Manchester 235 & Great Northern Shopping

[flange]

well with Manchester 235 opening to the public on October 20th (18th for a charity event) i thought there should be seperate thread for manchester newest casino, music event and restaurant and also with great northern shopping getting more new shops and a new look if you have any news or photos just put them in here

http://images4.pictiger.com/thumbs/ac/25512f7d7b417b6b1bbde654296ba8ac.th.jpg (http://server4.pictiger.com/img/505849/picture-hosting/revolution.php)

http://images4.pictiger.com/thumbs/11/15d5b9af36915877ba184300300df711.th.jpg (http://server4.pictiger.com/img/505850/picture-hosting/manchester-235.php)

artists impression on manchester 235

on this website there is a tour of manchester 235 during construction

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/index.asp?Sessionx=IpqiNwEjNwEkIwJ6IHqjNwB6IA

Manchester 235 Website

http://www.manchester235.com/

Manchester 235 pdf

http://www.manchester235.com/pdfs/manchester235_brochure.pdf

[jrb]

What's really pleased and impressed me is the retail units fronting Deansgate have 'all' be let to a variety of independent retailers. Admittedly there are quite a few estate agents aswell. However, With the addition of Beetham, the GNT, and new tenants inside the Great Northern Warehouse, the whole area will become even more vibrant.

[flange]

article about new restaurant in the old persia unit this has also been posted in the retail in manchester thread


New bar will be something to Relish

HOT on the heels of the glittering launch of The Grill On The Alley recently, word reaches me of yet another VIP-friendly restaurant and bar on its way to the city.

£3.5million has been splashed out on creating new restaurant, Relish, at the site of the former Persia eaterie at the Great Northern Warehouse.

Mount Street Investments has snapped up the venue to create a chic new restaurant and bar - complete with VIP area, of course.

Glitzy

It's set to open in early September with a glitzy launch bash, and I hear we can expect something opulent to rival the likes of celeb favourites Lounge Ten and The Living Room.

The new establishment will create more than 100 new jobs, and will be home to a 120-cover restaurant, 350-capacity bar and a mezzanine VIP area for up to 100.

The driving force behind it is Manchester-born businessman Andrew Aldrich, who has previously been involved with the successful Beluga restaurants in Bramhall and Manchester.

[flange]

i remeber hearing rumors that AMC were going to expand into the ground floor units of the atrium that have layed empty since opening and have them as screens and turn it in a 24 screen cinema like originally planned

[Caiman]

There's no way that the Casino will open in October. My friend is a supervisor at AMC so I get to poke around in there sometimes and we had a look behind the covers and most of the casino areas are still bare concrete floors, walls and ceilings. In turn, there will now be a bowling alley built below the AMC, with the AMC box office moving upstairs to the concessions area.

[Mez]

In turn, there will now be a bowling alley build below the AMC

Great news. Shall we start taking bets on when the first bit of graffiti will appear on Beetham?
(I hate kids)

[rolybling]

I feel an SSC bowlathon coming on :)

I must warn you all I was a champ at Pontins 1978, here's me in action.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/rolybling2/tour4.jpg

[The Longford]

Ive not been bowling for tiiiiiiiiimmmmmmme guy!
I remember being really good at it though so i'd like to slip on on a pair of Mod shoes and tickle some pins.
Showing my ignorance here but is their a bowling alley in Manchester?
I seem to remember one at White City and there is one out at Worsley but.......?

[rolybling]

There's a Megabowl in Didsbury and I think there's a bowling alley in Ashton somewhere. Might be one in Stockport, Superbowl or something?? There isn't one in town as far as I know.

[b4mmy]

I think the nearest one now after that is Warrington, near IKEA? That's in Manchester isn't it ;)

[b4mmy]

There's a Megabowl in Didsbury.... Parrs Wood complex?

[rolybling]

Is that the one near Tesco? thats the one

[Titsand Bums]

Holywood Bowl at Ashton Moss Leisure Park is ace. Been there a few times when I come down to see my nan.

[The Longford]

Fuck dat shit!
I aint going to that Parrs Wood hell hole - if my heritage nazi mates find out ive been in there after what i said about it when it came to planning then i'd be shot at dawn.
Stockport? Where the fuck is Stockport? Never heard of it!
Ashton? I'd rather go to Leeds!
I used to live in a place called Aylesbury down south and that had one of the first bowling alleys in the country and it was fucking great - like a 60's time warp - but they knocked it down. Werent the olden days great? :weird:

[b4mmy]

Thats the one

http://www.tenpin.co.uk/bowling_locations/centres/manchester_parrs_wood

[Titsand Bums]

I used to live in a place called Aylesbury down south and that had one of the first bowling alleys in the country and it was fucking great - like a 60's time warp - but they knocked it down. Werent the olden days great? :weird:
Been there too. I done my RAF training in nearby RAF Halton in Wendover. Damned if I can recall the name of the bowling alley. We used to finish off our night in a pub called the Green Man. Great jukebox.

[The Longford]

Been there too. I done my RAF training in nearby RAF Halton in Wendover. Damned if I can recall the name of the bowling alley. We used to finish off our night in a pub called the Green Man. Great jukebox.

Jardines!
They named the bowling league after it.
I used have a lovely girlfriend from Wendover and much fun was had up in the Forestry Commision up behind the RAF camp!

[rolybling]

Saucy :tongue4:

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Aylesbury Utd... I wasted far too much of my life at Buckingham Road, no wonder where you got your architectual tastes from if you lived in Aylesbury, where do you stand on the County Hall?

Anyway White City bowling has shut down a long time ago.... in Newcastle we had a great old bowlarama with 6 lanes that no one ever went to because they all went to the Trafford Centre. You could get unlimited bowling for £5 including a pint... happy days.

[The Longford]

Aylesbury Utd... I wasted far too much of my life at Buckingham Road, no wonder where you got your architectual tastes from if you lived in Aylesbury, where do you stand on the County Hall?


What a beauty!

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/8/8b/CountyHallAylesbury.jpg

The tramp battering scene in A Clockwork Orange (and other scenes that werent used) was filmed in the underpass at County Hall.
Kubrick considered Aylesbury to the perfect brutal landscape.

[TheGrand]

Big Wheel and Bumper Cars, get it sorted

[flange]

picture of the inside of great northern taken in sept not by me

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slippy-23/232786188/

another photo of great northern taken half way through sept again not by me

http://www.flickr.com/photos/henvre/247425786/

but it doesnt look like the exterior is coming along also note that relish has opened in the old persia unit

anyone know if it is still on course for its late october opening and also anyone know how the bowling underneath amc is coming along

[flange]

Friday 27th October is confirmed as the opening of Manchester235 it says so on there website

http://www.manchester235.com/flash.html

[GShutty]

I walked down between the Great Northern Warehouse and Great Northern Tower yesterday and one of the restaurants there is looking nearly ready and rather nice!

Does anybody know- is there going to be retail at the bottom of the Great Northern Tower? It appears that there are units that are being prepared, but i'm not sure if they are live/work office spaces or what.

This St. (Watson St) has Great potential, especially in this small pedestrianised sector and there are the arches a bit further down that are currently being used by car shops and garages. Surely this use in what is now a definitive part of the City Centre is redundant and the potential for shops, cafes, restaurant/bars will be irresistable to whomever owns them.

[GShutty]

There will be retail in the GN Twr, just wondering if anybody had details (Flange?). Cheers.

[flange]

i will try and find out you can probably bet that a coffee shop will let out one of the spaces (Cafe Nero, Starbucks or Costa Coffee) hopefully not though, do you have a number of retail units there will be in it

if you go onto this website http://www.x-leisure.co.uk/html/our-venues/ then go to great northern it looks like it is getting a new logo which does not look good one bit i think

[GShutty]

i will try and find out you can probably bet that a coffee shop will let out one of the spaces (Cafe Nero, Starbucks or Costa Coffee) hopefully not though, do you have a number of retail units there will be in it

Depending on how big the Reception is and whether that incorporates retail space, I would say 4, or 5. Looks like they may have mezzanine levels too, which will be a welcome feature.

[jrb]

Article about 235 in todays MEN.

[flange]

ya here it is

Winning way of new city casino

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3801/stakeholderkg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

STAKEHOLDER: Bill Timmins

GAMBLING giant London Clubs International says its "revolutionary" £13m casino in Manchester is a safe bet.

Manchester 235, which opens to punters later this month, is the first of a new wave of luxury casinos coming to the UK ahead of changes in gaming regulations next year.

Manchester 235, which has taken nearly 60,000sq ft of the Great Northern Warehouse development on a 25-year lease, will offer upmarket dining, comedy and music, as well as the usual casino games such as roulette, poker and black jack.

