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.
“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.
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.
“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.
News
Major Co-op Live concert cancelled with fans already inside venue
Daisy Jackson
Major Co-op Live gig Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled this evening – after fans had already entered the venue.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO were set to perform the second of two nights at the huge Manchester venue tonight, as part of their final UK tour.
The Over and Out Tour should have been taking place on both the 9 and 10 July before heading to London’s BST Hyde Park Festival on Sunday.
But the show has been cancelled minutes before the legendary band were due to take to the stage.
Fans had already taken their seats inside the massive Co-op Live Arena when the news broke that the gig would not be able to take place ‘due to illness’.
77-year-old Jeff Lynne himself, who recently broke his hand in an accident, is said to be ‘devastated’ that he is unable to perform.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled at Co-op Live
A statement from the band said: “Unfortunately due to illness tonight’s (Thursday 10th July 2025) scheduled performance of Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the Co-Op Live will not be going ahead.
“Jeff is devastated he cannot perform this evening.
“More information will become available as soon as possible. For refunds please go to your point of purchase.”
According to fans, audiences inside Co-op Live were told the show was cancelled with just 45 minutes to go.
One person wrote: “The concert that never was. Cancelled with 45mins to go. Get well soon Jeff Lynne.”
Literally mins after this picture was taken Jeff Lynn cancelled 😞 @JeffLynnesELO Broke his hand a few days ago and has played the best he can and well done to you ! But then decides to cancel 2nd night n Manchester very last minute ! But it’s ok just ask for a refund !!! 😡 pic.twitter.com/wv1JfWPwk5
Andy Burnham reveals plans to build underground tram and train line in Manchester by 2050
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has announced some ambitious long-term plans to build an underground tram and train line in Manchester.
As Greater Manchester sets its sights on a new era of economic growth, on the way to becoming a ‘second city’ to rival any other on the planet by 2050, Mayor Andy Burnham shared the city region’s blueprint for a ‘greener, fairer future’ this week – with underground transport plans being right the heart of it.
Mr Burnham says his vision for the next decade is to create a ‘thriving’ city region where everyone can ‘live a good life’.
Andy Burnham reveals plans to build an underground tram and train line in Manchester / Credit: TfGM
But it’s public transport where it seems some of the most significant changes are set to be made before 2050 arrives.
The Mayor revealed plans for new bus routes, tramlines, and train stations to connect ‘thriving communities’ across the city region with an integrated lower-cost transport system that’ll help more people get out and access new opportunities.
Construction of a tram stop to service new homes at Victoria North will also start by 2028, it has been confirmed, while work to bring Metrolink to Stockport – which has already been announced to huge support – will begin by 2030.
Two commuter rail lines will join the Bee Network next December as well, with another six joining by 2028.
GM is growing fast.
We will expand @BeeNetwork over the next decade to meet the needs of our bigger economy.
BUT
There’s a limit to what we can do on a congested surface.
It’s why I am asking TfGM to start planning for an underground for GM around a remodelled Piccadilly. pic.twitter.com/k2ozNWw6Wj
The headline-grabbing announcement, though, has to be that Mr Burnham has also announced plans to unlock ‘transformative’ investment in transport infrastructure, so that by 2050, Manchester Piccadilly has an underground tram and train station with a high-speed rail link to Liverpool.
He’s also looking to boost regeneration of the surrounding area, effectively making it ‘the Kings Cross of the North’.
“We’re the UK’s fastest growing economy and stand on the cusp of what I believe could be our best decade since the Victorian era,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham, “and our task for the next decade is to build a platform for success for all our residents.
“Our vision is ambitious, but in my eight years as Mayor, I’ve learned that, when we pull together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.
“There’s a long and proud tradition of collaboration in Greater Manchester. Devolution has turbocharged that and now we’re ready to deliver a new model of growth where no one is left behind.”
The Manc -
5th November 2020 
