“There has always been a conference side to Manchester but the incentive market has definitely grown,” says Colette Sherry, sales manager for Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly. “We have guests stay for a conference who then do stadium tours and watch a match.”
Aside from footie, Manchester’s history is steeped in invention, creativity and talent, and it’s not hard to see why the BBC has moved in. Media City UK, a development in the Salford Quays area, welcomed five BBC departments from London last year, and more will follow. The move has done much to boost the city’s reputation as a media hub – Granada is due to move to Media City UK this year, meaning even the Coronation Street set will be displaced from Deansgate to the area.
“The BBC moving up here has added a lot to the cultural offering,” Sherry says. “We attract events from the digital media and creative fields, because we’ve got the talent here. We see that as a growing market.”
Manchester is a city with many sides – a stroll around the bohemian Northern Quarter, ruled by independent businesses, reveals its rebellious streak, while the former red-brick factories alongside gleaming skyscrapers in Deansgate show a long-established value for big business. Spinningfields, a newly regenerated district, aims to be Manchester’s answer to Canary Wharf. The £1.5 billion development has already enticed Natwest, HSBC, Barclays and Bank of New York Mellon to become tenants.
The city has gained Holiday Inn and Premier Inn properties this year, with a Hotel Indigo set to follow next year. Melia is due to open its first UK Innside hotel in 2014, which will have conference facilities. Perhaps the most significant international development is Airport City, part of the Enterprise Zone. Work is under way to create an area surrounding Manchester airport that will encourage businesses from around the world to set up here. Plans include 2,500 hotel beds, manufacturing space, offices, leisure facilities and a metrolink tramline to the city centre, all due for completion by 2016.
Last year, the city generated £822 million from conferences and business events – a 43 per cent increase on 2009 – and welcomed 5.2 million delegates. The eclecticism of its architecture provides great opportunities for staging individual events. Many spaces are historical buildings or factories that have been innovatively adapted, such as the Sharp Project, a former Sharp electronics factory. On the flip side, there are plenty of futuristic glass structures, such as the Lowry theatre or the Bridgewater Hall.
As for incentives, while football fans will be more than satisfied with the options offered by the stadiums, there are canal cruises, the Chill Factor snow dome and workshops in the city’s myriad music venues and bars to be enjoyed.Venues
Manchester Central
Unlike most city convention centres, Manchester Central lives up to its name, being in walking distance of all three main train stations. A former railway station itself, the Grade II Listed building has four large self-contained areas.
The 10,000 sqm Central Hall has retained its spectacular glass semi-circular ceiling – it can host 9,000 delegates theatre-style and divides into two. Beside it is the Gallery, a long space with a 40-metre-long skylight. It can hold 500 people for drinks and is surrounded by four suites that range in capacity from 170 to 400 theatre-style. The 1,800 sqm Exchange Hall is commonly used for exhibitions and an auditorium down the corridor holds 804 delegates. It sits beneath an upper foyer with 11 meeting rooms, seven of which overlook the hall. The four Cobden rooms can be combined to host 450 guests for cocktails.
- Petersfield; tel +44 (0)161 834 2700; manchestercentral.co.uk
Museum of Science and Industry
Home to some iconic technological prototypes, MOSI tells the tale of north-west England’s industrial history. Situated where the station of the world’s first intercity passenger railway line used to be, formerly linking Manchester with Liverpool, it’s possible to take a short ride on a Planet locomotive steam train, followed by a banquet in the Station Master’s House.
Alternatively there’s the Power Hall, which can host 300 people for drinks among one of the world’s largest collections of working steam engines – the smell of their well-oiled parts combined with their mesmerising motions gives the space a real buzz. The 300-capacity Air and Space Gallery is filled with a range of aircraft, including a wacky-looking AV Roe Triplane. Revolution Manchester, an interactive museum, can host drinks for 600 in the main gallery. There are also five fresh meeting rooms with exposed brickwork – the Garratt is the largest, holding 300 delegates theatre-style.
- Liverpool Road; tel +44 (0)161 832 2244; mosi.org.uk
Vermilion and Cinnabar
“Asian escapism” is the concept of this decadent Thai-Indian fusion restaurant and bar. A 15-minute drive from the centre, down the road from Etihad Stadium, the home of Manchester City, this spacious venue’s exquisite décor transports you to the Far East. Red tinted windows, glowing technicolour Buddha heads and a “Maharajah” lazy-Susan table with gold thrones all contribute to the sultry ambience.
On the second floor there is a private dining room, the Abacus Gallery, with walls lined with black-beaded abacuses. It seats 100 people and has a projector screen. With the first floor comprising the restaurant, and the second the bar/nightclub, there are plans to develop the ground floor into event space – in the meantime, the whole venue can be hired exclusively. The gourmet dishes are derived from Bengali and Thai recipes, with fish imported from the Bay of Bengal.
- Hulme Hall Lane; tel +44 (0)161 202 0055; vermilioncinnabar.com
Hilton Deansgate
A five-minute walk from the centre is the four-star Hilton Manchester Deansgate, a slinky glass structure that can be seen from miles away. Minimalist through and through, the 279 rooms feature calming décor and clean lines. The meeting facilities are on two floors reached from the lobby via a red carpet-clad spiral staircase. The 14 spaces are smart and warm, with light wood walls and daylight. The 600-capacity Deansgate suite is the largest. There is an executive lounge on the 23rd floor, along with Cloud 23 bar – its floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning city views. The hotel also has a 20-metre pool, a gym and a spa.