Bill Timmins, chief executive of LCI, which is in the middle of being taken over by the world's biggest gambling company, Harrahs, said: "Manchester 235 is truly unique. We wanted Manchester to be the first in our new generation of casinos. In total we are investing around £80m nationwide.

"Even in London, there's no equivalent to what we are doing here. We have done this concept in other parts of the world, and I am sure it will be a success here."

Desire

Mr Timmins, 59, said the location of the casino site was "fantastic" and in keeping with the company's desire to offer something "distinctly Mancunian".

He added: "We're right in the middle of the hotel district and next door to the G-Mex and the Convention Centre. We're very pleased with the location."

The new casino, with its restaurants, is creating 350 jobs. It boasts two restaurants, Italian Numero - thought to be the country's first public access restaurant in a casino - and Linen, an upmarket British concept.

In addition there is also 235Live, a music venue run by Jay Taylor, formerly of Night and Day Café, who gave Badly Drawn Boy and Elbow their first gigs.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, welcomed the new venue: "Manchester's cutting-edge individuality has allowed it to retain a competitive edge as a visitor destination. Manchester 235 is yet another example of the city's inspired creativity and a welcome addition to the current tourism product."

[TheGrand]

The Big Wheel needs to be here shirley?

[Sir Miles Platting]

The Big Wheel needs to be here shirley?
Don't call me surely......

[markydeedrop]

Bit of a virtual tour now available on the website with updated pictures.

[flange]

where is it on the site i cant find it

[flange]

so is anyone going to the opening tonight or to the two restaurants linen and numero or 235live if so post some pictures tommorrow or say if it is any better then what it was like before

[flange]

Jay to liven up up the Warehouse
Lawrence Poole

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4960/jaytaylores0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

NEW CHALLENGE: Jay Taylor
TONY Blair, Bill Bryson and even Fitz from Cracker have all been quick to heap praise on the way the city has risen from the rubble of the Manchester bomb.

One redevelopment has continued to prove a bit of a white elephant though –the Great Northern Warehouse.

A grade 2 listed Victorian monolith, which bookends the Castlefield end of Deansgate, it has been hankering after a headline-grabbing occupant for years.

Manchester 235 hopes to fill the void in some style though.

The upmarket gaming, dining and live music venue will takeover two floors later this month and one of the brightest feathers in the venue’s cap is set to be 235 Live - a snazzy new performance space.

Key player on the city’s live music scene, Jay Taylor, has been brought in to lead the project.

Fresh from a spell as manager of the much-loved Night & Day Café, Stockport-born Jay is relishing the move from Northern Quarter to Warehouse.

“It’s an exciting challenge and I’ve really hit it off with the people who made the pitch to me.”

But taking on the live music branch of £13m London Clubs International development is quite a step up from the independent role Jay is used to.

“Of course there are some differences, but they’ve given me a free rein and there’s been a level of trust there since the get-go.”

He’s certainly brought a wealth of experience with him, thanks to his Night & Day tenure - what are his fondest memories from his Oldham Street days?

“There are three things which are the most rewarding about a place like that. One is when you support something, which is nothing and it suddenly becomes something - like The Longcut and Liam Frost.

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2972/jaytaylor1fh5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

SNAZZY;Jay inside the new venue“
Then there’s booking acts you love like Gogol Bordello, who actually got carried out through the crowd on their drum kit!

“Plus because of the stature of the place we could also punch above our weight and put on bands like The Charlatans.”

During Jay’s time the venue also gave celeb haunts like Panacea a run for there money too.

“Yeah Peter Buck from REM came down and got locked into the toilet one night!”

Speed and Matrix star Keanu Reeves also made quite an impression.

“I drank with Keanu Reeves when he came in. He arrived with no entourage and no airs and graces and tipped the girls behind the bar really well, which I thought was the mark of gent.”

And Jay doesn’t have any fears for the venue’s future now he has moved on, as younger brother Ben has taken up the reins.

“He did a great job of putting on a monthly night there, which proved he could do it.

“Also Night & Day has always held close the people who have invested a level of love in the place.”

So can the city’s music lovers expect an East End style rivalry to break out now the Taylor brothers are going head-to-head on the artist booking front?

“I don’t think so - although this time in five years we could be ruling the town!”

Larger than Night & Day with a 6am drinking licence, Jay plans to lay on a range of different nights.

“We have a broader remit – so as well as promoting burgeoning new music there will also be jazz and comedy acts, plus club nights will all work really well in the space.

“One thing’s for sure they’ll be no tribute bands – we’re all agreed on that!”

235Live launched on Thursday, October 26. On Friday there is an In The City showcase plus a DJ set by Peaches Geldof. Click on the website below for more information.

http://www.manchester235.com/about_235live.html

[flange]

Gordo samples Manchester's newest, sexiest restaurant

Linen is a restaurant in the Manchester235 entertainment venue.

Wrong.

Linen is the most spectacularly sexy, humdingingly fantastic restaurant Gordo has walked in for twenty five years. Then, it was his first three rosette Michelin experience in Reims, Gérard Boyer’s Chateau Les Crayères. Today, twenty five years later, the hairs on the back of Gordo’s neck stood out once again as he walked up the stairs and stood transfixed surveying Linen.

It’s going to be a vintage season boys and girls. Last week we had a bar, Cloud 23, half way up the Beetham tower on top of The Hilton Hotel which has blown every critic away. Next week a series of openings for Manchester235. Early December, we will have Ithaca, Arnie Hira’s brainchild, with a chef of Nobu standing. These three plays will raise the bar for Manchester’s dining experiences several feet.

Today, Andy Orr, amiable gaffer of Manchester235, the ‘upmarket’ entertainment venue down the bottom of Deansgate in the Great Northern Warehouse took Gordo on a quick tour of the place, going through Numero, the Italian restaurant which is at the front of this spectacular place, through a Casino floor which oozes class, to a bar area with chairs you would die for at home, colour schemes that put you in mind of nothing else but an achingly classy future and a restaurant that, dear reader, will completely and utterly knock your socks off.

Many chefs will tell you that people eat first with their eyes; Gordo always felt this was about the food on the plate. Actually, walking into a restaurant designed to rip the air out of the diners lungs, smack them round the face and drop them onto a chair which they melt into is half the battle.

If Gordo scored restaurants for looks alone, this place would return points higher than Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in Claridges.

Gordo has seen the menu. Gordo has told the luscious Maria Slater, an Ann Hathaway look alike and the person responsible for rolling out these astonishing venues that if he isn’t the first person to be served dinner he will be stamping his feet. Because the menu looks so lush you, dear reader, would happily sit at home for hours gazing lovingly at it. Gordo can’t wait.

[The Longford]

I was at the opening of the casino last night (if anyone cares). I must admit i did spend all night in the back office though so my shoulder rubbing with Tess Daly and Alex Ferguson was minimal.

[Isaac Newell]

Who's Tess Daly

[BeardedGenius]

Anyone got any idea what the menu's like at Linen? Nothing on the website...

[BeardedGenius]

Who's Tess Daly

A delicious bit of Stockport totty...

http://www.clay-gate.demon.co.uk/gilly/graphics/fi.jpg

[andysimo123]

Shes Vernon Kays bird.

[BeardedGenius]

Linen Restaurant Menu (membership to casino required to enter the restaurant - as it is within the casino - this is instant and free):

OCTOBER IS THE START OF THE ‘ True Winter Season’

SMOKED SALMON & GRAVLAKS, HALIBUT , WILD SEA BASS, SASHIMI TUNA, OYSTER, GOOSENARGH DUCK, PARTRIDGE, CHICKEN ‘HEN OF THE WOODS’, VENISON, BEEF, PUMPKIN & BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CHESTNUT, DUCK EGG, SHISO CRESS ‘SAKURA, CHESHIRE POTATOES, SWEET POTATO, CELERY, RED CABBAGE, CRANBERRY, APPLE, WINTER GREENS, ENGLISH CAULIFLOWER, CARROT, SWEDE, MUSHROOMS, LEEKS, BEETROOT, LETTUCES & WONDERFUL ENGLISH CHEESES

Six Native Oysters
With shallots & red wine vinegar £9.50
or
With braised baby leeks, vintage Champagne & Oscietra
caviar glaze £13.00

Princesses D’Isenbourg Caviar is exclusive to Manchester 235
served with Traditional Garnish
50 gr Sevruga £88.50
50 gr Beluga (24 hrs notice) £180.90
50 gr Oscietra (24 hrs notice) £99.90


FIRST COURSE

Roast Pumpkin & Butternut Squash soup (v) £4.25

Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Terrine
Cinnamon & Grape Chutney, Toasted brioche & aged balsamic £8.50

Crispy Duck Leg Salad
Coriander, mint, pine nuts, and lime & ginger dressing £6.50

