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Crème Creative moves into new 2,700 sq ft offices and studio space following Boohoo founder investment

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22/08/2018

Crème Creative moves into new 2,700 sq ft offices and studio space following Boohoo founder investment

Manchester-based fashion and footwear creative content agency, Crème Creative, has moved into 2,700 sq ft of studio and office space at Concept Green, Eccles, using its £100,00 investment from Boohoo founder Jalal Kamani.

Kamani invested £100,000 in Crème Creative for a 50% share of the agency and it has been used to take out a five-year lease on a former, industrial cotton mill in Eccles as well as the refurb of the building into office space and a photography studio.

When not in use by Crème Creative, the studio, which has been called Foam Manchester, will be hired out to other photographers, agencies and brands.

Crème Creative, launched in January 2016 by wives Emma and Katie Nattrass-Daniels, has a 10-strong team and a roster of high profile clients including Foot Asylum, New Balance, Lacoste, Mallet Footwear, isawitfirst.com and Koi Footwear.

The former cotton mill is the perfect space for the agency to grow and with its double apex offers lots of diffused natural light, original brickwork and exposed beams.

Crème Creative’s Foam Studio has already been very busy; the agency has shot for a new footwear client Oli x Oliver, for the new Mallet Footwear look-book and New Balance ‘back-to-school’ content. The studio has also been hired out and booked for the filming of a music video.

Managing Director, Katie Nattrass-Daniels said: “This move will give us the capacity to start working for more high street brands; our ambition is to have names like Top Shop, ASOS, Adidas and Nike in our portfolio.

“We took full control of the design and decoration so it’s just as we want it; it’s a sustainable space, including our waste management and energy, which is recycled and renewable.

“We’ve added plenty of desks for when we grow and as hot desks for local creatives, but the large studio space is the biggest bonus, as we no longer have to hire external spaces and it means we can be even more reactive when clients send us last minute products to shoot. Everything about it feels right and we’re really excited about what the future holds.”

Startup moves into FastForward incubator with entrepreneur’s help

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Sam Whitear

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21/08/2018

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Startup moves into FastForward incubator with entrepreneur’s help

Retail disruptor firm BizzleIt is set to move into the FastForward incubator space, having been gifted a lease there by entrepreneur Lawrence Jones MBE.

BizzleIt, led by Manchester businessmen Jordan Ryan Madeley and Michael Lawes, creates online platforms for businesses to share offers, products and services with consumer groups. Clients include SPAR, for whom they produced the SPAR GO app and loyalty platform.

Jordan said: “We’ve seen some great successes this year with the likes of SPAR, some new big-name brands coming on board and an ever-increasing sales pipeline. With that in mind, we’ve looked at office spaces but, while we invest heavily in our product, we simply couldn’t afford them at this stage.

“While many spaces in Manchester are described as incubator spaces, in fact they still have landlords charging significant rents. On top of that, we’ve seen spaces where the atmosphere isn’t what a growing tech firm needs – they just tell you what you can’t do all the time or they chase you out of the door at 7pm.”

Meeting for a mentoring session with UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones MBE, the BizzleIt team were offered a free one-year lease in the FastForward space.

Jordan added: “We had our hearts set on Tech Manchester, when it officially opens, because we’ve been hearing about it and watching the space and the community develop. We knew it was going to be the space for us but it was always going to be some time before we could afford even its low rates, so this is offer from Lawrence is just amazing for us.”

The pair had previously been operating from home or even at a local Wetherspoon pub, making the most of the chain’s £1 coffees. But as they look to grow their team, the FastForward tenancy includes use of all the necessary facilities, including a phone-answering service, high-speed connectivity and all on-campus amenities including recording studios and a health-food café.

Lawrence Jones MBE said: “I’ve known the guys behind BizzleIt for some time and whole-heartedly support the entrepreneurialism and innovation that they’re driving. So, as we celebrated Tech Manchester’s one-year anniversary, I wanted to give back to the community.

