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Manchester Office Space Guide:
Find your industry’s perfect location for growth.
August 8, 2024
Joe Averill
We care passionately about the success of your enterprise outside of the office you choose, and we take extra steps to create success for your business as part of our customer success journey.
With over 22,850 enterprises calling Manchester home – and with that set to drastically increase in the future – now has never been a better time to station your business in one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities.
And as Manchester’s top office space brokers, we want to help you do just that. In this guide, we will explain just exactly why Manchester is the best place for your business to ensure its growth, and how we can provide the best office space for your enterprise, without any stress.
Ready to hunt for your new Office space? Book a free consultation with us today.
Imagine a new space that ticks every box. An office that helps your team thrive, without compromise. Let us help you envision what success looks like and how your future workspace can make it happen.
When you choose us, we do all of the hard work for you.
Our team considers your growth, accessibility, current business trends, and data to find the ideal solution for you.
Our duty to you
➡️ We will provide you with impartial advice, lending ourselves solely to you as tenants, not landlords.
➡️ From brief to lease completion, we are with you every step of the way. That’s a guarantee.
➡️ We will give you off-market opportunities that are unknown to the rest of the market, so you can truly get ahead of the competition.
➡️ We guarantee a long term partnership, and ensure our clients are supported with workspace decisions - and beyond.
➡️ We will provide you with comfortable, modern - and affordable - office space in prime locations amongst some of the very best companies in the industry, so that your business can collaborate and thrive.
We are proud to represent some of the world’s largest growing firms. Working with startups, SMEs, and more established major enterprises, we find spaces that are functional and meet the needs of your company – no matter the size.
When you choose us, you’ll get unbiased advice and a wealth of local expertise. We will guide you towards the best solution for your long-term plans, challenging and provoking your thoughts along the way.
We understand that choosing an office space can be extremely challenging, but we successfully work with over 100 businesses every year to mitigate this stress – and we find a solution every time.
Together, we'll secure a workspace that embodies your vision and fuels your ambitions. Start your next business venture and contact us today.
Manchester is a modern haven, comprising many iconic attractions, and many opportunities for businesses.
Known primarily for its vibrant music scene – and of course its world-famous football team – the city was the site of many firsts, including the first time scientists split the atom. It was also the birthplace of the first programmable computer. The location for the first meeting of the Trades Union Congress. The site of the world’s first railway station. And the world’s first industrialised city – and it’s the perfect place to station your business.
But what else do the famous districts of this modern metropolis have to offer? Let’s take a look.
The aptly named Innovation District is the perfect location for any business, whether a start-up, SME, or a larger, more established operation – it seeks to innovate, and here at Level Workspace, we want the best for your business - we want you to scale up.
Home to some of the world’s leading companies, the Innovation District is both modern, accessible, and the perfect place to anchor your enterprise.
👉 Circle Square is located here and offers an array of modern and functional corporate office spaces
👉 Roku, a leading supplier of video streaming and audio equipment
👉 Autocab, one of the UK’s leading taxi & private hire booking and dispatch software providers
👉 Manchester Science Park
Oxford & Portland corridor is home to some of the most desirable modern office spaces in the vibrant city of Manchester. Accessible and affordable, your business is likely to thrive in one of many flexible office spaces located in this centralised district.
👉 Orega, Tootal buildings, flexible and modern office workspaces
👉 Embryo
👉 Clockwise, flexible, and modern office workspaces
👉 Orega Tootal Buildings
👉 Food places - Chilango, Vietnamese Kitchen
Synonymous with success, Ancoats is home to some of the most exquisite fine dining restaurants in the city (which is something Manchester is becoming increasingly famous for), as well as being able to provide some of the most modern and sought-after corporate office spaces that will allow your enterprise to thrive.