Seared King Scallops
On cumin marinated tomato, guacamole and chilli oil £8.50

Soft Boiled Smoked Duck Egg
Avruga caviar & smoked salmon soldiers £5.25

Twice Baked Mrs Kirkhams Smoked Lancashire Soufflé
Toasted walnut (v) £6.75

Grilled Halibut
on creamed leeks & spinach, Apricot Jam £8.95

Partridge Roasted in Vine Leaves
Duet of swede & carrot purée & jus nature £5.90

Smoked Salmon & Gravlaks ‘Garstang smk house’
Warm ‘Tartare’ potato cake & light smoked trout mousse £7.25

Wood Roasted Pepper & Artichoke Fritter
Melted goat's cheese & basil oil (v) £6.25


LAND & WOODLAND

Roasted Silver Skin Onion & ‘Sykes Fell’ Lancashire Ewes Cheese Tart
with potato salad & crème fraîche (v) £10.50

Shallot, Chicory & Apple Tart Tatin
with frisée salad (v) £10.50

Mezzaluna of Wild Mushrooms & Cream Cheese
“Basil carbonara sauce” (v) £10.50


FIELD & FARM

Roast Best End of Lamb, ‘Manchester Caviar’
Fondant potato, pancetta, confit garlic, baby vegetables & thyme jus £17.50

Fillet of Beef
Horseradish Yorkshire pudding, Oyster Beignet, ‘Hot Pot Dauphinoise’, beef gravy £19.95

12 oz Grilled Prime Veal Chop
Panaché of garden vegetables, barley and a caramelized veal jus £21.00

Szechuan Roasted Duck Breast
Soft noodles, choy sum, pickled ginger & crispy wontons £15.75

Grilled & Biryani Spiced Chicken ‘HEN OF THE WOODS’
Cauliflower & chick peas casserole, cous-cous, lychee & lime chutney £13.95

Fillet of Venison
Chestnut mash, braised red cabbage, cranberry compote, gingerbread topping £16.50

D & K Wheelwright Pork Fillet
Bacon, winter greens, white pudding, apple sauce & roast garlic mash £14.25

Grilled Sirloin Steak
Portobello mushroom, confit tomato, caramelised red onion & fat chips £17.50


SEA & RIVER

Pan-fried Wild Sea Bass Fillet
Roasted beetroot, wild rice salad & fennel cream £16.95

Simply Grilled Whole Lemon Sole
Lemon, herb butter & buttered Cheshire potatoes & fresh baby shoots £17.95

Grilled Swordfish Supreme
on sweet potato, spring onions, roast pepper salsa & sweet piri-piri £14.95

Grilled Sashimi Tuna Warm Niçoise garnish £15.95

Daily Catch: Chef’s daily select preparations of fish–market price


SIDES £3.75 each

Pomegranate, Dates, Green Beans, Feta Cheese & Mint

Baby shoots à La ‘Mancunian’

Cheshire Roasted New with capers & shallots

Cauliflower with Cheddar Cheese gratin

Sugar Snaps, Spinach, Cashew Nuts & Thai asparagus

Hand Cut Chips

Baby Gem Caesar Salad
with croutons, fresh anchovies, shaved Reggiano, Caesar dressing

Frisée & Shiso Cress ‘Sakura’ Salad
with shaved English Parmesan, red onion & balsamic


Chef’s note: If a customer should feel that any of the dishes available could be tailored to the taste, we will be happy to oblige if the dishpermits the change.

[highriser]

Theres a right swanky do going on in 235 tonight , looks very posh .

[flange]

235 launches in style

Manchester 235 has been the buzz word around Manchester ever since the sounds of a thousand ooompa loompas hammering away deep inside the Great Northern Warehouse was detected many months ago.

More recently, mysterious posters featuring the magical 235 symbols have appeared all over town, and strange ‘membership’ cards have been turning up in our friends’ wallets.

Last week however, the speculation came to an end as Manchester’s newest, blingest venue opened to the sounds of casino chips rolling, champagne pouring, and some of Manchester’s finest acts belting out the tunes.

Carved out from a sizeable chunk of the Great Northern Warehouse, Manchester 235, the UK’s first luxury gaming, dining and live music club, is a big place. Well, with two restaurants, a bar, a casino over two floors and a fantastic live music venue, it would have to be really. The star studded opening party last Thursday night was the perfect way to welcome the new venue into the city’s social scene.

The fantastic launch party saw the cream of Manchester’s crop gathered together under one sexy roof to enjoy free flowing champagne, cocktails and canapés, and to be the first to try their hands and their wallets at the gaming tables, with all money going straight to the Kirsty Appeal.

A star spotter’s paradise, celebrities to have attended the event included Sir Alex Ferguson, Tess Daly (who compered the evening), and stars of Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Cutting It.

Unfortunately for me however, I always seemed to be at the loo, at the bar, or for one reason or another on the complete opposite side of the room whenever any excitingly famous people were around. I’d return, laden with drinks, to cries of ‘you just missed Alex Ferguson!! He was right there! I waved at him – and he looked at me!’ or ‘Have you seen Paulo Nutini? He just walked past and his arm touched mine!’

The highlight of the evening, for me anyway, was undoubtedly the 235Live room in which Liam Frost and the Slowdown Family blew us all away in a gust of beautiful melodies and handy guitar work with a selection of songs from their debut album ‘Show me how the Spectres Dance’.

At the bar later, thanks to one too many Mojitos, I did the geeky groupie thing (that I promised myself I’d never do again) and was overcome by a sudden urge to tell Sadie from the Slowdown Family just how beautiful I think her voice is and how much I enjoyed the gig. So I did. Why does nobody stop me from doing these things? Anyway, Sadie was very polite, and said ‘thank you’ in the way that only a musician accosted by a stalkerish fan can, before moving away vee-ry slowly. Deary me.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6025/manchester235mb4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Exterior of Manchester 235

The night unfortunately ended early due to an untimely fire drill, leaving us all stood out in the cold and forced, fickle customers that we are, to find comfort in the arms of another establishment.

But despite 235’s ejection of us at the end of the night, we all agreed that we would go back at the drop of a hat. It truly is an astonishing place, and a credit to Manchester. Now fully open to the public, Manchester 235 will undoubtedly grow and prosper in the coming months as more and more people catch on and sign up for their memberships.

Jayne Robinson

more picture pf the opening at

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/index.asp?Sessionx=IpqiNwEjNwElJwc6IHqjNwB6IA

[flange]

Dome promises Deansgate revamp

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4718/greatnorthern1hq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

THE long-awaited revamp of Deansgate's Great Northern leisure complex is underway.

The Grade 2 listed mixed-use complex on the corner of Peter Street and Deansgate was purchased by operator X-Leisure in September 2005. X-Leisure is run by former Millennium Dome boss P-Y Gerbeau.

X-Leisure has appointed the Manchester office of building and project consultants, CNP, to undertake various renovation works, as well as advising X-Leisure on planned maintenance issues and future modifications in order to accommodate new lettings.

Transform

Julie James from X-Leisure said: "We are aiming to transform this historic development into one of Manchester's leading leisure destinations."

CNP will also provide ad hoc building surveying services in respect of the general asset management of the mixed-use complex.

CNP director and head of the Manchester office, Martin Willis, said: "We are very happy to be undertaking this renovation project on behalf of X-Leisure, which will improve one of Manchester's most exciting and up-and-coming leisure destinations.

"The appointment comes on the back of massive growth for CNP in the past year, which has included a move to new offices in central Manchester, hiring another four employees and taking on over £500,000 worth of new business."

Sounds good

[flange]

The plans for the new Oceana club at The Great Northern are online now they have been in since Febuary and are still Pending Consideration so seems like it will be a long while before they open in Manchester

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JDI7NGBCW1000

They will be taking all the units that are empty on the ground floor and they will be taking the units that are directly behind the AMC ticket office so they will have a Ground Floor, Mezzanine Floor and First Floor and most of the space in Great Northern will actually be let except for the space underneath AMC

[Cosmo Disney]

It doesn't look to me like they're taking the old Teasers unit though. Any idea what's going there Flange, or am I wrong?

Once that's filled, if the mooted bowling alley were to go in the space under the ANC, looks like the old lemon could finally be up and running. It always struck me as a shame that it had struggled so badly. Admittedly it's not the best overall design, but at least it breathed some life into the old warehouse which really looked very sad beforehand.

[flange]

ya Lachlan it isnt taking the old Teasers unit its taking the unit that is empty facing the square the one right next to the old teasers, i dont know what is going there it will probably be another a restaurant but ya i agree with you lachlan if and when this rumored bowling alley does open it will hopefully get the place more busier as with having the club and cinema close to each other it could get more people going to the centre

[Cosmo Disney]

Cheers flange. The unit Oceana is (hopefully) going into was going to be a Shoeless Joe's (I think) at one stage, but that fell through. I hadn't realised how big it is until looking at the plans. Would make a nice foil to the casino on the other side, and make the GN proper entertainment centre, especially if the bowling alley ever comes to anything. I think it would do well there, there should be one in town.