“Offering the BizzleIt team a space, away from the pub they spending their days in, shows that they’re a serious proposition that’s ready for their next stage of growth. I am incredibly proud to give them this opportunity and watch them flourish.”

Director of Tech Manchester, Patricia Keating, said: “It’s been a remarkable first year for Tech Manchester, we’ve signed up more than 100 mentors and now have our first three companies moving into the FastForward space, before we’ve even officially launched!

“I am looking forward to getting to know the BizzleIt team and for Tech Manchester to support what is no doubt going to be an incredible journey from here.”

Malcolm Hollis welcomes graduate in Manchester

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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21/08/2018

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Malcolm Hollis welcomes graduate in Manchester

Independent commercial building consultancy firm Malcolm Hollis is pleased to welcome Elliot Haworth to its Manchester office. Haworth joins the team as part of the firm’s successful graduate recruitment program.

Elliot Haworth completed a degree in Management at Lancaster University and carried out an internship at IBM before deciding to change careers. He is currently completing his Masters at Sheffield Hallam University and joined the Manchester office on 29 May 2018.

Malcolm Hollis will welcome 27 graduates from 15 different locations across the UK and Ireland in the summer and autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019. Graduates will join the firm as Building Surveyors, Engineers, Measured Surveyors, and Environmental Specialists.

David McBride, Partner at Malcolm Hollis, remarked: “It is exciting and rewarding to help graduates begin their careers in the property industry. Our successful graduate program has been in place for nearly 20 years and we pride ourselves in our ability to identify and develop young talent. Many congratulations to Elliot Haworth, we look forward to seeing your career flourish at Malcolm Hollis.”

Red Box Vape launches flagship store and training centre in Manchester

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Sam Whitear

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21/08/2018

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Red Box Vape launches flagship store and training centre in Manchester

Britain’s newest retail vape brand is set to open a flagship store and training centre in Manchester, furthering its plans to become a household name in vaping across the UK.

Red Box Vape will launch its second flagship store in Shudehill, in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The first store opened in Nottingham last month.

The premises of the Manchester store will double as the company’s UK training centre. Here, managers, staff and franchisees are placed on an intensive two-week programme to ensure they carry through Red Box Vape’s strict policy of customer service excellence.

The family run business began after the owners, CEO Stuart Anderson and his son James (19), of Nottingham, became intrigued by the number of tobacco smokers they still encountered despite the growing popularity of e-cigarettes and vaping.

Stuart said: “The launch of our second flagship store in Manchester’s Norther Quarter represents months of intense work and research – and we’re delighted to see our expectations become a reality.

“As the Red Box UK training centre, we are determined that this store represents our values to the letter.”

The Anderson family has had first-hand experience of cancer and felt that vaping offered a great alternative to smokers who were struggling to quit. They wondered why so many hadn’t switched.

After further research, they discovered that many vape stores appeared dark and intimidating, appealed more to a younger audience – and the customer service levels were not always good.

So, Stuart brought his daughter, Lauren Anderson (22), on board and the three of them set about creating a brand that would demystify vaping, appear clean and welcoming, and would guarantee a “very British” standard of customer service.

This Britishness was reinforced by the use of a British icon – the red telephone box – within its branding and a commitment to selling only e-liquids that were manufactured to strict standards in the UK. Red Box also decided to formulate and manufacture its own e-liquids under the Red Liquids brand.

With Manchester and Nottingham operating as the company’s flagship outlets, several further retail locations are now being secured around the UK.

Some Red Box Vape stores will be run directly by the company’s parent company, Red Box Liquids Ltd, based in Nottingham, while others will operate as franchises, enabling the company to expand more quickly.

In turn, each new store will create a minimum of four full and part-time jobs, and additional head office staff will be recruited in managerial, administrative and distribution roles as the company expands.

Stuart said: “We’ve created a business that we think is pretty special, and we have ambitious plans to expand our network to every part of the UK.”

He said that with an estimated seven million adults still smoking in the UK, Red Box believed there was a huge, untapped market out there.