👉 Rudy’s Pizza, a famous pizza restaurant
👉 Erst
👉 MANA, a famous Michelin-star restaurant
👉 Huckletree, flexible and modern office workspaces
👉 Cutting Room square - a Place with a social buzz, restaurants, bars, coworking, cafe’s and social
New Islington is home to the famous One Express office building, as well as Cutting Room Square. A highly accessible and vibrant part of the city, New Islington is the perfect place to anchor your business, no matter its size. Featuring an array of restaurants, this area of Manchester is also the perfect place to unwind after a day in your fully furnished office.
👉 Cutting Room Square, a destination, and popular tourist spot'
👉 ERST is one of the beloved restaurants, perfect for a business lunch
👉 Cask
👉 Pollen Bakery - award winning
Northern Quarter is a modern and electric district of Manchester. Fast-paced and vibrant, this area features an array of well-known restaurants and cafes, and is home to the major teenage fashion retailer Boohoo, who have turned over immense profits in recent years - In other words, when you choose Northern Quarter to base your business, you’ll be amongst the best in the industry, and here at Level Workspace, we can provide you with that base.
👉 Mackie Mayor, a renowned restaurant and food hall
👉 Foundation Coffee is a great place to grab a coffee before you go into the office
👉 Boohoo, a famous British fashion retailer generated profits of £856.9 million in 2019
👉 Afflecks Palace
Arguably the heart of Manchester, St Peter’s Square is a tourist hotspot, featuring the city’s renowned libraries, town hall, and art gallery.
In addition, it offers incredibly sought-after and modern corporate office space – perfect for an enterprise of any size – with the benefit of being located at the centre of one of the UK’s most famous cities, and amongst some of the best minds in business.
👉 Manchester Art Gallery, a famous tourist attraction
👉 Manchester Town Hall, a landmark
👉 Manchester Central Library, a landmark
New Bailey offers incredibly high-value corporate office spaces in a highly desirable area of the city.
Home to an array of businesses, from start-ups to much larger enterprises, this area of the city is not just highly accessible, but also incredibly accommodating, offering some of the best office spaces in the UK - which we can provide.
👉 High-value corporate office space
👉 Sainsbury’s, a leading UK supermarket chain
👉 Premier Inn, one of the UK’s leading budget hotel chains
👉 Firefly
👉 Matillion - One of Manchester’s leading tech businesses has just committed to 27,000 sq ft of office space here https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/salford-lets-44000-sq-ft-at-new-bailey/
👉 The above is not the only high profile business to commit to New Bailey with BT also making a move https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/tech-news/2023/02/report-bt-group-contributed-almost-ps2bn-north-west-economy-last-year
Deansgate has some of the best Manchester has to offer, not just in business. From the majestic Manchester Cathedral to the stimulating Science and Industry Museum, this desirable area of the city also is home to some of the most high-end corporate office buildings that are the perfect station for an enterprise of essentially any size.
👉 Manchester Cathedral, an ancient building and a major tourist attraction
👉 Science and Industry Museum, a popular tourist destination
👉 High-end, corporate office buildings
👉 John Rylands Library
Similarly to the Northern Quarter, Spinningfields is renowned for its high-end restaurants and bars, which are the perfect place to unwind over a meal with your colleagues after a day in one of the many diverse office spaces this electric area of Manchester is able to provide your business.
👉 The Ivy, a high-end restaurant
👉 Oast House, restaurant/bar
👉 Sakku Samba, restaurant
The Central Retail District is home to Rolls Royce, one of the world’s most innovative and leading car manufacturers – and is a highly sought-after location. In addition, this area of Manchester is where the famous Gordon Ramsay Restaurant is stationed – a five-star eatery and world-class fine dining experience. The Central Retail district also provides Gillbanks, a flexible corporate office space that is able to accommodate enterprises of any size, from start-ups to SMEs.
👉 Rolls Royce, a world-famous car manufacturer
👉 Gillbanks, flexible corporate office workspace
👉 Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, a five-star, world-famous restaurant
As one of the most famous areas of Manchester, located in the city’s heart, Castlefield is home to the Old Trafford football stadium, where the renowned and globally recognised Manchester United football team play.