There is something going on in the old Teasers, but it could be just stripping out the old gear rather than fitting out for a new occupant. But the rest of the centre seems to have settled a bit now - Virgin Active is doing OK, AMC is much busier than it used to be, the car park does well, and as far as I can tell the Deansgate-facing retail has hit some sort of equilibrium. With the Hilton appearing, hopefully GN can help plug the gap between Peter Street and the locks.

[flange]

Well Lachlan when you saw work going on in the old Teasers unit it was probably for its new tennant

Yes the old Teasers store has been relet to

Dwell

It's a furniture store and it is opening in August

231-233 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 4EN

http://dwell.co.uk/deansgatemap.php

231-233 is at Great Northern it is the old Teasers unit seems like Great Northern is on a role with getting tenants

[Caiman]

So my source, okay, my mates who work at AMC (in management roles thank you, Im not relying on the popcorn popper here) said that AMC have hired an architect to look into converting their deadspace on the lower levels beneath the screens into a bowling alley themselves after whoever they were in contact with apparently pulled out, they've also been in touch with various fast food chains such as Maccies, KFC and Pizza Hut about outfitting units down there should they go ahead with the alley.

We'll see if anything comes of it.

[Mancunian Monkey]

Can the 'shooping' bit be corrected in the thread title please?

[flange]

Sounds good over AMC hopefully getting along with the possible plans for the bowling alley and is good they are in possible talks with food retailers as the centre needs them really as they dont have that much in the main centre itself, and if they get the Bowling Alley and the food units it will get this area alot more busier especially when Oceana opens up behind the AMC ticket offices

Ya bammy can you change the 'shooping' to 'shopping' thanks

[flange]

The Great Northern website is being updated and relaunched finally after nearly 2 years of it not being updated

http://www.thegreatnorthern.com/

the launch date for the website relaunching is 17th August, it looks like the centre could be getting a brand new image as the holding page has a new logo on it, also it looks like they are really going to start marketing themselves as the premiere entertainment destination in Manchester which will be a good thing as the centre is certainly starting to get alot more business within it with the new tennants arriving and the possible bowling alley and food court area opening under the AMC

[The Longford]

I had a quick look at that website and the first thing that struck me was how the photographer managed to get so many people into the shot , considering its usually a wasteland round there.
Then on closer observation it just the same three people cloned in! :doh:

[uklad1979]

Well the log looks better than the one on this page when you click on great northern http://www.x-leisure.co.uk/html/our-venues/
Looks like a bingo hall.

[markydeedrop]

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/007-3.jpg

[flange]

A bit of information regarding the Oceana situation


Peter Street Newbie: Haunted by Hooch

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/001-2.jpg

(Image from the excellent Skyscraper City forums)

Im not quite sure how this one slipped by me (at a guess it's because it's a dross theme bar) but central Manchester now has a Chicago Rock Crack Cafe.

Can anyone guess where this bastion of family values has opened? Peter Street of course! With the nearby Walkabout, Squares and M2 there was only ever going to be one place for it, and the recently deceased Teasers is just across the road. Some say that at night you can see ghostly white figures walking past Teasers, vomiting on their shoes as they did before the venue closed.

'If it's not fun, you are not doing it right!' screams the Chicago Crack Cafe's lively logo, whilst their website boasts that you can "get up close and personal" with the well polished head of Simon Webbe. Yes he is still alive! And yes this is "the place to be".

The Chicago Rock Cafe resides where Life Cafe used to be. Life started, er, life back in 2000 with a cash injection from the Boddingtons Brewery and some hyperactive publicity. Aimed at the 35+ers - a huge mistake since they drink less, and more importantly get pissed and start fights quicker - there was a second venue beneath Life called the Late Rooms, which started out as a smokey, claustrophobic jazz-style venue but which ended it's days as a non-smoking, schizophrenic clubspace. The Late Rooms is now called Studio.

Across the road and Oceana, is still slated to open, but there's a few small legal and technical obstacles. My hopes that this venue would somehow inject a little class in to the area have clearly been dashed, as the only injections will be of morphine for the battle-scarred alcohol victims, vomiting on each other until their Greggs fuelled bodies can leak no more (I jest, Oceana will probably be reasonable and no doubt an improvement on the somewhat sleazy Teasers).

Meanwhile the plans for Jongleurs, rumoured to be moving in to part of the Walkabout, haven't taken hold yet. Which reminds me of a rather funny story that I heard involving Walkabout, a group of tourists sat near an open window and a man taking a p!ss....

http://manchester-clubbing.blogspot.com/2007/08/peter-street-newbie-haunted-by-hooch.html

[flange]

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/8256/sunp00100010vh8.jpg

The new Dwell store at Great Northern, this is the Deansgate entrance, looks like there is still a far bit of work to do on the store, would imagine an opening for next week so the last week of August.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/8223/sunp00110011xg7.jpg

Another picture of the new Dwell store, here is the entrance for the store on Great Northern Square.

[uklad1979]

I see the website didn't go live.

[flange]

Ya the website was supposed to have gone live on Friday 17th August and it didnt and still isnt live, it will probably go live hopefully within the next week or so.

[flange]

Dwell opens on Saturday (25th August)

http://dwell.co.uk/deansgatemap.php

[flange]

Nearly 2 weeks after it should have launched the new Great Northern website has now launched the website is defiantly better than what it was like before.

http://www.thegreatnorthern.com/

[flange]

The application for the change of use to nightclub use for where Oceana will be located at Great Northern has now been Approved

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JDI7NGBCW1000

[flange]

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1793/sunp00340001fd3.jpg

Could this now mean that the possible food court could be happening and maybe the bowling alley underneath the AMC

[flange]

Planning application has gone in for the change of signage throughout the whole Great Northern complex.


Great Northern Complex, Land Bounded By Deansgate, Great Bridgewater Street, Watson Street And Peter Street
Manchester
M3 4EJ

Display of various signage to the Great Northern Complex including internally and externally illuminated signs, non-illuminated signs and replacement of existing signage

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JNY7UKBCW1000



Oceana is still due to open in the unit opposite Relish as within the planning documents you can see that one of the banners that hangs down from either side of the warehouse will be replaced with an Oceana sign and the other by a Manchester 235 sign.

Also is interesting to see that in the documents one of the signs will have

Great Northern
AMC Cinemas
Bowling
Restaurants
Casino

So i presume they are defianlty going to get a Bowling Alley in the 'Leisure Box'

[uklad1979]

I can not wait! I love ten pin and Didsbury is too far away and white city closed. Has anyone seen a planning application?

[spoonsbeatfish]

So my source, okay, my mates who work at AMC (in management roles thank you, Im not relying on the popcorn popper here) said that AMC have hired an architect to look into converting their deadspace on the lower levels beneath the screens into a bowling alley themselves after whoever they were in contact with apparently pulled out, they've also been in touch with various fast food chains such as Maccies, KFC and Pizza Hut about outfitting units down there should they go ahead with the alley.

We'll see if anything comes of it.

Any chance you could ask your mate again (if still works there) whats going on?

As a side note, if this all goes ahead and becomes a real leisure destination (could differentiate itself from the Printworks as a family as opposed to young adult site) the units at the bottom of the great northern tower will be much more likely to fill up and give another added boost to that area of town!

[flange]

The letting brochure for the units below the Great Northern Tower is here

http://www.shopproperty.co.uk/Pdf/40000054265LPBO.pdf?id=b7ad0ed96d2d49d1885718703a7dcd56

[flange]

A new planning application has gone in for the unit below Great Northern Tower


Units 2 And 3 Great Northern Tower
Watson Street
City

Creation of 3 no. ground floor units through the subdivision of one of the units, and the change of use of the proposed units 2 and 3 from use class A3 to use class B1 (office use)

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JUDHXEBC00700

[flange]

From the recent planning application ^^, 2 of the 4 units underneath GN Tower are going to be of Leisure use and the other 2 units will be Offices.

Is interesting to see what possible tennants they get as from the planning application it lists the ones that were interested and still are even though it is dated from 2006.

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?085504-SSI-0001.pdf

So there could possibly be in 2 of the units any of these.

Chiquito :ohno:
http://www.chiquito.co.uk/

Ego Restaurants
http://www.egorestaurants.com/

Elk Bar
http://www.elkbar.co.uk/index.php

Epernay Champagne Bar
http://www.bar-epernay.co.uk/container.php

Frankies & Bennys :ohno:
http://www.frankieandbennys.com/

Nandos :ohno:
http://www.nandos.co.uk/

Studio
http://www.studionightclubs.co.uk/main.htm

Tiggis
http://www.tiggis.co.uk/

Or some completly different tennants.