The Manchester launch comes only days after a report by MPs on the Governments Science and Technology Committee backed the wider promotion and acceptance of vaping as a key weapon against smoking.

Stuart added: “Our initial research highlighted that many long-term smokers were uncomfortable about going into vape shops. Some told us that they were put off by the ‘tattoo parlour’ image.

“We wanted to change all that and create a brand that professional people and women would find welcoming and non-judgemental. Judging by how popular our Nottingham store is after just a few weeks’ trading, I believe Red Box may have finally plugged that gap.

Scanlans grows revenues to £4.4m

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Sam Whitear

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21/08/2018

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Manchester-based Property management and surveying group Scanlans has posted a 16 per cent rise in annual revenues.

Turnover in the year to March 31 increased to £4.4m from £3.8m, with growth across all of Scanlans’ operations.

Its property management division saw a 10 per cent rise in revenues, fuelled by a host of new instructions for apartment block schemes in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, and growth for the Scanlans Facilities Management operation.

Key appointments in Scanlans’ building surveying and rating teams helped drive a six per cent rise in income for the firm’s surveying arm.

The latest figure includes the turnover of Manchester-based property sales, lettings and management agency Pad Residential, which became part of the Scanlans group of companies in early 2017.

Scanlans chairman Ian Stanistreet said: “We are pleased with our performance in our latest financial year and we are well-placed to see further growth this year.

“There has been a marked increase in the number of developments being managed by Scanlans Property Management and, with new schemes under way, we are confident of achieving further expansion this year.

“Key recruits in Manchester and Birmingham have enabled us to offer our surveying, valuation and rating services to a wider client base with great success.

“We have also recently expanded our Leeds office and look forward to this investment bearing fruit over the coming months as we step up our focus on the Yorkshire market.”

He added: “The partnership with Pad Residential is helping us to develop our comprehensive management service for build-to-rent blocks.

“With most new developments falling into this category or being private rented schemes, working with Pad is helping us to build our strength in these markets.”

Scanlans is a national practice with seven partners and 64 staff across its offices in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and London.

Its core business is residential block management across the north west and the Midlands. The Scanlans Facilities Management operation, which was established in 2016 provides cleaning, caretaking services at blocks across the north, now at more than 45 sites comprising around 2,350 apartments.

Scanlans’ surveying consultancy focuses on commercial and residential property valuations, building surveying, LPA receiverships, expert witness advice, rating and leasehold enfranchisement.

Oxford Road hotel development “The Lume” officially opens this September

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Sam Whitear

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21/08/2018

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Oxford Road hotel development “The Lume” officially opens this September

The Lume, a new 19-storey hotel development boasting a Crowne Plaza® and Staybridge Suites®, both hotel brands of IHG^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) will officially open this September in Manchester.

Owned by M&L Hospitality and managed by Cycas Hospitality, the 328-room newly built dual-branded hotel is located in the bustling Oxford Road area, within walking distance of the city centre. Bookings are now open via the Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites websites.

Crowne Plaza Manchester – Oxford Road, which occupies the lower 12-storeys, features 212 guest rooms, a 120-seat restaurant, bar, fully equipped 24-hour gym, club lounge and seven state-of-the-art meeting rooms catering for over 200 delegates.

The extended-stay brand Staybridge Suites, which is making its Manchester debut, is located on the upper seven floors. Offering a stylish and social environment along with all the comforts of home, Staybridge Suites – Oxford Road will have a mix of 116 modern studio and one-bedroom suites featuring fully-equipped kitchens and exceptional views of the city.

Staybridge Suites guests also have access to a terrace on the 18th floor with panoramic views of Manchester, access to the 24-hour gym, laundry facilities and complimentary hot and cold buffet breakfast in the “Hub” kitchen. The brand also hosts ‘The Social’ three evenings a week, an informal opportunity for guests to mingle and get to know their on-site team over complimentary drinks and nibbles.

