London Road Fire Station! A disgraceful situation!

[Frodz]

Not another ******* hotel!

Soon Manchester will be just a collection of swanky hotels but with all its heritage raped so there's nothing left to actually draw people to said hotels.

This was a magnificent public building, and it should be again.

[heatonparkincakes]

CPO it now Leese!!!!

There must be an economic model of how many hotels you can cram into a city the size of mancheste.

Come a war in Iran and the economy goes far south, then these hotels will be doss houses for the newly made poor.

Sure it might be a great place for a hotel, but its a public (well was) and should stay so.

If this was Barcelona it would be a bloody huge 2 fingered salute to Madrid, either in the form of a cultural hall or something like that.

But this is Manchester, so we should expect a rotting hulk or another hole for pissed up hens parties from Essex and East Lancs to loiter in.

In my opinion, it would be a tremendous spot for my future elected Mayor of the Manchester City Region/State/Republic.

Elect me now Forumistas!!!

CPO now Richard. Do it before it turns into rubble.

I sense another letter to the MEN.

[Isaac Newell]

Originally Posted by heatonparkincakes

There must be an economic model of how many hotels you can cram into a city the size of mancheste.

To take part in the global conference and convention industry, a city needs hotels no matter what the size of said city.

How many cotton mills did Oldham ever need ? Not many to clothe it's own population but very many to compete in the global market.

Hotels are the industrial buildings of the post industrial economy.

You could always knock it down and build a plasma tv assembly plant. It would create more jobs.

[Frodz]

I don't have so much a problem with hotels per se, though i feel they can make many areas feel sterile. I just think there are plenty of new-builds that would provide better facilities and more importantly, manchester desperately needs public buildings if it wants to market itself as an international city. It needs unique draws, and it certainly wouldn't harm to make use of the magnificent buildings built with the citys past fortune.

Every self respecting international city has hotels to draw in conferences, one more hotel won't make any difference. A city attracts more conferences by having world class facilities and attractions.

[heatonparkincakes]

Hotels???

Like Benidorm???

The Torremolinas economic model for Manchester???



CPO it Leese. !!

I will blag "our Leader" if he is around Crumpsall this weekend...

[Isaac Newell]

Originally Posted by heatonparkincakes

Hotels???

Like Benidorm???

The Torremolinas economic model for Manchester???



CPO it Leese. !!

I will blag "our Leader" if he is around Crumpsall this weekend...

A city needs an industry or it will die. The Ur economic model for Manchester.

[markydeedrop]

[Chogmook]

Battle to safeguard city landmark
Yakub Qureshi
25/ 7/2008

A HOTEL group may be forced to sell a landmark building over fears it will fall into disrepair.

Talks between Manchester City Council and the owners of the grade II-listed London Road Fire Station have all but broken down.

Yesterday the MEN reported how the Edwardian building was flagged as one of the most at-risk in English Heritage's list of endangered historic sites.

Manchester council planning officers now say they are frustrated by the failure of the building's owners to come up with plans to revitalise the building and may resort to a compulsory purchase order to ensure its upkeep.

But the Britannia Hotel Group, which owns the site, says it is doing everything to comply and blames an ever-growing list of demands from the council for the delay.

Talks on the building's future began in 2006. But two years on, the parties are no further forward in agreeing plans.

Built in 1906, the former fire brigade HQ played a key role in defying Hitler's bombing campaign of the city.

The distinctive terracotta-clad building, hailed as one of the best examples of the style, was recently described by one developer as a `rotting hulk'.

It ceased functioning as a working fire station in 1974. Although a coroner's court based in the building did not close until 1998, there have been long-standing concerns about its upkeep.

It was purchased by the hotel chain in 2000 and is currently used for storage space.

Some work has been undertaken to repair guttering and waterproof the building - but organisations such as Manchester Civic Society say much more investment is needed to stop further decay.

Although discussions are continuing between owners and the Piccadilly Partnership development body, councillors are understood to be `seriously considering' issuing an order which would force the sale of the site.

But Cheshire businessman Alex Langsam, the owner of the hotel group, said he was frustrated with the delay, which he blamed on council officers.

He said: "We have been working on this for two and a half years and already spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on getting consultant's reports and specialist advice on the building.

"Every time we have been ready to move on this the local authority have given us another list of things that we need reports for. We have literally got a library of reports and we're being told more are needed."