[flange]

One of the units underneath GN Tower has been taken by Goji, a licence is online now for the restaurant.


Goji Restaurant, Unit 2, The Square, Great Northern Tower, Watson Street, Manchester, M2 5RA

Application Type
Provisional Statement

Proposal Proposed trading hours for the provision of late night refreshment:
Mon to Sun 2300 to 0030

Proposed trading hours for the provision of the supply of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises:
Mon to Sun 1200 to 0000

Proposed opening hours for the premises:
Mon to Sun 1200 to 0030

http://www.lifeatgoji.com/restaurants.html

[flange]

Looks like some work has started at Oceana at Great Northern Warehouse some walls are now being built in the unit if you look closely in the downstairs part and looks like some work has been happening in the part of the unit they have behind the AMC ticket office.

[flange]

Planning application has gone in for the change of signage throughout the whole Great Northern complex.


Great Northern Complex, Land Bounded By Deansgate, Great Bridgewater Street, Watson Street And Peter Street
Manchester
M3 4EJ

Display of various signage to the Great Northern Complex including internally and externally illuminated signs, non-illuminated signs and replacement of existing signage

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.g...=JNY7UKBCW1000

Oceana is still due to open in the unit opposite Relish as within the planning documents you can see that one of the banners that hangs down from either side of the warehouse will be replaced with an Oceana sign and the other by a Manchester 235 sign.

Also is interesting to see that in the documents one of the signs will have

Great Northern
AMC Cinemas
Bowling
Restaurants
Casino

So i presume they are defianlty going to get a Bowling Alley in the 'Leisure Box'

The planning application for the new signage throughout the Great Northern complex has been approved today.

[Cosmo Disney]

The planning application for the new signage throughout the Great Northern complex has been approved today.

And yet... I just walked through there and nothing seems to be happening with Oceana, after an initial flurry a few weeks back. False start?

[Splurb]

From the recent planning application ^^, 2 of the 4 units underneath GN Tower are going to be of Leisure use and the other 2 units will be Offices.

Is interesting to see what possible tennants they get as from the planning application it lists the ones that were interested and still are even though it is dated from 2006.

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/selecteddoc.aspx?085504-SSI-0001.pdf

So there could possibly be in 2 of the units any of these.

Chiquito :ohno:
http://www.chiquito.co.uk/

Ego Restaurants
http://www.egorestaurants.com/

Elk Bar
http://www.elkbar.co.uk/index.php

Epernay Champagne Bar
http://www.bar-epernay.co.uk/container.php

Frankies & Bennys :ohno:
http://www.frankieandbennys.com/

Nandos :ohno:
http://www.nandos.co.uk/

Studio
http://www.studionightclubs.co.uk/main.htm

Tiggis
http://www.tiggis.co.uk/

Or some completly different tennants.


Have heard that the group behind Bar Epernay are planning to open their other brand, Bar Utopia, in Manchester, of which there is already one in Birmingham. I wonder if its going to go in here rather than Bar Epernay

[flange]

Trio rate X-Leisure’s Manc scheme

18.04.08

Three parties are vying for X-Leisure’s Great Northern leisure scheme in Manchester.

Moorfield, Israeli investor Igal Ahouvi and a third party have submitted bids for the £100m scheme. Franc Warwick was appointed to sell the scheme for X-Leisure.

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3111372

[flange]

Name That Bar

And win £1000. And your own custom cocktail

The Manchester 235 casino wants to rename it's bar. The trouble is, they can't think of a name, so they're asking the good people of Manchester to come up with one.

Put forward your suggestions, and if the panel of judges like yours the most then you'll get a cool £1k in cash, and a cocktail will be named in your honour.

So you could end up sipping your own cocktail, in a bar that you've named, with a grand in your pocket. Not bad!

One of 235's marketing people said: "We are asking the people of the North West to delve deep into their imagination banks to re-name our famous bar in a fashion that they think would mirror the bar’s funky style and reputation within the Manchester bar and leisure scene.”

The search for the new name ends on the 31st May, so you have until then to get your suggestions in. To enter call by the bar (on Deansgate, inside the Great Northern Warehouse) and drop your name in to specially prepared box.

The lucky winners will be revealed in June, a panel of "Manchester's movers and shakers".

http://www.whln.co.uk/manchester/news/Name%20That%20Bar

[flange]

Moorfield leads at Great Northern

02.05.08

Moorfield is the frontrunner from a shortlist of three to buy Capital & Regional’s £95m Great Northern leisure scheme in Manchester. Franc Warwick is advising.

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3112601

[flange]

Cap & Reg to sell Manchester’s Great Northern for £90m

27.06.08

By Laura Chesters

Chester Properties to buy leisure scheme at reduced price

Capital & Regional is to sell its Great Northern leisure scheme in Manchester to Chester Properties for just less than £90m.

Cap & Reg had planned to sell the scheme for £95m-£100m and it had been under offer to Moorfield but the deal did not exchange.

Chester Properties, which invests in retail and leisure schemes in the UK, has the scheme under offer and the price being paid reflects a yield of around 7.25%.

It is thought Chester is working on the deal with a US opportunity fund.

The Great Northern scheme attracted several bidders because it has asset management opportunities and is one of the UK’s best-known leisure schemes. It has struggled with violence and alcohol-related trouble in the past and Cap & Reg was turning it into a more family-friendly scheme.

The 400,000 sq ft scheme is between Deansgate and the Manchester Central convention complex, and contains a cinema, pubs, shops and car parks.

The leisure sector has been hit by the downturn in the general property market and only a handful of schemes have changed hands since last year. At the beginning of the year Resolution bought Manchester’s Printworks for around £100m.

Cap & Reg has had a series of problems with its Mall and Junction shopping centre and retail park funds. But last week it secured £286m of cash from unitholders of the Mall fund, of which it is the co-investing fund manager. Cap & Reg’s share price has plummeted by 63% to 213p since the beginning of April and its assets have fallen in value throughout this year.

Chester has sold several schemes over the last three years before the downturn in property values, brought about by the credit crunch and the correction in the market. Chester has invested with several funds in the past, such as the UBS Triton Fund.

It bought the Saddlers Centre in Walsall in 2004 for around £50m, which it sold to Insight, now Invista Real Estate Investment Management, in 2005 for around £66.5m.

Chester has also been investing in factory outlets following its purchase of Springfields in Spalding, Lincolnshire, at the end of 2006.

It was an underbidder for the £370m McArthurGlen factory outlet portfolio earlier this year.

Sibal Welch advises Chester; Franc Warwick acts for Cap & Reg.

Neither party would comment.

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=297&storycode=3116949&c=1

[flange]

Finally confirmation that Oceana will be opening in Great Northern in 2009

At last, the GN interior is finally going to be used.

From Crains.

LUMINAR PLANS NEW CITY NIGHTCLUB

Bar and leisure operator Luminar is to open a 2,500 capacity nightclub in Manchester city centre. The company owns the lease on 35,000 sq ft within the Great Northern Warehouse on Peter Street, and will open an Oceana nightclub there in 2009. Luminar currently operates 13 Oceana-branded nightclubs in the UK offering five bars and two nightclubs at each venue. A Luminar spokesman told Crain's the club would be targeting the mass market. “The type of people we want to attract is anyone aged 18 upwards,” he said. Themed bars at other Oceana clubs include First Port, Villa Tahiti, Tokyo Wakyama, Aspen Ski Lodge, New York Disco and Parisian Boudoir. Luminar has a 25-year lease on the space from landlords Capital Regional. In a results statement issued in May, Luminar said its investment cost per square foot has “significantly reduced” for Oceana, to £103 per sq ft.

[robb01]

I think it looks fab

http://1person1million.com/img/158/r08c1006bidc/biggrin.gif

[flange]

Council 'close to £75m deal on Great Northern Warehouse'

Jill Burdett

15/ 1/2009

MANCHESTER city council is understood to be close to a deal to buy the city's landmark Great Northern Warehouse.

The grade II listed complex has been quietly on the market for some time, with owners Capital & Regional having talks with various bidders last year, but the council has now emerged as a strong frontrunner.

Town hall bosses are looking to take advantage of falling property values, with a bid of around £75m thought to be on the table. Last summer, the complex was valued at £89m.

The 10-acre site is in a strategic location linking Deansgate and the Great Northern Square with the International Conference Centre.

If it were under town hall control, its massive space could be redeveloped and would be key to the expansion of the city's lucrative conference district.

It is thought that planners would look at how the warehouse could best be used to provide extra conference facilities, with the space being re-packaged and put back to the market with planning permission secured.

Current tenants inside the building, restored 11 years ago, include the 16-screen AMC megaplex cinema, Virgin Active gym and various bars and coffee shops.

Capital & Regional is understood to have £69m of debt against the building.

Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester city council, said: "We can confirm we are in discussions with the owners of the Great Northern Warehouse with regard to a possible acquisition.

"We recognise that this building is strategically important for Manchester. It could play a crucial part in our city centre regeneration plans which, through careful, considered and comprehensive planning, will ensure our priorities can be delivered over time."

The Great Northern Warehouse was completed in August 1899 as a major goods transfer station, with a `spaghetti junction' of rail lines inside, five platforms and 25 cranes, manned by 350 workers.

Its boast was to deliver any package received before 4pm to a station anywhere in the country by 8am the following day.

The Manchester and Salford Junction canal, constructed in 1939, ran under the Warehouse, passing through a specially-built dock which was later drained to become an air-raid shelter for the city during the Second World War.

The railway line became a victim of Beeching's cuts, and the warehouse closed in the 1960s, lying disused for half a century before Morrison Merlin saw its enormous potential and invested £100m to restore and re-open it in 1998.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1090601_council_close_to_75m_deal_on_great_northern_warehouse

[EverythingButABeach]

If at the height of the boom it was worth 89 mill and there has been a 40% fall in commercial property values then it should be worth approx around 53 to 54 million. Why the hell are they spending 75 mill on something when Cap and Regional may go under and they can pick it up for less. I wonder....

Perhaps the audit commission needs a closer look at this deal on behalf of taxpayers?

[Frodz]

If it were under town hall control, its massive space could be redeveloped and would be key to the expansion of the city's lucrative conference district.

It is thought that planners would look at how the warehouse could best be used to provide extra conference facilities, with the space being re-packaged and put back to the market with planning permission secured.

Sounds crap, would only make this part of town feel even more dead.

I never understood what was going on with this place, the "mall" walkway would have been perfect for smaller independant shops, restaurants and bars. Large occupiers simply never would have attracted enough people anyway. Shame cos this could have really been an alternative to the Printworks.

[jrb]

Interesting news. Obviously there are plans? I'd like to see it turned into a large conference centre, with seating capacity going well into four figures. Manchester city centre lacks a world class conference centre. Currently TGNW is under utilised, with little hope of it ever reaching it's full potential. Time for a complete change of use mi thinks.

[spoonsbeatfish]

Although the provision of major conference facilities would really help expand the facilities we have in Manchester, in particular in the "Conference Quarter" and afirm Manchester as a great destination for conferencing it would also be a shame.

Was really hoping for a new destination leisure destination like the Trocadero in London (maybe with a Laser Quest and Crazy Golf like the Trafford Centre to boot). A family orientated rather than night life oriented (Printworks) centre could really add to the offerings of the city. It would also bring a lot of life to that area of town and help to connect the Peter Street and the city centre down to Castlefield and the locks by bringing animation down the Southern end of Deansgate.

That said with it being right next door to Manchester Central with a bridge between them does make sense to expand into it and if it hasn't happened already maybe there isn't the demand for it?

Well as Manchester 235 has moved in, the front section above the actual warehouse itself will probably still remain leisure based, leaving it open to Oceana and with the Great Northern Tower retail, more life should still be created in the Square.

Edit: The thousands of conference visitors could potentially bring a lot to the area during the day and hotels in the evening (as well as money all round) I just think after 5, 6pm it will remain the empty void and block between the City and the South that it is now. With the upcoming schemes being developed in Great Jackson Street, First Street etc I don't think this would link the city for residents as well as a competing leisure destination.

[uklad1979]

I imagine the AMC will sell up at some point. They had plans to build up a UK chain but after Manchester and Birmingham were built in shit locations the plans were scrapped. I can see the cinema screens being idea for conversion to auditoriums.

[spoonsbeatfish]

I imagine the AMC will sell up at some point. They had plans to build up a UK chain but after Manchester and Birmingham were built in shit locations the plans were scrapped. I can see the cinema screens being idea for conversion to auditoriums.

They would be ideal for converting into auditoriums but I can imagine if the AMC closes down, ticket prices at the Odeon will go straight up being the only cinema in town.

After the Odeon opened in my hometown when they opened out in the industrial estate, prices stayed low for a few years until the put the other town centre cinema out of business and then rose dramatically. This wont be the only factor (DVD's, Sky, the net etc) but there are now far fewer showings. I hope if this happens a new cinema opens up and keeps the prices down. Although cinema ticket sales in general are dropping, with the Manc population and wealth increasing, I'd imagine it would still be worthwhile for 2 large cinemas in the city centre.

[GShutty]

I like the sound of this. Much of the street facing groung floor already has retail/leisure occupiers. It would be nice if this type of provision could be created underneath the car park area at the rear to more fully incorporate it into the city, rather than have a 'rear end'. There are a few arches at the back housing garages that could be incorporated neatly too.

Manchester is establishing itself nicely as a conference venue and with Lancs. Cricket club upgradin their facilities and the potential that this would offer, could really push us to the fore in Europe. It provides high level business to the hotels and restaurants and I guess would become even more well known to businesses looking to locate to this (or other) cities and being so central, unlike say NEC in Brum, though this perhaps isn't like for like comparison it will affect the city centre.

There are plenty of 4* hotels being muted and this is the sort of move forward that could persuade them to take the plunge. It has been tried as a leisure venture and whether the efforts have been the wrong efforts, or misguided, the simple fact is that it hasn't worked and this building deserves to be well utilised.

Along with the G-Mex, architecturally it epitomises Manchester, with a series of stunning red brick mini-arches creating the ceilings and larger ones creating double-height feature entrances (go and look in furniture store Dwell to see more).

[Potato Man]

I think this could be a very positive thing for the city. In fact I'd go as far as saying it's probably the most exciting thing I've read on this forum since those crazy MTV rumours broke a couple of months back.

Much is made in the media about the IRA bomb and the transformation effect the rebuilding had on the city centre. I have always rejected this argument. Sure it forced redevelopment in the retail core, but I think the true effect of the bomb in changing the face of Manchester is massively overstated by many people.

The implication that city centre retail would have remained unchanged while cities like Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester or Bristol developed massive new schemes, particually in the face of competetion for the Trafford Centre is entirely uncredible to my eyes. But I'm going off on a tangent there.

To me the real roots of the city's rejuvenation go back at least a decade before that terrorist attack of June '96. It was the day our city fathers realised that they are not in power to sign declarations of solidarity with oppressed workers in Latin America or enter into twin town agreements in Eastern Bolc nations. The real purpose of local institutions (be it the city council, or GM county council before its abolition) is engaging with business and lobbying central government to create jobs and make life better for citizens.

To me there is no better symbol of this realisation than G-Mex and I fully support any expansion of its facilities. The impact of business tourism on the economy of Greater Manchester cannot be under estimated. The convention centre supports many thousands of jobs and there is no doubt in my mind Beetham Tower would not have been built but for the centre. However the convention business is the ultimate in footloose industries and other cities (Dublin & Liverpool spring instantly to mind) are investing heavily to play host to them.

Manchester has to match this investment in order to maintain and improve its competitive position. Sure the airport, hotels, motorway access, size and city centre location etc. make Manchester Central an attractive conference location - particularly with the current refurbishment programme. But it cannot rest on its laurels, there is plenty of room for improvement. I think it's fair to say GNW has been less than a resounding success as a pure retail/leisure destination, but given the right business plan and enough money it could transform Manchester Central from a Nationally significant to internationally significant conference destination.

I accept spoonbeat's points above about the potential barrier effect of an enlarged conference quarter, particularly on quiet days or in hours of darkness. To me the model for addressing this is probably the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This is a major facility covering several blocks in a prime downtown location. But by combining meeting rooms and expo halls with attractive public spaces, water features, bowling & ice skating, restaurants and an IMAX cinema the district feels almost as alive on the quiet days as it does when hosting macworld.

[spoonsbeatfish]

The more I think about this, the more I think that a conference venue would be a better use (even if the venue was successfull as a leisure destination). If I remember correctly Manchester was voted recently as the 3rd best city in Europe for conferences behind London and Barcelona. With the GMEX extention, they are literally 15 metres away from each other and there is nowhere else in the conference quarter (especially so close) that could accommodate a massive expansion of the GMEX complex. It would really help the city keep its own and become even more popular, bringing more money and boosting its business image.

As for the rest of the site, the front half surrounding the square I think likely would stay as leisure and that combined with the units filling in beneath the Northern tower would increase animation. Although an opportunity may have been lost for a alternative destination for leisure, the rear of the site is a little out of the way and families would not like to move through the Club/bars (at the front in the square) in the evenings so may never have been particularly popular.

If the AMC closes down, a new opportunity may be opened up for a new leisure destination to be created somewhere else with another cinema chain as lead anchour e.g. BBC site. About as far away from the Printworks as possible while in the city centre, alongside other leisure options (Palace, Dancehouse, Cornerhouse) on an extremely busy arterial route and easier for the large time spare student populations. Alongside the plans for the Cultural Quarter ideas and public realm improvement plans, Oxford Road could become the "West End/Leicester Square/Picc Circus" of Manchester (it would also extend the city further South).