The Lume hotel development is ideally located within the Oxford Road Corridor which boasts a workforce of 60,000 people and is home to The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Close to the city centre and with easy access to transport links, as well as Manchester’s major tourism attractions and commercial hubs, the dual-branded complex will provide an ideal base for all visitors to Manchester including short and long-stay business clients, leisure visitors, entrepreneurs, academics and those visiting the universities nearby.

The dual-branded hotel development forms part of the University of Manchester’s Campus Masterplan, which includes the wider redevelopment of Alliance Manchester Business School. It also adjoins its new two-storey Executive Education Centre, which will provide a new home for the business school’s corporate leadership and management programmes.

The hotel’s General Manager, Andrew Fletcher, said: “With the opening date just weeks away, we’re really excited about how combining two hotels under one roof will give business as well as leisure travellers a new way to experience Manchester.”

“As the way people travel evolves, we wanted to give guests the more flexible accommodation options we know they’re looking for, whether they’re staying for a few nights or a few weeks. The Lume will, for the first-time, offer travellers to the north of England the choice of two different hotel styles in one central location. We’re therefore looking forward to combining personalised home-from-home touches with an on-site restaurant, buzzing bar and extensive meeting facilities in a way that visitors to Manchester haven’t had before.”

Owners M&L Hospitality have worked closely with architects and interior designers to ensure The Lume will be ‘one of a kind’ in Manchester city centre. The contemporary architecture, with floor to ceiling glazing, allows natural light throughout the hotel.

The name ‘The Lume’ was chosen to celebrate the light-filled ‘illuminated’ hotel and as a nod to the textile ‘loom’ – an innovation that helped shape Manchester’s past. It also pays tribute to The University of Manchester’s illustrious ‘alumni’ including Alan Turing, Sir Howard Bernstein and Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington, after whom the meeting rooms are named.

IoD seeks new Manchester chair

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Sam Whitear

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20/08/2018

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A vacancy has arisen for a prominent Manchester business person to undertake one of the city’s highest ranking, extra-curricular roles.

The Institute of Directors North West, which is headquartered in the city centre, is looking to Manchester’s business community to find the perfect candidate to become its new branch Chair. With its incumbent, Paul Battye’s tenure drawing to a close in November, the organisation is asking candidates with senior leadership experience to come forward and express interest in the opportunity.

The IoD is encouraging applications from individuals who will be a strong advocate for IoD North West and who can continue to build and grow an active committee in Manchester. Working alongside the regional team to support a growing membership base of business leaders, the candidate will be passionate about helping Manchester to thrive, connecting people from across sectors, and helping members to be the very best leaders they can be.

Speaking about his role to date and the opportunities that it has brought, Battye said: “As Chair of the IoD’s Manchester branch, I have thoroughly enjoyed promoting the organisation within the regional business community, and representing Manchester business across the North West and nationally within the IoD.

“As well as working with my colleagues on the Manchester committee to enhance the member experience through high quality, regular events, my tenure has provided me with the invaluable opportunity to connect with policy and decision makers, to ensure that as an organisation, we can offer the right support to our members.”

The IoD’s regional director Claire Ebrey, added: “We thank Paul for his contribution to the Manchester branch over the past three years. As a pioneering organisation, we are excited to be offering this unique opportunity to a new Chair and finding someone dynamic and inspirational who can fly the flag for Manchester’s business issues in the future.”

For more information about the role and to apply, please visit https://www.iod.com/events-community/regions/north-west/news/details/Could-you-be-our-next-IoD-Manchester-Chair

Boxing tracker ready for round two thanks to The Landing

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Sam Whitear

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17/08/2018

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Boxing tracker ready for round two thanks to The Landing

Real-time boxing tracker, CORNER, which has been developed at The Landing, MediaCityUK, has already been snapped up by boxing pros and coaches, including the GB Olympic boxing team.

The rapid growth and success of the smart, wearable boxing technology has led co-founders, Charles Burr and Jerry Krylov, to move on from the start-up and incubator facilities provided at The Landing and into their own HQ in the centre of Manchester.

