Director of Property Alliance Group – said the opening of is the “culmination of several years of planning and hard work by the whole project team,” and that it’s “fantastic” to see the hotel begin to welcome its first Manchester visitors.
ADVERTISEMENT
Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre also holds the ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard, which demonstrates a commitment to comply with all COVID-19 safety guidelines, and you can find more information here.
Featured Image – Clayton Hotels
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
20th January 2022 