[macc]

The Great Northern will never work as a retail destination because it's not the slightest bit enticing. It looks like what it is: a warehouse, not a shopping centre.

Honestly I walked past it a dozen times before I realised there was something in there. I thought it may contain shops but because it's set back and so quiet around the entrance, the walk to check the door is too much of a ball-ache. Plus there's always the risk of feeling a bit of a knob for walking out of your way to mistake a warehouse for a shop.

Confererence use would be perfect. There's no such worry about misidentification because you don't stumble across a conference, you generally plan to visit them. Plus conferences need massive floor plates and it helps if they're really obvious venues to identify. Perfect!

The bars and casino will stay (how's that new champagne bar in the GN Tower coming along?) and the enhancement to the city's conference facilities would be working on one of it's best new-found assetts.

It has parking, hotels, metrolink, local landmarks, a few ameinities and neigbouring conference venues. Sounds bloody brilliant.

[Frodz]

The Great Northern will never work as a retail destination because it's not the slightest bit enticing. It looks like what it is: a warehouse, not a shopping centre.

Honestly I walked past it a dozen times before I realised there was something in there. I thought it may contain shops but because it's set back and so quiet around the entrance, the walk to check the door is too much of a ball-ache. Plus there's always the risk of feeling a bit of a knob for walking out of your way to mistake a warehouse for a shop.

Most punters don't wonder around Manchester for hours on end until they see a bar. They go to "destinations", Northern Quarter, The Village, Printworks, Deansgate Locks etc etc so it doesn't really matter what the building looks like. The problem is GN was not successfully marketed as such a destination, IMO primarily due to a lack of variety in bars and shops.


I wonder where the AMC will go though, i'd hate a retail park style site slap bang in the city centre. But It'd be crap if there was only one large cinema in the centre.

[GShutty]

Spoonbeat's points above about the potential barrier effect of an enlarged conference quarter: ..... the model for addressing this is probably the Moscone Center in San Fran ..... combining meeting rooms and expo halls with attractive public spaces, water features, bowling & ice skating, restaurants and an IMAX cinema the district feels ... as alive on the quiet days as it does when hosting macworld.

Sydney's Daling Harbour, is another great example.

To my mind , GNW is not really a barrier to the City's expansion. Certainly Peter St and Deansgate facades fit seamlessly. When the units along GNT are occupied, much of this facade will be integrated and if the road tunnel below GMex between Lwr Mosley St and Deansgate was permantly decorated with eg coloured light shows, thois would be a reasonably active & presentable st.

The problem areas stifling development in this area to me, are on one side Great Bridgewater St, with some pretty ugly unresponsive apartment blocks along the St and blocking public access to the canal and a couple of small haphazard surface car parks.

On the other side you have St John's Gardens apartments between Liverpool St, MOSI & Quay St.

Further and as previously discussed the entrance to Castlefield could certainly be enhanced, as per Bammy's renders, but GNW even at present fits in pretty well to me. Any further use of the substantial unutilised spaces aand particularly to enhance the city's growing conference reputation would be very much welcomed.

[CDX]

Article in Crains today.

Not full article, so who knows if there is any new info.

The old 'Guess what the content of the Crain's article is' game, until someone gets a copy...

Conference facilities plan for cinema
http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk
09/02/08

...Manchester City Council is acquiring the Great Northern Warehouse to create more conferencing facilities in space currently leased by cinema...

...But property insiders and those close to the sale have told Crain's the aim is to revamp the space inside the Grade II listed former railway warehouse...

[macc]

I read it today. It seems they are likely to buy it, though by the sounds of it they won't be able to evict any current tenants. There's still plenty of space anyway but the cimena will be a bit of a tree stump in the field (i just made that up).

Conference use isn't specifically mentioned by the council but the article suggests that it couldn't really be for anything else.

[flange]

Ya read it aswell it mainly said that the council would take the space underneath the AMC which it said was 70,000 sq ft i think and if the AMC decided to leave it would take their space and it would become 200,000 sq ft and could be used for Conference or Exhibition space to compete with the likes of the NEC in Birmingham.

[spoonsbeatfish]

Ya read it aswell it mainly said that the council would take the space underneath the AMC which it said was 70,000 sq ft i think and if the AMC decided to leave it would take their space and it would become 200,000 sq ft and could be used for Conference or Exhibition space to compete with the likes of the NEC in Birmingham.

So the area underneath the AMC is 70,000sq ft but the area above it is almost double that at 130,000sq ft? Apart from a little section for the entrance to Virgin Health/Active (whatever its name is) isn't the whole bottom section empty; can anyone explain how upstairs is bigger than downstairs?

Btw to float a few figures, the central hall is 10,350 sq m (110,000sq ft, 9000ppl), the exchange hall is 1,900 sq m (20,000 sq ft, 1600ppl), charter suite 1+2 are both 175 sq m (1900 sq ft and 150 ppl) and charter suites 3-5 in combination are 600sq m (6500sq m and 400 ppl).

That makes a current total of 140,000sq ft (aprox) and 11,300 ppl.

Birmingham:

ICC 9015 ppl total adding up all the halls (I think)
The conference suites at the NEC totaled 3560 ppl but I think there may have been a seperate NEC main rooms. There is also the LG arena and and the national indoor arena which can be used for conferencing but I gave up trying to make a comparison.

On that note could the MEN arena be also used for conferencing, surely it could hold the 23,000 it holds for staged performances (or even more as the floor could be also used). It must be closed 2 or 3 days a week so for the occasional particularly large conference could it be marketed as special venue through Manchester Central to expand its offer?

[jrb]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/JB.jpg

[flange]

Deal for city to buy Great Northern Warehouse is off

By James Chapelard

A deal to buy the Great Northern Warehouse to increase conferencing space in Manchester has fallen through.

Despite an offer being made by Manchester City Council to buy the Victorian warehouse, the deal is now off because the council could not secure extra space in the building, according to sources close to the deal.

The council is thought to have made an offer in the region of £70m to owners Capital & Regional, but was unable to get the AMC Cinema to give up any of its space inside the building to convert into conferencing facilities.

The aim was to revamp the space inside the Grade II listed former railway warehouse and combine it with Manchester Central to create an enlarged conference venue.

This could involve using some 70,000 sq ft of space which the AMC does not currently use, or taking its entire 200,000 sq ft floorspace. Property sources say the AMC has in the past looked at pulling out of the building because it was too large for its requirements.

A council spokesman said: “While we agreed terms from the building owners, we could not engage the cinema operator on any sensible basis. We will now pursue other options for enhancing our conference and exhibition facilities.”

Sources close to the deal said the city council wanted money from the AMC cinema to surrender their lease. The amount could have been as much as £15m.

AMC Theatres of UK Ltd — which also runs a cinema in Birmingham — currently pays annual rent of £2.9m for the 200,000 sq ft. It posted a pre-tax profit of £103,047 on sales of £8m for the year to April 2008.

The city council said it believed the extra space will improve the city's chances of attracting major events.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090218/FREE/902189989/1026

[CDX]

Sources close to the deal said the city council wanted money from the AMC cinema to surrender their lease. The amount could have been as much as £15m.

AMC having to pay MCC to surrender the lease? MCC want the space, but AMC would have to pay to give it up...that seems quite a large surrender charge for an annual rent of £3m, or is the £15m figure from Crain's magic 'source' a guesstimate?

It seems that AMC want to abandon their space in the Great Northern anyway, too large for their requirements, so would gladly give the lease up, possibly the reason why MCC were asking for payment to take it over, but realistically what other interest does AMC think there will be in it?

The fact that they are still posting profits, even a seemingly low one of £100k, means they will be reluctant to abandon it for a charge of [as much as] £15m...

[flange]

Casino boss in challenge to landlord

1st June 2009

By Chris Barry - Editor

THE boss of the Manchester 235 casino says its performance has proved "resilient" in the wake of the worst crisis the leisure sector has seen in a generation.

Andy Orr, who joined London Clubs International to launch its flagship North West site in 2006, says that despite the success of 235, the landlords of the Great

Northern Warehouse - London-based property asset management firm Capital & Regional could and should be doing more to promote the location.

Capital & Regional have been trying to sell the 10-acre site since last year - a £70m sale to Manchester City Council collapsed in February.

Mr Orr said: "Manchester 235 represented a major investment - £13m from London Clubs and we are pleased with the response from the city and the wider region too.

"The Great Northern development was something of a white elephant before and I feel the landlords need to do more still to push it as a destination and also to fill the unused units."

Manchester 235, which occupies 48,000 sq ft of the development, is growing in popularity and welcomes between 5,000 and 7,500 people a week.