The group had parted company with one firm of architects and had employed a second architect to draw up plans for the scheme.

Mr Langsam, listed in the Sunday Times Rich List as having a £62m fortune, wants to turn the site into a 200-bed hotel and as a head office for the hotel group.

But council leaders have stated their preference for plans put forward by a second outside developer to turn it into a music venue and club.

The building occupies a key spot close to Piccadilly station, which has undergone a multi-million facelift in recent years. Developing the fire station is viewed as the final piece of the jigsaw in the area's transformation.

A council spokesman said: "We are continuing to engage with the owners but we are disappointed at the progress they are making towards bringing forward firm planning proposals and have made this clear to them.

"While our preference is always to work constructively with landowners, in this case their lack of speed is a cause for concern and other options for promoting comprehensive development, with the support of stakeholders, are constantly being reviewed."

Janet Dunnett, from Picaddilly Parnership, a public private body involved in the talks, said: "I think we are frustrated by the lack of progress. The council would have liked to have seen plans on the table by this point but I'm hopeful the matter can be resolved amicably."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...._city_landmark

With the Warehouse Project moving from the arches across the road than after this years events, thanks to a certain Piccadilly Tower, maybe this could be an option?

[Frodz]

CPO..........CPO..........CPO.........!

[tellmeastorey]

Good to see the MEN can't spell Piccadilly correctly. The BBC mispelt it as well on yesterday's breakfast travel news.

Shocking.

On the actual issue of the Fire Station, the council seems to be obsessed with the idea of public use for the lobby area. No hotel operator in their right mind is going to agree to that.

Needs a bit of give and take, methinks.

Oh, and this is my first post, so hello there.

[GShutty]

Welcome Tellmeastory. It's a long-running saga that seems to work in cycles- council threatens, BHG 'pretend' that they're trying to develop it and MCC are holding them back. As long as it continues to rot, I know who I'll be pointing the finger of blame at! I guess for now we'll have to keep waiting:

Mr Langsam, .....wants to turn the site into a 200-bed hotel and as a head office for the hotel group, but council leaders have stated their preference for plans put forward by a second outside developer to turn it into a music venue and club.

Hardly accurate from the MEN. The council and Argent proposed a hotel, with a performance space in the Atrium- hardly a hotel versus club option.

[jrb]

Don't they own the Adelphi in Liverpool and scratchas in Manchester. No wonder the council don't won't them to open a hotel. I'd love to see a mix of recording studios, music spaces and offices, a Manchester music museum and concert venue. A music hub.

[macc]

There is *no* mention of this happenening in the fire station but it links to jb's post well. Plus I didn't know where else to put it.

How about it? Part Live venue, part Museum of Manchester Music, part hotel. A couple of bars in the couryard by day, with the tables and chairs clearing out for performances in the evening. Stick a glass roof on it for year-round use?

Still unsure of how a hotel and music venue would mix though. Middle aged folk with money to stay in hotels usually only attend gigs in the likes of the MEN and COMS, with big commercial acts. The planned smaller venue would be more alternative and perhaps people who attend such gigs don't tend to to stay in hotels very often. Plus if they want it to be a nightclub too it'll never work.

Interesting that the Ritz is in admistration.

Could this also be a possible lifeline for the Odeon on Oxford Street, or is it too far beyond repair?


http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness....ster-portfolio

Live Nation aims to add fourth venue to Manchester portfolio
Acquisition would create strong competition for revamped students' union complex


Global entertainment group Live Nation wants to add to its Manchester portfolio.

The owner of the Palace Theatre, Opera House and Manchester Apollo is looking to acquire a 1,000 to 2,000-capacity venue.

Paul Latham, Live Nation's president, UK music and venues, said the fourth property would be smaller than the Apollo, which holds 2,641 seated and 3,500 standing.

In March 2007, Live Nation acquired a majority stake in the Academy Music Group, which has 12 venues in the UK.

“We don't have one in Manchester and there may well be scope for another venue within that remit,” said Latham. He said the company's preference would be to acquire an existing venue rather than embarking on a new build. Academy Music Group venues include the Carling Academy Brixton and the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and there are Carling Academy venues in Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Islington (London) and Bar Academy venues in Birmingham and Islington and Oxford. They operate a mix of live music shows and club nights and seek to showcase breakthrough brands.

Latham may not need to look far from the Palace Theatre for a possible acquisition. The Ritz, on Whitworth Street, is currently in the hands of administrators.