- 303 Deansgate; tel +44 (0)161 870 1600; hilton.co.uk
Park Inn
Primary colours and funky furniture give the four-star Park Inn a bright, fresh feel. Open since 2009, it has 252 business-friendly guestrooms and seven white-walled meeting spaces with vibrant carpeted floors. The largest, the Victoria suite, divides into three and accommodates 220 delegates theatre-style.
The Piccadilly suite can hold 40 for dinner and offers views of the city’s Green Quarter. The hotel has a gym, a spa and a 12.5-metre pool surrounded by loungers. The RBG bar and grill adjoins the lobby lounge, and has an outdoor terrace that can be used for drinks. The Park Inn is located opposite Manchester Arena and near the National Football Museum.
- 4 Cheetham Hill Road; tel +44 (0)161 832 6565; parkinn.co.uk
Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly
Across a pedestrian bridge from Piccadilly station, this four-star hotel became a Doubletree in January, before which it was a Mint hotel. The 285-room property ideally caters for events of up to 100 people, offering light, contemporary spaces. There are 15 meeting rooms, including the top-floor Sky Lounge, which has a penthouse vibe, panoramic views and an outdoor terrace – it holds 60 people for a reception or 40 theatre-style. The other rooms are on the mezzanine floor and are fresh, white-washed spaces. The largest, Linlithgow, accommodates 56 guests, and can be combined with Scone to hold 120 people. Guestrooms are comfortable and intuitively designed, with iMac TVs. There are two stylish bars, a casual restaurant and a gym.
- 1 Piccadilly Place; tel +44 (0)161 242 1000; doubletree3.hilton.com
Manchester United FC
On match days, crowds stroll from the city centre to Old Trafford – by car it takes five minutes. The stadium can host large-scale events and memorable incentives, such as motivational speeches by football legends such as Bobby Charlton, receptions in the three-floor museum full of gleaming trophies, and stadium tours – guests can even sit in Sir Alex Ferguson’s chair. Game hospitality packages are also popular. Some spaces can’t be used while there’s a game on, such as the North Stand boxes, but the pitch view still makes an arresting backdrop to a boardroom meeting for ten people. The largest event space is the 1,100-capacity Manchester suite. The Stretford and Trafford suites have views of the pitch, with capacities of 180 and 300 respectively for a reception.
- Old Trafford; tel +44 (0)161 868 8000; manutd.com/unitedevents
The Lowry hotel
One of two five-star properties in Manchester (the other being the Radisson Blu Edwardian), the 165-room Lowry, a Rocco Forte property, is located by the River Irwell beside the Calatrava bridge, five minutes’ drive from the centre. Contemporary and airy, it features Lowry prints and edgy furniture selected by Olga Polizzi, Sir Rocco’s sister, such as the tangerine Olga chairs that she designed for the guestrooms.
Interiors are luxurious yet understated, with a soft grey colour scheme. The largest of the eight light wood-panelled meeting rooms accommodates 40 delegates theatre-style, while the grand ballroom can host a reception for 600. Surrounded by large windows, it’s an elegant space that can be divided into two – the partition is decorated with a mural of the Calatrava bridge. There is a gym, a spa, and a restaurant and bar with great light and an outdoor terrace that can be hired for receptions.
- 50 Dearmans Place; tel +44 (0)161 827 4000; thelowryhotel.com
The Monastery
Named by the World Monuments Fund as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world, this 19th-century building was lovingly restored with £6.5 million of public money from a state of ruin in 2005. Located a ten-minute drive from the centre, the gothic monastery has evolved into a stunning setting for events – in particular, the cathedral-like Great Nave. It’s full of carefully calculated architectural features – for example, the sunbeam that enters from the back window crawls closer towards the altar each day of the year, reaching the central crucifix on Christmas Day.
A multi-lighting system brings a futuristic element to the historical space, illuminating arches and columns with dramatic colours, contrasting with deep shadows. The Great Nave can hold 450 guests for a banquet or 650 theatre-style. The space opens on to a central garden courtyard, and there are seven other meeting rooms holding between ten and 55 people.
- Gorton Lane; tel +44 (0)161 223 3211; themonastery.co.uk
Manchester City FC
Etihad Stadium’s sleek new event options – the refurbished Mancunian suite and Connell Club restaurant – are set to open this month. The Mancunian’s décor is inspired by the city’s music scene and is able to host 250 people for a reception, while the arty Connell Club can accommodate 220 people for fine-dining. Another new incentive feature is sponsored themed boxes. Companies such as Harvey Nichols, Etihad and Heineken all have a themed box – the Harvey Nichols one comes with the option of booking a personal shopper, a beautician and cocktail-making instructor to entertain delegates while they watch a match.
There are five other meeting spaces decked out in the team’s sky blue and white colours. The 100-capacity Legend’s Lounge looks on to the pitch (it can be used during games) and the Commonwealth suite holds 350 delegates theatre-style. It’s ten minutes’ drive from the centre.
- Etihad Stadium; tel +44 (0)161 444 4141; etihadstadium.co.uk
Visit marketingmanchester.com, meetengland.com. Virgin Trains’ (virgintrains.co.uk) thrice-hourly service to Manchester from London takes two hours and eight minutes. Visit businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested for reviews of the Doubletree by Hilton and Vermilion and Cinnabar.