Mr Orr says: "I think 235 is successful as a venue, not just a casino - 60% of our customers don't game - they come for the restaurants and the bar or the live music.

"When we opened this venue the vision was to move the perception of casinos away from being run-down, smokey and seedy to somewhere where couples come for a night out and a meal, and I think we have achieved that."

235 has recently relaunched one of its two restaurants, Linen, with a new menu and a number of promotions, sparking a 70% jump in bookings.

Mr Orr, who ran the Manchester Apollo, the Hammersmith Odeon, The Trafford Centre and was commercial director of the Lowry Theatre before moving to LCI said: "We grew quickly after the launch and the changes to gaming laws, which no longer require membership, have also helped too.

"Food and beverage income has increased steadily in the last few months, but we are never complacent.

"We know times are hard for many people and have sought to provide a really good night out, with value for money pricing in food and drink."

Although some casinos open 24 hours a day, Mr Orr admits to being unsure as to its viability.

"We're in the process of applying for a licence to open 24 hours, but this is more to do with giving us an extra option,.we don't have plans to do this - there is a debate surrounding the business case for 24 hour trade."

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com

[CDX]

From Crains last week:
Casino boss gets chippy
http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk
June 22, 2009
By James Chapelard

The director of Manchester235, the city's largest casino, says the owners of the Great Northern Warehouse are not doing enough to market the 360,000 sq ft leisure complex. Andy Orr said landlords Capital & Regional Plc should be doing more to promote the facility which is suffering from low footfall and empty units.

Earlier this year the Grade II listed building was nearly sold to Manchester City Council for £70m but the deal fell through. The city wanted to use the building as an extension to the conferencing facilities at Manchester Central but walked away because of the cost of buying out occupiers' leases.

Tenants include the Manchester235 casino, the 16-screen AMC cinema, a Virgin Active gym, Bar 38, office tenants, retailers including Feather & Black, Wesley-Barrell and Dwell. Nightclub Relish recently closed while operator Luminar, which has a lease on another club unit, has yet to announce an opening date.

Orr, a former Trafford Centre general manager, insisted more could be done to drive footfall at the complex.

He told Crain's: “I am at loggerheads with them. The landlords have a responsibility to drive footfall. They are not doing anything. When you open local newspapers you see events are going on at the Trafford Centre or Printworks. The Great Northern has to push itself. It's a good offer. They need to communicate it better. They are not doing any promotion. There is not a joined-up policy for the whole of the centre. The Trafford Centre has Gok Wan. There is always something going on which keeps up the profile. I am not saying we should have the Sugababes to turn the Christmas lights on but we should be thinking about promotion.”

Rob Millington, investment agent at Manchester-based Cheetham & Mortimer said the problem was not just down to marketing.

The complex had suffered as a result of being launched at the same time as the Printworks and had never reached the same critical mass as its rival in its retail and leisure offer. Millington added: “You see ads for the Trafford Centre. But there is something to shout about there. It works. I'm not sure the Greater Northern knows what it is. I think you need to identify a market for it and work from there. It's a great building, however.

“I am not sure it can compete on a leisure mantle. That has all gone to Printworks. Conferencing might be the road to go down. It could stay with the leisure slant but it needs to do something a bit off-piste and unique.”

Disappointed

Orr would also like to see the centre focus on conferencing and was disappointed when the city council pulled out of buying it.

He said conferencing facilities, adjacent to Manchester Central, would have gone hand in hand with his casino operation. “We would have enjoyed being part of the offer. All around the world casinos are used for conferencing,” he said.

The recession has cut Manchester235's revenue by about 10 per cent but Orr said the casino remained busy at weekends.

He is applying to extend weekend gaming hours beyond the current 2pm to 6am and hopes to create a dedicated poker area on the casino's ground floor.

He has also dropped the price of certain drinks at the bar and moved away from premium brands, although some are still available.

“Things are difficult. People are not coming out as much generally but we have a great offer,” he added.

A spokesperson for Capital & Regional Plc's subsidiary X-Leisure, which manages the scheme said: “X-Leisure took ownership in 2005 and over the past four years has repositioned the scheme as Manchester's luxury leisure, entertainment and retail destination.

“The Great Northern now offers one of Manchester's most lively and attractive leisure developments with its bustling bars, cafes and restaurants along with luxury shopping along Deansgate.

“The re-configuration also attracted new anchor tenants such as Manchester235, and the forthcoming, 35,000 sq ft nightclub. We were extremely surprised to hear that the manager of Manchester235 has apparently made a number of negative comments.”

X-Leisure said it advertised in magazines, had posters and leaflets in Manchester tourist information centres and benefited from membership of Marketing Manchester which resulted in referral calls and a website listing.

[spoonsbeatfish]

Thanks CDX

[spoonsbeatfish]

Taps looks almost complete and the next unit along the GN tower which is supposed to be opening up as an indian restaurant now has fencing surrounding it suggesting possible movements on that front.

[flange]

Apparently the Official Launch Party for Taps will be at the end of July.

[flange]

Great Northern owner raises £50m

The fund which owns the Great Northern Warehouse leisure scheme in Manchester has completed a £50m fund raising.

The X-Leisure Fund has raised new equity via an open offer which was subscribed by 15 existing investors and one new investor.

Capital & Regional Plc has put in £4m in cash and now owns 12 per cent of the fund, which has also secured an extension of its banking facilities to March 2014. The loan to value covenant is rising to 90 per cent for the period up to the end of 2010 but it then falls gradually to 65 per cent by July 2013.

Capital & Regional said a new company, X-Leisure Limited, would be set up to run the fund's property and non-FSA regulated fund management activities. It will be structured as a joint venture between Hermes Real Estate and Capital & Regional.

The company said PY Gerbeau, the former Millennium Dome chief, stepped down as a director of Capital & Regional Plc on Friday to concentrate on his role running X-Leisure Limited.

Alasdair Evans, chief operating officer, of Hermes Real Estate and chairman of X-Leisure Limited said: “The success of the £50m open offer, raised from a very broad base of institutional investors, together with the extended arrangements with our syndicate banks, demonstrates huge confidence by the financial community for X-Leisure's new management arrangements and portfolio of locally dominant leisure parks.”

X-Leisure has come under fire from tenants at the Greater Northern for not doing enough to market the centre and attract footfall.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090803/FREE/908039992/1026

[spoonsbeatfish]

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/

Manchester NewsNew Indian "not afraid' of the competition
12:00 a.m., Mon - Two entrepreneurs are investing more than £1m to open a city centre Indian restaurant in the Great Northern Tower on Watson Street, Manchester.

[spoonsbeatfish]

The Indian place is getting built pretty fast.

Also after speaking to a construction worker, there will be two new units opening an Italian restaurant and the pool bar we already heard about. He thought the they would wait 6 months to see if the Indian got the numbers through the door then the Italian would go ahead, then again another 6 months to see if they get the numbers in before the last unit gets built.

[macc]

The area is slowly getting a bit less chavvy by the sounds of it. Squares is shut, the Sports Bar is long gone. With the casino, Taps and Epernay, Opus one down the road and now a few new restaurants, things are looking up.

If the Oceana club ever emerges it would be a step in the wrong direction though. I'm not really one for poncey bars but I'd take them over the current Peter Street style and they would fit in better with the conference facilities. Whilst the Casino certainly is WAGgy I found Epernay to be more comfortable and just a bit more mature that you're average bar. Haven't made it to Taps yet either (review on Manchester confidential today).

What's the pool bar again?

[spoonsbeatfish]

^^^^
http://www.manchesterconfidential.com/index.asp?Sessionx=IpqiNwy6JW7mJaqiNwF6IHqi

Then, early next year the team at House 9 hope to open another bar at the other end of the Great Northern Tower from Taps and Epernay. This will be, as Foster describes, “Elbow Room style, a funky American type pool bar.”

Bars alone will never manage to fill the unit Oceana plans to take up. Having never actually been to an Oceana, maybe I can't comment but there did seem some effort to improve the ambience of this venue (e.g. dedicated VIP sections, carefull attention to decor, different rooms etc).

The rear of the unit also opens up directly into the centre of the GN complex (by the AMC booking office). Considering there is a direct bridge link to the Manchester Central they would be crazy to not try and open up that as a bar for conference users during the day. To ensure this, it will have to make some effort as to the quality of the place. At least if it does open up it will break up the emptyness of the GN square during the day which has never achieved its potential IMHO.

Although we have heard for years about them possibly opening, now that M2 maybe closed down for ther Theatre Royal redevelopment (3rd largest club in the city), there could be a some works in the near future. Checked yesterday though and no work so far.

Sorry if you weren't but not sure if you're getting Sports Bar and Teasers mixed up, Sports Bar was a bit further down by Walkabout.