The company which owned it, Candu Entertainment Ltd, went into administration in March. Its business and assets were sold for £11.5m to London-based Company Time Ltd, which is currently in discussions with several potential operators over occupancy terms for the Ritz, which holds 1,300 people and has an 83-year history in Manchester.

Sean Cullen, manager at The Ritz, told Crain's several parties were in discussion with Company Time to operate the venue.
Direct competition
“Discussions are ongoing, but it has generated interest from more than one party,” he said. “It would be good to get some new investment and keep the Ritz as one of Manchester's leading venues. We need to continue putting on good concerts and club nights and we need it to go from strength to strength.

“It needs some updating — inside and out — but it has a lot of history and bands like playing here. We put on around 70 shows a year.”

If Live Nation did acquire The Ritz, the company would be pitched into direct competition with the Manchester Academy, owned and operated by the University of Manchester Students' Union on Oxford Road, where £3.5m has just been spent on a comprehensive revamp, sending its capacity up to nearly 2,500.

Latham, who has just been appointed to the business leadership council set up by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, said: “Maybe what I can bring to the party is the experience of having worked with lots of local authorities across the UK on their development plans.

“Invariably leisure is involved in some form, often as the loss leader which makes sense of the rest in terms of footfall. Whether it is theatre, music or conferencing, there is not a genre that we don't touch.”

Live Nation operated the Tameside Hippodrome in Ashton-under-Lyne for 12 years until it closed in March.

Latham said Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council's subsidy was insufficient to enable the company to continue running the venue.

Manchester is Live Nation's most important city outside London in terms of the size of audiences. As well as the three venues it owns, the company promotes shows at the MEN Arena. The company's UK property division is also based in Greater Manchester, at the School House in Trafford Park.

Live Nation is based in Los Angeles and was spun off from US media conglomerate Clear Channel Communications in 2005. It has recently shaken up the music business by signing a $120m, 10-year deal with Madonna, which includes recordings as well as live shows.

[Chogmook]

Might be worth sticking in the Theatre Royal thread too?!

[heatonparkincakes]

Erm I smell something bad here. Cant remember but I am sure there is sometjing not right about those Channel "Guys". Maybe mentioned in Private Eye somewhere.

And let me get it right. The majority share in Academy Music Group does or doesnt include the Academy? I am confused by the article.

Whether it does or doesnt.

Its screams MONOPOLY CAPITALISM.

Bar the issue of ticket pricing, there is the issue of who and where artists play. That such a monopoly encourages the bland and commercial players, encourages shadow monopolies in agents, promotors and equipment suppliers.

Plus I really dont trust any monopoly capitalists when it comes to free speech. Say one band performs somethi they dont like, will it be completely barred from all major venues in Manchester.

[Biosonic]

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?...000000017e16ba

Purcell Miller Tritton plans hotel for at-risk Manchester fire station
29 July, 2008

By Will Henley

One of Manchester's “best loved landmarks” is to be transformed into a hotel under a £30 million scheme by Purcell Miller Tritton.

The London Road Fire and Police Station - opposite Manchester Piccadilly station and previously one of the world's largest fire stations at 16,600sq m - has long been partially empty and was highlighted in English Heritage's Heritage at Risk register last month.

But owner Britannia, under pressure from EH and Manchester City Council, has now appointed Purcell Miller Tritton for the conversion scheme, with a planning application expected before the end of the year...

[Biosonic]

..

[Biosonic]

..

[macc]

I doubt you meant to post that 3 times but it definately deserved it.

I look forward to the proposals and I wonder if any thing will happen with the courtyard.

It'd be a bit of a let down if the council had backed down on the mexican stand-off and allowed Brittania to operate it soley as a hotel.

I think this was always Brittania's intention: They always wanted to put a hotel in there but didn't want to do anything not related to the hotel with the courtyard. The council on the other hand were ok with the hotel idea but insisted on the courtyard being usable by the public in some form or other.

Brittania may heave threatend to effectively leave the place to rot until the council give in and them them have it their way. I hope not but its better than nothing.

[Biosonic]

Ooops - something wrong with my computer or the site. I'll correct it

If it is the national Britannia chain then I would be worried they are only paying lipservice, as they tend to run dingy, cheap hotels (albeit the one in Brum is in quite a nice, old building too) and they always seem to score badly on the hotel league table.

If it's not the same one though, you might be alright