Plans to build a second Hilton hotel site in Manchester city centre have now been formally submitted by developers.
The city centre‘s ever-changing skyline could be set to see another new addition in 2023, as plans for to build a brand-new 20-storey hotel inside a 112m-tall tower on Great Ancoats Street have been formally submitted to Manchester City Council by developers – and if they are accepted, the glitzy new premises would be operated under Hilton’s Motto brand.
The 154-bedroom hotel would be the first Motto hotel in the UK – with sites currently already in New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and in Rotterdam in the Netherlands too.
Plans for the new hotel premises have been formally submitted to the Council this week by architects SimpsonHaugh and planning consultants Deloitte after a consultation was held last month.
Artist impression image of what Motto by Hilton on Great Ancoats Street could look like / Credit: SimpsonHaugh
Aside from the hotel itself, planning documents show that there’s also a variety of other leisure facilities lined-up alongside.
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Some of these facilites include a cafe and bar, several conference rooms, a state-of-the-art gym space, plenty of cycle storage, and a raft of other public realm works too – with some of the improvements to set to include landscaping and “narrowing of the crossing across Laystall Street”, which is the side road that the hotel itself will be situated on.
Architects SimpsonHaugh said Great Ancoats Street is “an ideal location for a new hotel” in a statement as the plans were submitted, the MEN reports.
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An example of what a Motto by Hilton hotel looks like in Atlanta / Credit: Hilton Hotels
“As a result of the rapid pace of transformation of Piccadilly, Ancoats, and New Islington in recent years, the number of people visiting this part of the city has been increasing year-on-year,” the statement continued.
“This is anticipated to continue thanks to further planned developments in East Manchester, such as the opening of the Co-op Live Arena at the Etihad Campus, as well as attractions such as The Factory and the expanded AO Arena [and] this success has created a sustained demand for hotel accommodation, which is currently underserved in this part of the city centre.
“Known around the world for its high-quality, well managed hotels, Motto by Hilton will help to meet this demand through the provision of affordable, yet stylish accommodation.”
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If the plans are accepted, Motto by Hilton Manchester could be set to open doors in 2023.
Featured Image – SimpsonHaugh
News
UK Government announces £100 fines for ‘antisocial behaviour’ on public transport
Emily Sergeant
The Government has today announced plans to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport.
In a bid to crackdown on loud music, littering, vaping, and other threatening behaviour on buses and trains, guidance was issued by the Government today for local authorities to prosecute and even issue fines of up to £100.
For many, playing audio out loud on public transport – also known as ‘loudcasting’ – has become one of modern life’s most irritating parts of the daily commute, but now, a new national campaign is aiming to encourage rail passengers, in particular, to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’ to improve the journey experience for all.
This will include reminders of the rules in place on the rail network and, if a passenger refuses to stop when asked by authorised rail staff, they can be removed from the train at the next station or face fines up to £1,000.
On buses, however, the powers for authorities were already made possible by the Bus Services Act 2025, meaning all local transport authorities in England are able to set and enforce their own rules.
Authorised officers – including transport safety officers and the police – will be responsible for enforcement, rather than bus drivers themselves, and they will be tasked with a three-step approach to deal with incidents. They will need to:
Engage with the person
Explain the rules and their impact on other passengers
Take enforcement action if they refuse to comply
“We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone,” commented Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
“It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey, so we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive at the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “Antisocial behaviour is not just irritating, it can be a real deterrent to people using public transport – especially people with different accessibility requirements.
“If these new powers are properly and visibly enforced, they should help everyone feel safe and comfortable on public transport and enjoy the ride.”
Featured Image – Northern
News
Police provide update after stabbing of 14-year-old boy at Manchester Arndale carpark
Emily Sergeant
Police have provided an update following the stabbing of a young boy in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
At around 3:15pm this past Saturday afternoon (17 October 2026), officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a stabbing on the ninth floor of the Arndale carpark in Manchester city centre.
Emergency services attended the scene, and a 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with a stab wound.
Thankfully, the victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life changing, but an investigation and enquiries are ongoing.
Detective Inspector Sam Jones, of GMP’s City of Manchester District CID, said this will ‘understandably’ cause concern, but has assured the public that police believe this to be an ‘isolated incident.
“Detectives at the scene are working extremely hard to process the scene with Crime Scene Investigators,” explained DI Jones in an update statement issued.
“The car park is expected to be closed for several hours, so we ask for your understanding and patience whilst we gather evidence to bring these offenders to justice.
“Detectives and Officers will be in the area today to speak with local businesses and members of the public to provide reassurance. This is believed to be an isolated incident with no risk to the wider public.
“Greater Manchester Police are committed to diligently investigating all knife crime and bringing offenders to justice, and we are asking for anyone with information about this incident to come forward to assist with our enquiries.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log 2050 of 17/10/2026, or via the LiveChat function. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
26th December 2022 
