Hollywood a-lister Robert De Niro was in Manchester yesterday, to break ground on the new 246 metre tall Nobu skyscraper.
The movie star is a co-founder of Nobu Hospitality, which has revealed plans for a £360m tower in the heart of Manchester.
When it’s complete, the skyscraper will be the tallest outside of London, and will be home to a signature Nobu restaurant as well a 160-room hotel and 452 residences.
At the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, Nobu Hospitality founders Robert De Niro, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Meir Teper joined Salboy’s co-founders Fred Done and Simon Ismail.
The new tower is set to complete in 2031, once again transforming Manchester’s skyline with its tallest skyscraper to date that will dwarf the likes of Deansgate Square and Beetham Tower.
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As well as first-class dining from one of the world’s best-known restaurant names, it’ll be bringing hundreds of new Nobu branded residences to town.
Yesterday, it was announced that the Nobu restaurant will be situated on the ground floor, among the site’s original Grade II-listed Victorian viaduct arches.
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Nobu Hospitality co-founders including Robert De Niro broke ground on Nobu Manchester this week
It’s hoped that the space will have a strong sense of Manchester’s industrial history to go with the modern cuisine.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant, Matsuhisa, in Los Angeles in 1987, later partnering with Robert De Niro and launching in New York in 1994.
Now, there are more than 50 restaurants worldwide.
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As for the Nobu Residences, these will be 452 luxury home, some of which will be among the highest penthouses and apartments in Western Europe.
Residents in these Japanese-inspired homes will have access to premium amenities like an exclusive swimming pool, a podium garden, and a gym.
Salboy and Nobu Hospitality will be collaborating with award-winning designers, Bowley James Brindley.
Nobu Manchester will be the city’s tallest skyscraper when it completes. Credit: Supplied
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, Nobu Hospitality’s Shareholders, commented: “Breaking ground in Manchester is a defining moment for Nobu in the UK – our first venture beyond London, and the introduction of Nobu Residences to this market.
“This landmark project – encompassing a hotel, restaurant and residences – marks the debut of Nobu Residences in the United Kingdom. Manchester’s global outlook and dynamic spirit align perfectly with the Nobu brand.
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“We’re proud to bring our signature hospitality, dining and design to the city, and excited to offer both guests and residents an authentic Nobu experience.”
Fred Done, co-founder of Salboy, said: “Ten years ago, Simon Ismail and I founded Salboy with a clear vision: to change Manchester’s skyline. I believe we are doing just that.
CGIs of the Nobu Manchester restaurant
“I’ve been fortunate to experience exceptional cuisine and hospitality around the world, which is why we chose Nobu as our partner to help realise that vision. Best in class, best in creativity, the best of the best.
“This is our pièce de résistance— exactly what we wanted to bring to Manchester, the city of firsts. This is why it’s so fantastic to welcome Nobu to our wonderful city.”
Simon Ismail, co-founder and CEO of Salboy, added: “Chef Nobu’s 30-year influence on our culinary tastes can not be understated and I look forward with huge anticipation for the impact he and his team have on Manchester’s established and ambitious dining scene.
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“As a proud Salfordian too, I’m keen to see how Chef Nobu and his team blend local produce and influences from the Northwest’s culinary heritage into the dishes and flavours they are famous for.
“Beyond the signature restaurant, which will look magnificent under the Victorian arches, being part of Nobu’s journey to extend its leadership in the global luxury hospitality and property markets is an honour.
“Manchester deserves luxury accommodation to match its growing position on the international stage and the Nobu team has the imagination and track record to make that happen.”
Enabling works are now underway, with intentions to start construction next year.
Club de Padel to close current Manchester location to make way for more Deansgate Square skyscrapers
Daisy Jackson
Club de Padel, the first padel club to open in Manchester, will be relocating from its Deansgate Square home.
The wildly popular sports club will close next week, as landowners Renaker begin the next phase of development of the skyscraper district.
Club de Padel is keeping its new location under wraps for now – but will be going out from its current Manchester home with a bang.
The club, which welcomed more than 100,000 people in the first year alone, will be offering free padel for all before it closes at Deansgate Square.
Club de Padel launched back in 2023, with four competition-grade courts, and has since added a Finnish sauna experience with Good Sauna, launched a best-selling clothing range with UN:IK, plus become the home for Manchester’s most popular run club with MADE Running.
As well as that, the club has been donating free courts and coaching during the school holidays to local children’s charity Wood Street Mission, and hosting events with the likes of adidas, REFY and Blank Street Coffee.
It’s been one of the city’s top sporting success stories, attracting attention from the likes of The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Hypebae and the BBC.
But now Club de Padel will be leaving its current home ahead of Renaker’s expansion of its luxury skyscraper district.
Club de Padel ManchesterClub de Padel is at the foot of the Deansgate Square towers
As for that new top-secret location opening later this year – they’re promising an ‘indoor and outdoor space in an incredible location, featuring an expanded padel experience, high-end wellness and social spaces, and a year-round programme of events’.
Club de Padel founders said in a statement today: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here in Manchester — bringing padel to the city centre for the first time and introducing tens of thousands of people to the sport during our time on Deansgate.
“But this site was never meant to be permanent, and we’ve been limited in what we can build here, so the time is right to move on, grow and improve.
“We’ve learned a huge amount from our time in Manchester and from opening our second club in Sheffield last year, and we’re excited to reveal the locations of our new sites — including the new Manchester club — and begin the next phase.
“In the meantime, we want to thank everyone who has made this club so special, and invite them to enjoy a free game of padel on us.”
Club de Padel will close to begin its Manchester relocation on 14 January.
You can book a free hour of padel between 9 and 14 January, through the usual Playtomic system – you’ll be refunded for your booking in full on arrival.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s top property hotspots for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been revealed as one of the most-searched places to move to in the UK according to annual data.
Every year, leading property listing website, Rightmove, takes a look at all the cities, towns, and residential areas across the UK where people searched for homes to live in most, and puts together an interesting top 10 list.
From the suburban neighbourhoods and coastal escapes, to country communities, overseas destinations, and everything in betweeen, Rightmove has been digging into the numbers and trends to see where house-hunters dreamed of moving to the most last year, and found that this year’s trends tell ‘an interesting story’.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s property hotspots for 2026 / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash)
Property experts say this year’s ‘hotspot’ list is shaped by lifestyle changes, shifting priorities, and economic influences that are reshaping demand.
As was to be expected, major cities dominated UK property searches in 2025.
London continued to ‘lead the way’ as the country’s main urban hub, with close to 10 million people calling the English capital home currently, meaning it, unsurprisingly, claimed the top spot when it came to area searches – but Manchester wasn’t very close behind.
Top 10 most-searched UK cities on Rightmove 2025
London
Manchester
Glasgow
Bristol
Edinburgh
York
Bath
Cornwall
Liverpool
Sheffield
Our city claimed second place on the list, with several other major northern cities featuring in the top 10 too, including York, Sheffield, and Liverpool.
Glasgow is third on the list, while Bristol and Edinburgh rounded out the top five.
“Our review of the year spotlights some of the most popular trends from 2025,” explained Rightmove’s property expert, Colleen Babcock.
Daisy Jackson -
12th November 2025 
