A new hotel with 144 bedrooms is set to open in Wigan as part of the town’s £135 million redevelopment project.
Officially announced this week by Wigan Council, in collaboration with its development partner Cityheart, the franchise agreement with world-renowned hotel brand, Hilton, will see a stunning six-storey Hampton by Hilton hotel pop up right in the heart of Wigan town centre, located just off Market Street.
Designed by JM Architects, and managed and operated by Leaf Hospitality, the new venture forms part of the Greater Manchester town’s £135 million redevelopment of the former Galleries Shopping Centre – which was approved last summer.
The hotel will be located directly-opposite the bus station entrance of New Market Street, and is within 500 yards of both town centre train stations.
It’s being called “one of the most important elements” of the Galleries masterplan.
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Artist impression images of the £135m Wigan Galleries redevelopment project / Credit: Cityheart
As well as the 144 bedrooms – with ‘accessible’ rooms to be built on each accommodation level – the new hotel will also house a gym overlooking the new square, a main reception area and dining space on the ground floor, and secure parking will be available for guests.
More than 60 staff are expected to be employed at the new hotel – which the Council says will provide a range of job opportunities for local residents.
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Councillor David Molyneux MBE, who is the Leader of Wigan Council, says the new hotel is an “exciting chapter” for Wigan’s future.
“It’s really exciting to welcome Hilton to this multi-million-pound redevelopment,” he commented as the plans were announced this week. “This well-known and prestigious brand coming to Wigan demonstrates the confidence that investors, businesses, and partners have… in our town centre.”
The new hotel is being called “one of the most important elements” of the Galleries masterplan / Credit: Cityheart
Graham Dodd, who is the Managing Director of Development at Hilton UK & Ireland, added: “Our partnership with Wigan Council marks an exciting new chapter, as part of Hilton’s growing presence in the North West. We were impressed by the Council and Cityheart’s vision to provide a thriving new retail, leisure, commercial and residential destination, and are excited to be part of Wigan’s transformation.
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“We look forward to welcoming guests to Hampton by Hilton and showcasing the town’s great potential to our global network.”
Wigan Council says “significant progress” is currently being made in preparing the cleared site for delivery of phase one of the Galleries redevelopment in the town centre – which includes this new Hampton by Hilton hotel, as well as new market hall and food court.
This initial phase will be closely followed with the construction of the Pavilion building and the MMC, all before 464 homes across seven new residential buildings are built, alongside a retirement living complex too.
Find out more about the Wigan Galleries £135 million redevelopment project here.
Featured Image – Cityheart / Wigan Council
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Rules around booking driving tests in UK change from today to make system ‘fairer’
Emily Sergeant
The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.
It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.
Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.
While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.
Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.
The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.
“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.
“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.
“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”
Featured Image – Pxfuel
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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
Emily Sergeant -
15th March 2024 