The tracker has been developed to help boxers focus their training and hit their goals faster and its proving to be a fantastic success. British World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua; Manchester-born boxing coach, Joe Gallagher; and super-middleweight champion, Callum Smith have all been involved in testing the tracker.

Charles and Jerry met just three years ago through mutual friends. Charles, from Manchester, was studying at Imperial College London and was using similar technology to track crocodile rehabilitation process but was keen to adapt it for his big passion, boxing. Jerry, also a keen sportsman, was a student of interior architecture and product design at Glasgow School of Art and was looking for opportunities to design and launch a brand-new product from scratch.

After turning down a job opportunity to work for one of the top 50 architecture firms in the world, Jerry followed Charles to Manchester and they set to work developing the boxing tracker. They wanted to develop the product to track boxing performance in real-time using wearable sensors so that speed, power, type of punch and work rate could be measured and used to improve performance.

After a few weeks working from their homes, they needed somewhere they could work together in an environment full of like-minded tech developers where they could access state of the art user testing facilities.

As a specialist incubator for rapid tech start-ups, The Landing, based at MediaCityUK, provided the perfect location for Jerry and Charles to start their new venture, test their prototypes and access the investment and support they needed to grow quickly.

Whilst at The Landing, Jerry and Charles have also had the opportunity to take part in a variety of tech accelerators and, in 2016, they were successful in securing a place at the World’s first and largest hardware accelerator in San Francisco. They have also successfully trialled their product on live TV in Scandinavia and France.

Jerry Krylov, co-founder of Corner said: “I remember day one at The Landing. For the first time we had two desks together and we could really set to work developing the product. It was a strange feeling but it was the best move we made. The Landing provided us with the co-working space we needed but it was so much more than that.

“The team at The Landing believed in us and were always looking out for us. They really understood what we were trying to achieve. They provided the user testing labs as well as the connections, investment and training opportunities. It’s been a phenomenal journey and we’re so excited to be ready to move on to our very own HQ.

“We have achieved so much in the last three years and we couldn’t have done it without The Landing. The future is really exciting. We also have lots of plans for developing the product further and for building our new HQ, which will incorporate a gym and a professional boxing ring where we can test the product as we develop it. We’ll also have a creative co-working space and photographic studio for other creative start-ups to use.”

Paul Billington, commercial director at The Landing, said: “Through sheer hard work and a passion for their product, Jerry and Charles have created something that is state-of-the-art and is already having a massive impact in both professional and amateur boxing.

“At The Landing, we are really proud to support rapid start-ups in the tech sector and Corner is a real success story as they are now ready to move on and launch their very own HQ and that’s exactly what we want for all our tenants.

“We support our start-ups from day one, through product development and user testing but we also help them by removing barriers and driving their growth through access to business development opportunities as well as recruitment and investment. During their time at The Landing, Jerry and Charles have completed our incubator course and have taken advantaged of our user testing labs, which are funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), in order to drive the growth of their business.

“We have really enjoyed watching Corner develop over the last few years and we’re looking forward to seeing Charles and Jerry’s success as they grow the product from their very own HQ in Manchester.”

Manchester Airport celebrates one year of construction on its £1bn transformation programme

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Sam Whitear

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17/08/2018

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Manchester Airport celebrates one year of construction on its £1bn transformation programme

Manchester Airport is marking one year of construction on the biggest investment project in its history by releasing stunning images showing the work completed so far.

The North’s global gateway is spending £1bn on transforming the airport, that will see Terminal 2 become 150% bigger than it currently is and become the focal point of the airport’s operations.

The programme got under way a year ago after a visit by the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling. Since then, the airport’s skyline has changed dramatically as the first pier has been built and over 70% of the steelwork has been erected on the terminal extension.

It’s one of the biggest construction programmes in the North of England and there are currently 1,200 people working on site, including 80 apprentices, in trades ranging from plumbing and scaffolding to quantity surveying and civil engineering.

Since the first spade went in the ground, £185m has been spent with SMEs in the supply chain within a 35-mile radius of the airport.

