If you’re looking for somewhere to live in central Manchester, you’ll find Spinningfields hard to beat. Located to the west of Deansgate, it’s Manchester’s newest and most upmarket location. Unlike the Northern Quarter, which is full of Victorian buildings, independent shops and alternative cafes and bars, Spinningfields feels more like an expensive north American city, full of glass office buildings, slick eateries and luxury apartments. There are over 50 apartment blocks within just 10-minutes’ walk of Spinningfields. Here are our Top Five:
1. LEFTBANK
Leftbank is one of the largest apartment complexes in Manchester city centre and the only residential development located in the middle of Spinningfields. If you work at Deloitte, Halliwells Solicitors, HSBC, Grant Thornton or the Royal Bank of Scotland you’ll be able to leave your apartment and be at your desk in less than 5 minutes. Leftbank’s popularity with blue-chip companies and high-earning professionals has kept prices high and it’s now nearly impossible to find a 2-bedroom apartment for under £1,000pcm. But the prices are justified; Leftbank apartments are some of the largest in Manchester with generous living spaces, huge bedrooms and rambling communal areas. The long slim building has west-facing river views at the back and south/east-facing views across Spinningfields from the front.
RENTAL PRICES Studios from £595pcm, 1-beds from £695pcm, 2-beds from £1,100pcm, 3-beds from £1,950pcm, Penthouses from £3,500pcm
SALE PRICES Studios from £145,000, 1-beds from £175,500, 2-beds from £249,500, 3-beds from £349,500, Penthouses from £750,000
2. No.1 DEANSGATE
Just 10-minutes walk away from Spinningfields; No.1 Deansgate is located at the northern end of Deansgate and remains one of Manchester’s most sought-after apartment blocks. This 14-storey glass tower was built in 2002 and has 88 high-quality apartments. Harvey Nichols, M&S and Selfridges, the city’s three biggest and best stores are next door and Manchester’s famous Grade-II listed Royal Exchange Theatre is on the other side of Market Street. There are four apartment styles; studio and 1-bedroom apartments on the lower floors, 2-bed apartments on the middle floors and a number of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom penthouses on the top floors. The building has an angled profile with a sloping roof, providing the penthouses with sunken hidden terraces and panoramic views across north Manchester. The most widely-available apartments are the 2-bedroom units from levels 1 to 8; these larger-than-average apartments all have full-length winter balconies with Louvre-glassed walls and views over Deansgate, Market Street and the nearby Cathedral. There is a large glass-fronted double-height foyer with a concierge and plenty of underground parking. The penthouses at No.1 Deansgate are the largest in Manchester with rental prices from £3,500pcm and sale prices from £1.5m.
RENTAL PRICES Studios from £650pcm, 1-beds from £775pcm, 2-beds from £1,250pcm, Penthouses from £3,500pcm
SALE PRICES Studios from £149,500, 1-beds from £179,500, 2-beds from £249,000, Penthouses from £1,375,000
3. GREAT NORTHERN TOWER
Located across the road from Spinningfields, the Great Northern Tower is one of the city’s landmark glass towers. This imposing 23-storey contemporary building offers full-height windows, glass fronted balconies and panoramic views across the city centre. There is a wide-variety of styles, from compact 1-bedroom units on the lower floors to bright 2-bedroom corner units from levels 1 to 20 and a number of large duplexes and penthouses on the three top floors. There are two sections to the Great Northern Tower; a large 23-storey tower and a smaller 15-storey block. The tower has the best views, but the smaller block has some of the most interesting apartments; the large sloping roof hides a number of hidden private west-facing terraces and the lower-floor units have lovely street views across to the historic Grade-II listed Great Northern Warehouse. There is an imposing double-height foyer with designer fitting and trendy carpet and a large number of underground car parking spaces.
RENTAL PRICES
1-beds from £675pcm, 2-beds from £850pcm, Penthouses from £1,950pcm
SALE PRICES
1-beds from £129,500, 2-beds from £175,000, Penthouses from £450,000
4. BEETHAM TOWER
If you’re standing inside our offices on Deansgate, you can see right into the discrete and exclusive foyer of the Beetham Tower, Manchester’s most famous contemporary building and the tallest residential apartment block in Western Europe. At 47-storeys high this imposing glass tower can be seen from the outskirts of the city and offers 360-degree panoramic views across Manchester. The Hilton Hotel occupies the lower 23-stories of the building with Cloud 23, Manchester’s most famous cocktail bar on Level 23. The apartments are located from Level 25 to Level 47, and range from compact studio apartments on the north side of the building to medium-sized one-bedroom apartments on the south side. The most widely-available apartments are the two-bedroom units; which starts at @ 800sqft on the lower floors and increase in size to 1235sqft on the higher floors.
