As Manchester grows, with a record level of construction projects taking place all over the city, we want to ensure that there’s still room for the little guys (and gals), giving them a space in which to launch their businesses.
So here’s a look at some upcoming developments where you can expect to see some new retail, food and drink venues popping up in the near future…
Kampus
Still one of the most impressive and exciting developments upcoming in the city, Kampus is located on Aytoun Street, right where the old Man Met Business School used to be. They’re turning the whole area into contemporary homes, boutique hotels and most importantly – independent shops, bars and restaurants. There’s plenty of space for people to get moved in, and there’s even a dedicated ‘high street’ that’s lined with greenery and (hopefully) some cracking Manchester shops.
Circle Square
This huge new development on Oxford Road is taking over the old BBC site and will feature a massive city park alongside apartments, a hotel and what promises to be a great retail space with local, independent traders. This is a Bruntwood development, the people behind the nearby Hatch and owners of Afflecks, so they have a fantastic track record of providing affordable spaces for independent traders and street food vendors. Circle Square should be more of the same, offering up units along the road and around the park for the city’s smaller (and loads better) businesses.
Origin
This workplace offers up 6 floors of offices, a co-working space and even a stunning rooftop terrace with some pretty spectacular views of the city. There’s also set to be a gym in the basement, should you want to do some exercise instead of work (why!?). The building is also set to be home to 2 rather impressive retail units, each one perfect for a coffee shop or clothes shop or anything you can think of really. I’m not sure if they’ve managed to fill them as of yet but whoever goes in there will have a great captured audience already – what with the number of people in the offices in the building.
Mayfield
There have already been significant changes to the Mayfield Depot area in recent years, and you can expect to see much bigger ones over the next few years too. Not only will there be the city’s first public park for 100 years here, but also brand new retail and leisure facilities – all focusing on independent traders. They’ll be pedestrianising Temperance Street, offering up bars, shops and restaurants along the length of it and creating a new neighbourhood in the city. I’m excited about this one.
London Road Fire Station
A development that’s been stuck in hell for absolutely ages now, mostly due to the lot behind the Britannia Hotel dragging their feet for years. Well work is finally underway and they’re promising significant retail and restaurant space for the city’s independents, which should create a fantastic destination in a hugely under-utilised part of the city. I can imagine this will be similar to the nearby recent Cultureplex – only bigger. The building itself is stunning too – it’s great to see it finally being used and utilised.
