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Plans unveiled for a new 18-storey ‘globally leading’ workspace in Manchester city centre

The Alberton will offer one of the most "comprehensive wellness experiences in a workplace" that's ever been seen in the UK. 

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 22nd December 2021

Bruntwood Works has announced proposals for a workspace in Manchester city centre that it says it’s “capable of competing with the best commercial buildings in the world”.

This will be done through the redevelopment of Alberton House into ‘The Alberton’.

The proposals for the new workspace include replacing the current Alberton House on St. Mary’s Parsonage to create a “striking” 18-storey building that will become the flagship property in Bruntwood Works’ Pioneer programme. 

The plans include the creation of a unique rooftop pavilion on the 17th and 18th floors that will house a “state-of-the-art” health and wellness centre, which will benefit from 360-degree views across the city that can also be enjoyed from the adjoining landscaped roof terrace.

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Once complete, Bruntwood Works say The Alberton will offer one of the most “comprehensive wellness experiences in a workplace” that’s ever been seen in the UK. 

Designed by EPR Architects to represent Manchester’s industrial past in a contemporary aesthetic, Bruntwood Works also said The Alberton will create “a new standard of workspace” in the city that will compare to the best on the world stage through.

A big part of the building being able to compete is thanks to its sustainability credentials. 

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After Bruntwood became the first property company in the UK to sign up to the ‘World Green Building Council Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment’ back in 2018, the group has since  outlined its ambitions for all areas under its control to operate at NZC by 2030, and all buildings to have net zero embodied carbon by 2050.

This means that sustainability is a key factor of this groundbreaking Pioneer redevelopment.

The Alberton will operate at net zero carbon and is targeting BREEAM New Construction 2018 Excellent Rating and NABERS UK Design for Performance Agreement 5.5 star.

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The development will feature glazing detailing to reduce solar gain, ambient loop heating and cooling to allow for greater efficiency and zonal control, and the building will also encourage active commuting – with a newly created basement space offering extensive cycle storage with charging lockers, shower rooms, and vanity areas.

The new destination will also welcome the best of Manchester’s food and drink scene, as there’ll be a waterfront community of restaurant and bar operators, with an immersive food and drink experience on the ground floor. 

Speaking on the unveiling of the proposals, Ciara Keeling – CEO at Bruntwood Works – said: “Our Pioneer programme has always been about realising our vision for the future of the workspace, and we’re proud to have created some of the best workspaces in the country through it.

“With The Alberton, we are aiming to bring a truly world-class asset to Manchester as the city continues to compete on a global stage for inward investment.”

Artist’s impression of The Alberton from Trinity Bridge / Credit: Bruntwood Works

She continued: “The office is no longer a place you have to go to, nor just a place where you go to work.

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“Workspaces need to become experiential places that encapsulate what we love about our thriving city centres, but can also help to provide productivity, balance and wellness to our lives.”

Following other leading workspaces transformed as part of the Bruntwood Works Pioneer programme – including Blackfriars House, 111 Piccadilly, and Bloc – The Alberton will offer a wide array of workspaces for individuals, start-ups, and larger firms.

The mezzanine workspace – which will be accessible to those with memberships to Bruntwood Works’ spaces, or via its Pay as You Go offering – will offer a cosy coworking lounge and flexible working zones.

Workspace floors will feature views over the River Irwell.

There will also be a range of community spaces available to foster collaboration and inclusivity. 

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Keen to have your say? The community is invited to share their views on the plans by visiting thealberton.co.uk, or by emailing [email protected] by 23rd January 2022.

Featured Image – Bruntwood Works

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From furlough to the hall of flame: the Wing Fest champions putting Manchester on the map 

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

This September the world’s biggest wing festival will return to Manchester, bringing together the UK’s best for a two-day event celebrating the humble chicken wing.

Set to serve a whopping 200,000 wings over that 48 hour period, expectations are already high for Wing Fest’s return this Autumn.

As it gears up to make its way back to the city, we take a look at some of the winners from years past to give you an idea of what to expect (and who to make a beeline for).

From established restaurants to pop-up concepts launched on furlough, there’s some real variety to be discovered here amongst the street food stalls – making Wing Fest a must-attend event for foodies that are serious about their chicken. 