RENTAL PRICES
Studios from £695pcm, 1-beds from £750pcm, 2-beds from £950pcm, 3-beds from £2,495pcm
SALE PRICES
Studios from £145,000, 1-beds from £179,500, 2-beds from £295,000, 3-beds from £875,000
5. THE HACIENDA
Located just five minutes’ walk from Spinningfields, this luxury apartment block sits on the site of Manchester’s most legendary nightclub, The Hacienda. The nightclub closed on June 15th, 1997 and the original building was demolished in 2002, making way for a replica building which retained the famous curved brick facade whilst increasing the height from four to twelve-storeys. All apartments have high-quality fittings with expensive German kitchens, solid wooden floors and steel-fronted balconies, plus there are plenty of secure underground parking spaces. The building’s central location makes it one of the city’s most popular blocks; you can walk to Deansgate; St. Peter’s Square and Oxford Road in a couple of minutes and the adjacent bars at Deansgate locks are amongst the most popular in town.
RENTAL PRICES
1-beds from £775pcm, 2-beds from £950pcm
SALE PRICES
1-beds from £149,500, 2-beds from £215,000
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN SPINNINGFIELDS
There is so much more to Spinningfields than blue-chip offices and luxury apartments. Over the last few years the area has really come into its own with a mixture of high-class restaurants, coffee shops, fashion outlets and an array of outdoor activities. Philip James spoke to Kat Atakuru from Spinningfields and asked her to name her Top 10 Things To Do in Spinningfields:
“Whether its work, rest or play, when you’re in Manchester, Spinningfields has got it covered. As well as the numerous restaurants and bars to choose from, people can now while away their lunch hour on The Avenue, Spinningfields’ luxury retail quarter, which includes the likes of Mulberry, Flannels and Calvin Klein. There are plenty of events throughout the year, from Spinningfields open air cinema in the heat of summer, to Spinningfields Ice Rink in the depths of winter. And this year we have seen another first with the introduction of Pin-up – the world’s first boutique pop-up bowling alley.
1. Pin-up
In situ at Hardman Square for two months, this boutique pop-up bowling alley is also a retro bar and diner. There will be music nights with DJs such as Norman Jay and Mr Hudson playing
2. The Alchemist
A cocktail bar in the heart of Spinningfields – this bar has become the place to go after work. Where else can you order The Godfather or a Mad Scientist?
3. Mulberry
Offers a window display like no other. After gazing in rapture at giant flowers and mushrooms, head inside for an even bigger treat.
4. Southern 11
One of the newest additions to Spinningfields, Southern 11 offers diners an unbeatable American BBQ experience, where the meat is cooked in an Oklahoma wood-smoking burner for 20 hours.
5. Hey Little Cupcake!
If you fancy a tasty treat, this is the place to go. Cupcakes galore in a beautiful pastiche cupcakery. The hardest part is deciding which one to choose.
6. Nicky Clarke
The first Nicky Clarke outside of London, the Manchester team provide professional and stunning hair treatments that leave you feeling ready to paint the town red.
7. Australasia
A show stopping destination restaurant, if ever there was one. Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. From the glass pyramid entrance down to the Scallop parcels in Shellfish consommé, exquisite attention to detail is the order of the day.
8. The Oast House
Soon to be opened on The Avenue, The Oast House will provide people with a bohemian food offering and an exclusive range of beers and ales. The event space outside The Oast House will offer an exciting blend of events throughout the year, from miniature dog shows, to Christmas carol services, fashion shows and VIP parties.
9. Ted Baker Pashion.
The only Ted Baker in the North to showcase the boutique offering of the Langley and Phormal lines, this store is a must-see. An opulent design oozes sophistication and turns a trip to the shops in to a luxurious treat.
10. Spinningfields’ Ice Rink.
Opening in November, the Ice Rink and Moose Bar will help get people in the Christmas mood. Twinkling lights, the sound of blades cutting across the ice and a nice glass of mulled wine will tempt even the biggest of Christmas stooges.