One of Manchester city centre’s very few townhouses has gone up for rent – and unsurprisingly, this Georgian beauty is one of the most expensive in the city.
The four-storey house is one of only a handful of properties like this in the city centre, which is otherwise packed with apartments.
The historic townhouses along St John Street date all the way back to 1785, but have spent most of their lives as commercial spaces.
In fact, until they were restored back to residential buildings in recent years, these brick-fronted properties haven’t been used as houses since around 1850.
And although it’ll cost a pricey £10,000 per month to live here, you get a lot of house for your money.
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With three bedrooms, two reception rooms, two bathrooms and a roof terrace, across 1,700 sq ft of living space, you’ll have plenty of space.
Then there’s the location too – you’re right off Deansgate in the heart of the city centre, but also just a short walk from St John’s Gardens.
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The main reception room The contemporary kitchenA bespoke bar in the basementThe TV lounge in the basement
The street of Georgian townhouses is the main reason for the creation of Manchester’s St John Street Conservation Area, so you know you’re not going to wake up with another skyscraper on your doorstep.
Listed as ‘one of the finest houses in Manchester’, the townhouse has undergone a stunning refurbishment to bring it up to scratch.
The basement has been restored to create extra living space, with an entertaining space complete with a bespoke bar, a TV room, a private terrace and a utility room.
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Then on the ground floor there’s a bespoke, contemporary kitchen which still has the building’s original fireplaces, and a bright and sunny lounge.
There are three double bedrooms, two of which have bespoke en suite bathrooms, and a private terrace from the top floor.
The restoration of the townhouse that’s for rent has had ‘no expense spared’, and includes materials like marble cloud tiling with underfloor heating.
One of the townhouses’s three bedroomsA bathroom inside the Georgian townhouse in ManchesterThe views from the roof terrace
The home’s £10,000 a month price tag (it’s currently listed with Reside Manchester) puts it near the top end of the city centre’s more luxury market, though it’s a way off being the most expensive currently on the market.
The most expensive rental property currently on the market remains Phil Neville’s penthouse apartment in Beetham Tower, currently listed at £18,000 a month.
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There’s also an incredible penthouse off St Mary’s Parsonage for £13,500.
And also sitting in the £10k price bracket is a three-bedroom penthouse in Renaker’s new The Blade building.
In a rapidly-growing city of new builds and skyscrapers, this Georgian townhouse is a rare chance to live somewhere with real Manchester history.
One of Manchester’s best-loved independent cafes is coming to Bolton
Danny Jones
A much-loved independent Manchester cafe is heading out of the city centre for the first time as they plan to open a brand new premises over in Bolton.
Bolton as a town and wider borough has no shortage of cosy little caffs, but the addition of this latest place for a brew, butty and a bake is sure to be an instant hit just as it was in Ancoats.
To call Cafe Cotton a cult favourite would be grossly understating things at this point: the Blossom St spot tucked into Hallé St Peter’s is not only a beautiful space inside but looks out onto Manchester’s trendy and ever-bustling Cutting Room Square, making it a great place to sit with a coffee.
With that in mind, as they prepare to open their third location further out towards Lancashire, Boltonians have every reason to be very excited.
Cafe Cotton is coming to a town in Bolton. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The indie success story began way back in 2013, if you can believe that, serving sandwiches, sweet treats and more to the Manc masses.
Oh yeah, they also do bloody brilliant coffee that’s considered some of the best in the city.
Opening another venue on the ground floor of Neptune Mill in neighbouring Piccadilly East just this past January, the expansion of the brand has been a relatively steady one despite more than a decade of loyal patrons and new customers becoming each year.
However, good things come to those who wait, as we’re sure the Bolton natives will vouch for when the next Cafe Cotton opens up in Farnworth Green.
The opening date might still be up in the air, but here’s a little glimpse at the kind of goodness they can expect to enjoy:
The new addition is part of the overall Farnworth regeneration project, which is being headed up by investors Capital and Centric, who are famously responsible for numerous new developments in and around Manchester in recent years. Over £20 million has been set aside for the wider plans.
Cotton Cafe’s founder, Chris Griffith, said of the soon-to-open site: “We’ve been on an amazing journey growing Cotton, and we’re incredibly grateful for the loyal following we’ve cultivated. Now, Farnworth Green feels like the perfect next step.
“This isn’t just about opening another café; it’s about investing in a community. The bakery is a big move for us too, allowing us to craft everything from scratch and supply all our locations with freshly made goods.
“We’re also buzzing to team up with Bolton Council to offer apprenticeships, helping young people take their first step into the industry.” The authority itself is actually looking for a project lead as we speak.
Is this the start of a big period of change for Bolton?
Prestwich’s regeneration plans take another step forward
Danny Jones
The regeneration plans being put forward for Prestwich have taken another step forward as a construction company has new been appointed to bring the vision of a new village centre to life.
With full planning permission for phase one of the redevelopment granted back in July 2024, it’s been pretty much full speed ahead on lining up one of Greater Manchester’s latest regeneration projects and adding more to what is already one of its best up-and-coming suburbs.
Prestwich Village Regeneration LLP are pumping over £100 million into developing the main square, and with Chroma Consulting having now passed on the baton to those erecting this new-look town centre, the joint venture between Bury Council and national ‘place maker’ Muse, work can soon begin.
You can see one of the first early renders down below:
CGIs of the new space around the Longfield Centre. (Credit: Supplied)
VINCI Building were officially appointed as construction partners last month, and with enabling works (surveys, ground investigations and so forth) now complete, the contractors are expected to get underway soon.
Additions to the vibrant new village centre will include a multi-storey Travel Hub, which will also see 301 new parking spaces, along with electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and a car club. This will replace the Fairfax Road car park, which closed when the early stage began last December.
Beyond this, the Prestwich regeneration plans are set to include a community hub, library and flexible community space for arts and cultural events, a new Prestwich Health Centre; a fresh village square with ‘family-friendly social places’ and room for open-air markets, festivals and more.
A dedicated Prestwich Village Market hall will be the perfect place to house local retailers as well as food and drink vendors, not to mention a much better entry point into the village courtesy of plans to transform the “arrival experience from the tram” by integrating with surrounding green spaces.
Speaking of which, there will also be extensive landscaping in and around the village centre, with the existing fountain set to be removed and new public art installations created in its place.
A glimpse at the new Prestwich Village Market.An overview of all three phases.Credit: Supplied
Beyond the public spaces, over 200 new homes – which made up a big part of the initial application – are also included in the wider vision, with a mix of affordable housing and FTB (first-time buyers) properties.
Leader of Bury Council, Eamonn O’Brien, said of the latest developments: “We are thrilled to announce the next stage in this multi-million pound transformational regeneration scheme, which marks a significant step towards revitalising the heart of Prestwich Village and creating a vibrant, sustainable future for all.
“As well as enhancing local infrastructure, our ambitious plans will foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the whole community.” A final completion date is yet to be confirmed, but work on the Travel Hub specifically is set to carry over into next year.
Exciting times are ahead for Prestwich. It’s not the only borough making plans for the next chapter and set for a bit of TLC.
Daisy Jackson -
5th April 2024 