Mexican Seoul

First up we spoke with hall of flame multiple award-winners Mexican Seoul, who have taken home a host of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in recent years. 

Founded in lockdown after owner Ashley Chipchase found himself on furlough from his job, Mexican Seoul first attended Wing Fest as customers before deciding to give the street food festival a go themselves.

After winning three awards in a row, he made the decision to quit his job and go pro – right there on stage. 

Image: Mexican Seoul
Image: Mexican Seoul

Ashley told The Manc: “After getting furloughed from our jobs we decided to turn a negative into a positive and spent the next 6 months refining our home recipes and trialling different frying methods. 

“We ended up juggling a full time job whilst working street food markets at the weekend and prepping into the early hours of the morning. 

“We’ve been going to Wing Fest as customers since 2016 and it’s always been a goal to compete. We were lucky enough to be invited down and it really gave us a fantastic opportunity to showcase our menu and we are still blown away we picked up awards. 

“When we got invited on stage for three awards it was like a movie. Being recognised for what we do was amazing. They told us to say something on the microphone and we ended up quitting our daytime jobs there and then, on the stage, at Wing Fest.” 

Read more: The world’s biggest chicken wing festival is coming back to Manchester

Image: Mexican Seoul

Inspired to get into street food by fellow Wing Fest trader Wingman’s after discovering them in 2016, he also tells us he drew inspiration for his wings from the LA food truck scene – naming Korean-American chef Roy Choi as a particularly strong influence. 

The signature wings to look out for here at Mexican Seoul are the Gochu-Gang, made spicy with fermented Korean chilli paste then sauced up with added sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger, All made using free range, halal chicken that’s been brined for 24 hours in buttermilk chicken, wings are then double fried to create a signature crispy texture. 

That’s not all he does, though, Ashley also serves a range of different Korean-inspired tacos with special sauces made in house from scratch. 

Read more: Frankie’s has opened a Breville toastie stall inside the Arndale Market

Image: Yard and Coop

Asked how he feels about coming back to Manchester this year, he said: “Each time we visit we notice that the street food scene is growing rapidly… the last time we were there we found an amazing pizza place called Ramona that had one of the best Detroit pizzas we have tried in the UK.  

“We never thought we would be showcasing our food across the UK so it feels like an amazing opportunity be able to bring our Gochu-Gang wings to Manchester.”

Yard and Coop

Alongside Mexican Seoul, we also spoke with local Manchester-based winners Yard and Coop who have been a fixture of the Northern Quarter’s culinary scene since 2015. 

Owners Laura and Carl Morris took home their first Wing Fest award last year, scooping up third place in the Judges’ Choice Buffalo Wing category but tell us they ‘plan on coming back bigger and better this year.’

Image: Yard and Coop
Image: Yard and Coop

The pair, who tell us they have eaten in ‘just about every fried chicken joint in the UK and a fair few in New York and beyond’ say there are plenty of Americana influences to be found in their food before adding: ‘we will literally deep fry anything’.

They’re not kidding. Tihs Easter just gone, they deep fried a creme egg for a special – something that went down an absolute treat with customers. 

As for what their Wing Fest signature recipes will be this year, they say they’re ‘still testing recipes’ but will definitely ‘bring that extra level’.

They said: “At wing fest as we 24hr brine them then pressure fry so the meat falls off the bone. Then we buttermilk and crumb them with our secret recipe. Each wing has had so much love before it ends up on your plate!” 

“It’s our manor  – we are here to bring the title home where it belongs.” 

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How to get Wing Fest tickets

Taking place this year from 24-25 September, tickets for Wing Fest Manchester 2022 are on sale now.

Combining wings, music, beer and bourbon across a two-day celebration of the best chicken wings the UK has to offer, festival-goers can expect to find over 20 different street food traders, restaurants and BBQ teams on site across the weekend.

To find out more and get your ticket, click here.

Feature image – Wing Fest / Mexican Seoul

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Mancs encouraged to ‘follow the millionaires’ and move to Dubai to sell luxury homes

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the largest real estate companies in the UAE is back in Manchester this month in the search for the next “superstars” to join its team.

And you don’t even need any experience to get started.

Following the success of its last two recruitment events back in March, tech-driven real estate agency Allsopp & Allsopp – which was founded in 2008 in Dubai, and has since gone from strength to strength to develop into one of the best real estate companies the country has to offer – is paying another visit to our city later this month to encourage Mancs to “follow the millionaires” who have already moved to Dubai to sell luxury homes with no prior experience.

