The very first images showing the inside of Capital & Centric’s spectacular £35m ‘Jenga‘ Leonardo Hotel have officially been released.
The 275-bed hotel – built on the corner of Adair Street and Great Ancoats in Manchester – sits at the heart of the new Capital & Centric Piccadilly East neighbourhood; which featured heavily in the recent BBC Two documentary Manctopia: Billion Pound Property Boom.
New pictures show the hotel’s ground floor restaurant, café bar and external terrace area – which connects to a new public square.
A gym and adjoining wellness studio will also be on site – with built-in tablets featuring pre-loaded meditations.
Adam Higgins, co-founder of Capital & Centric, said: “The hotel is going to be surrounded by greenery, with planters adorning the sides of the building and spilling out onto a new public square with tons of plants and trees.
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“This theme runs throughout the interiors with a feeling of nature creating a chilled out space. The building’s got such an iconic design inside and out that will really set the tone for the emerging Piccadilly East neighbourhood and draw people into the area”.
The interiors of the hotel are being designed by Manchester-based design and branding studio NoChintz – drawing on the idea of contrast whilst taking cues from the architectural Jenga design from Stephenson Studio.
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The theory of Divine Proportion will bring symmetry to the hotel – helping guests feel positively connected to the space, whilst touchpoints have been designed to stimulate the senses..
Lucy Goddard, Creative Director at NoChintz, said: “It was an obvious choice for us to continue the narrative of the exterior, conceptualising a holistic design story which celebrates differences and finds balance through contrasts.
“Themes of positive and negative, relief and recess, solid and void reference textile punch cards, artists Josef and Anni Albers, and Jenga.
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“The interior scheme weaves a wellness centric approach through every detail. Contrasting tones and textures with raw base layers and soft, organic overlays.”
She added: “Our goal is to create a memorable customer journey with strong touchpoints and sensory considerations at every step. For us, wellness is adding value through design and experience. It is designing with purpose.”
The 14-storey award-winning building is due to open in Manchester in 2022 and will be operated by Leonardo Hotels.
The Jenga building is the latest exciting development to come from Capital & Centric, who are also behind the Phoenix Building, Crusader Mill, Kampus and Weir Mill.
You can learn more about all the developments being led by Capital & Centric on their website.
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Manchester Marathon found fresh community fund following milestone charitable efforts
Danny Jones
The Manchester Marathon has begun a new community fund following more than a decade of incredible charity efforts.
Known as the Trafford Active Fund for the last 10 years or so, the initiative covers not only the city and its wider boroughs’ annual 26.2-mile long race, but various other sports and activity-based schemes across the region.
Now, though, the fresh Manc Marathon Fund is evolving in partnership with the existing Trafford Moving Fund and MCRactive arm of Manchester City Council by expanding its vital charity work further afield than ever before.
Launching ahead of the 2026 event this spring, runners will once again be behind crucial funding across the Greater Manchester region and beyond.
The new Manchester Marathon Community Fund logo (Credit: Supplied)
For context, back in 2024, the MCR Marathon raised nearly £30 million for the local economy and roughly £3.7m for charities like the Alzheimer’s Society; last April, that figure surpassed more than £4m, and the fundraising numbers only continue to increase with every year.
With that in mind, more than £60k is distributed to various partner programmes that “inspire movement, improve wellbeing, and create meaningful change for local people”.
Moving forward, not only will £1 from every paid entry into the Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half continue to go directly into the Manchester Marathon Community Fund (MMCF).
Andrew Smith, Chief Executive of A.S.O. UK – organisers of the MCR Marathon and Half – said: “We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact the Trafford Active Fund has delivered locally over the years, and we’re excited to extend that impact across both Trafford and Manchester City [Centre].
“By broadening our reach, the MMCF will help even more people to get active and contribute to a legacy of movement and wellbeing. Our relationship with Trafford remains as strong as ever, and we look forward to continuing to support the brilliant community projects that make a real difference there.”
Community groups and projects in Trafford or the City of Manchester can apply for funding via the Trafford Moving Fund and MCR Active (dependent on their location).
A panel from each organisation reviews applications and selects projects that best demonstrate lasting impact.
We share stories from funded projects throughout the year, so you can see the difference your event entry makes.
We love how much the North West regularly dedicates its charitable efforts, both socially and physically, towards important causes throughout the year.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via Manchester Marathon/ASO UK)
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North West water bills to see the biggest average increase of anywhere in the country in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Water bills in the North West are set to see the biggest increase in 2026 on average.
It has been announced that household water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of 5.4% overall – which works out to around £33 a year, or approximately £2.70 per month – from April, which is said to be two percentage points above December’s official inflation figure… but when you look closer at the North West, that percentage rises from 5.4% to 9%.
The average United Utilities water bill is set to sit at £660 annually in 2026-27, with that being an increase of £57 from the previous year – the largest increase of anywhere else in the country.
Water UK says the nationwide rise in bills reflects the ‘significant investment’ being put towards upgrading water infrastructure.
More than two million households currently receive help with their water bills. An extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27. Find out more: https://t.co/DSDpAmawX8pic.twitter.com/N2LFpjxEQE
Water companies are said to be currently in the process of delivering a £104 billion investment programme to secure the nation’s water supplies, support economic growth, and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The money raised by water bills can only be used to fund infrastructure that is independently determined to be ‘new, necessary, and value for money’.
The regulator says United Utilities will begin a £3 billion upgrade in 2026 of the 110 km Haweswater Aqueduct, which carries 570 million litres of water every day to 2.5 million people in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Greater Manchester (or nearly 5% of England’s population), hence water bills increasing at a higher rate to other areas.
North West water bills are set to see the biggest average increase in 2026 / Credit: Raibeart MacAoidh (via Geograph)
“We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” explained David Henderson, who is the Chief Executive at Water UK.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“That is why we will help around 2.5 million households – more than ever before – with average discounts of around 40% off their water bill.”
More than two million households currently receive help with their bills through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme, and other affordability measures, and an extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27, taking the total number to around 2.5 million.
Those who are struggling should contact their water company to see what help is available, as support can often be tailored to individual circumstances.
The Manc -
5th November 2020 