Andrew Cowan, CEO of Manchester Airport, said: “This is the largest investment ever made in the airport and will transform the experience for our passengers and airlines alike, as well as creating job and training opportunities for local people and boosting businesses working on the scheme in the process.

“I’m excited to see the first pier open to passengers in just eight months’ time and to press ahead with the rest of the scheme, especially the new terminal building, which is in course to be open to passengers by mid-2020.”

The first pier is set to open to passengers in April 2019, at 216m long if it was stood upright it would be the tallest building in Manchester. The terminal extension is on course to open in 2020.

To enable the new pier and terminal extension to be constructed, work has also been progressing on the airfield. In the first phase of airfield works, the apron has been extended to the west; including new taxiways and apron reconfiguration to allow the pier and additional aircraft stands to be used.

The second phase, which began in June 2018 involves a new taxiway, increasing the capacity of existing taxiways, new aircraft stands and AGL replacement and installation and is part of the reconfiguration of the airfield that will help to feed the redeveloped Terminal 2.

These phases of the works will see 148,000m2 of new taxiway and apron, 95,000m3 of concrete poured and 25miles of cabling installed with the aim of all excavated material being diverted from landfill throughout. The work is due to be completed by July 2020.

Looking further ahead, after the terminal extension the next pier is scheduled to open in 2022 and the refurbishment of the existing Terminal 2 building will also be completed that year. Terminal 1 is currently scheduled to close by 2023 with the third pier set to open in 2024. Once completed, Terminal 2 will have capacity to handle over 35 million passengers a year.

Bryan Glass, Laing O’Rourke Project Director, said: “We’re on schedule to deliver the transformation of Terminal 2 and that certainty of delivery has been driven by our offsite construction approach, with elements of the project manufactured offsite and assembled by our expert project team and technicians. There’s no room for complacency of course! Our team is focused on the next milestone – hand over of the first pier in January 2019.”

David M Robinson doubles its floorplate at Equitable Building

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Sam Whitear

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17/08/2018

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David M Robinson doubles its floorplate at Equitable Building

The jeweller, David M Robinson, has doubled its retail space within Henry Boot Developments’ (HBD’s) Equitable Building in a deal that illustrates the continued strength of the city centre jewellery district in and around St Ann’s Square, despite the challenging retail environment.

David M Robinson will extend its existing 2,734 sq ft space into an adjacent unit which is currently vacant, doubling its total floorplate to 4,832 sq ft over two floors.

The jeweller has taken the space on a 15-year lease.

The 28,500 sq ft Equitable Building forms a prime retail pitch onto St Ann’s Square, opposite the Grade I listed church. The building dates back to the late nineteenth century and lies within the St Ann’s Square conservation area.

The square has established itself as home to Manchester’s luxury jewellery stores, including Fraser Hart, Hancocks, Tag Heuer and Mappin and Webb.

Tom Dunn, Development Surveyor at HBD’s Manchester office, said: “We are really pleased to be adding to the good news stories surrounding St Ann’s Square. David Robinson will further solidify the established pitch in St Ann’s Square, which has seen a number of high profile lettings recently.”

“David Robinson represents an extremely well-respected brand in Manchester. It’s a reflection both of the strength of its offer and its location that David Robinson has decided to double its floorplate at the Equitable Building.”

“We remain heavily invested in the square and are excited to bring forward our wider proposals for the Equitable Building. St Ann’s Square is a hugely attractive part of the city, sitting within the conservation area and home to the beautiful St Ann’s Church. One of the most pleasant parts of the city, it’s one of the few places that benefits from a sense of tranquility at the heart of the bustle.”

Established in the 1960s, David M Robinson is one of the UK’s most well-established jewellers, creating exclusive designs for its showrooms in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Altrincham, with customers travelling large distances to have bespoke pieces commissioned. Its extended Manchester showroom is illustrative of the continued growth of the business and the reputation cultivated by the city’s jewellery district centred at St Ann’s Square.

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