Allsopp & Allsopp puts its success down to “a lot of hard work”, and now the company wants more people with “an entrepreneurial mindset” to help them continue that success.

“We’re looking for that person who is questioning how they take the next step financially in their career, that person who is tired of having capped income at in their current workplace, and that person who wants to enjoy serious wealth growth,” says co-founder and CEO Lewis Allsopp.

“Ultimately, we’re looking for serial winners,” he added.

Why Dubai? 

Well, not only has the UAE been rated the most favourable destination for millionaire migration in 2022, according to the latest Henley Global Citizens Report, but Lewis Allsopp also says the Dubai property market is “like nowhere else in the world at the moment” and “has made many people wealthy over the last few years”.

“It’s now the number one destination for real estate in the world,” he explained.

“Dubai is the place to be with its outlooks and ambitious plans and tax free earnings, and the country creates endless opportunities for investors and expats.”

Register to attend the events on the Allsopp & Allsopp website here.

Do I really not need any experience?

“We have hired many people from an array of backgrounds,” Lewis revealed.

“Estate agency being one, but also plumbers, car sales executives, painters and decorators, supermarket managers, and many more.

“We are looking for people with ambition and a hunger to make money. The job is not easy and hard work is definitely required but if you want it enough, you can change your life and your lifestyle significantly.

“What we have realised over the years, is that experience doesn’t make you successful, but a serious drive and passion to make money – I’m looking for personality over a paper CV.”

What does the job actually involve?

Ultimately, Lewis admits that the job of a real estate agent in Dubai is “not for the faint hearted”.

“You have to work hard at all hours of the day to make it worthwhile, and there are days where you will feel defeated, but the good days are so good that the bad days don’t seem so bad.

“The hours are long, but the rewards for those who are successful are life changing.”

How much can you realistically earn?

When it comes to the topic of money, which is often one of the biggest questions the company gets, Lewis revealed that some of the top earners in Allsopp & Allsopp originally came from salaried jobs in the UK where they took home no more than £50,000 each year, and they now earn more than £1,000,000 – with the average agent taking home £500,000 annually.

He says it “shows earning this amount of money can be done”.

Co-founder Lewis Allsopp / Credit: Allsopp & Allsopp

“The average basic house is £500,000, we charge 4% to facilitate the sale, each sale is £20,000 to the company and the agent gets a 50% split, so if you sell three houses a month, you make £30,000 tax free,” he added.

Lewis admits that he is “fully aware that it can come across crass to talk about how much money you earn”, but said that if he was sitting at his desk thinking to himself that he deserves more and could make a million pounds in a year tax free, then “I would be reaching out to that company”.

“We don’t guarantee anyone will make that money, but Dubai and Allsopp & Allsopp certainly offer the opportunity to,” he assured people.

What is it like to work for Allsopp & Allsopp?

The Allsopp & Allsopp offices are said to be “vibrant and full of energy”, with a DJ stand and barista to keep you fueled through the rollercoaster days of being a real estate agent.

Lewis revealed that the working environment they have created mirrors the energy and positivity that’s needed to excel in the role, not just as a real estate agent, but in all aspects of the business that the Allsopp & Allsopp Group stands for.

The company has its own onboarding team with a proven track record of success in the market – as well as producing multiple millionaires – and their role is to provide new recruits with an extensive training programme that gets them kitted-out with all the tools that are needed to start making money.

Allsopp & Allsopp is back in Manchester in the search for the next “superstars” to join its team / Credit: Allsopp & Allsopp

How can I get involved?

If you think the role of a real estate agent in Dubai is something you’d like to explore, or you’re just curious to find out more information, then Allsopp & Allsopp is hosting recruitment event at The Edwardian Manchester hotel on Thursday 18 August from 6pm, and Friday 19 August from 3pm.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn, ask questions, share experiences, and hear case studies of people on the ground working in Dubai for the Allsopp & Allsopp Group.

“We see huge value in the events, and we’re proud to be visiting Manchester to see what talent we can attract,” Lewis concludes.

You can register to attend the events on the Allsopp & Allsopp website here.

Featured Image – Allsopp & Allsopp

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