In addition, this district of Manchester is where you can find electric live music performances and entertainment – the perfect place to treat your colleagues after they’ve hit their targets in just one of the many high-end, corporate office spaces Castleford is able to provide.
👉 Castlefield Bowl, a live music venue offering high-end performances
👉 Old Trafford, a world-famous football stadium
👉 High-end, corporate office space located in the heart of Manchester
➡️ Manchester boasts a phenomenal reputation as a competitive area for business development
➡️ The city’s digital infrastructure is second to none
➡️ A diverse industry base drives exceptional economic growth YoY
➡️ 3 Key Universities for talent pool; manchester university, Manchester met, Salford Uni
➡️ Investment coming into the city - https://www.uktech.news/tech-hubs/the-north-of-england/manchester/manchester-funding-2022-20230207
➡️ Support networks; MIDAS, The Growth Company, MPA, Manchester Digital
➡️ Accelerators; Department Exchange program, Bruntwood spark program, Accelerate ME, Baltic Ventures accelerator, PWC scale program, KPMG innovator scale up program, Natwest entrepreneur program.
We’ve mentioned earlier that Manchester is one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities, meaning the prospect of starting a business here is no doubt attractive for any entrepreneur.
But why not just stick with what we know? Why not just stick with London?
Another good question. And indeed, whilst perhaps London is synonymous with successful startups, it can be expensive, and many businesses will, unfortunately, fail as a result – and as we all know, when it comes to business, we have to be realistic.
However, in Manchester, fast becoming the absolute hive of business activity, your newly founded enterprise is likely to thrive and generate incredible profits due to the vast array of opportunities and the talent pool the city presents.
Manchester, inescapably, defines ascendency. It has managed to remodel itself from a deprived city struggling to cope with the decline of industry into something truly remarkable; now offering the most lucrative creative and digital marketing scene outside of London - and attracting some of the most respected enterprises both nationally and internationally; undeniably cementing itself as the UK’s second city.
✅ WPP
✅ Jaguar Landrover
✅ Moonpig
✅ Booking.com
✅ Hilti
✅ Rolls Royce
✅ MEC
✅ Hewlett Packard
Manchester has cemented itself as the UK’s second city on the social side, too. As a far more condensed city, all of the main social spots are relatively close together, providing for an unparalleled level of accessibility, which benefits both business and pleasure.
On top of that, Manchester also boasts a fantastic restaurant scene, with many high-end and Michelin star restaurants located within the city centre and business districts - the perfect place to treat you and your colleagues after a successful week at work.
But that’s not all – here are just some of the other ways in which Manchester is the perfect place to grow your start-up business.
Manchester is an incredibly financially accessible city when it comes to business startups. We recognise that starting out as a new enterprise can present an array of challenges, to say the least, but Manchester presents the perfect environment so that you can set yourself up for success.
When we think of a genuine, professional corporate environment, no doubt most of us think of London. But London is simply too high priced and indeed unaffordable for most start-up enterprises – especially as the cost of living increases.
Manchester, on the other hand, offers far lower rent prices (usually around half of that of the capital) which will enable you to easily scale up your business to where you want it to be far more quickly than if you were based in London. In addition, here at Level Workspace, we are able to negotiate affordable rent prices, enabling us to find the perfect solution for you.
Manchester has the additional benefit of being located in the perfect part of the country. It is incredibly accessible from essentially anywhere in the UK, either by train or car in the short space of just 2 hours, and has the additional benefit of a unique and highly efficient tramline infrastructure within the heart of the city; meaning navigating Manchester itself is incredibly easy – there’s no need to worry about expensive taxis or inefficient tube lines as you would in London, for example, meaning you can go anywhere within the city with ease – perfect if you have multiple office spaces located within different districts of the city.
In other words, Manchester is an incredibly well-connected city – and an even more connected (and collaborative) business hub, as we will expand more on later.
Indeed, people often seek to start up their businesses and work in London due to the high profits and salaries they will be able to generate in the capital. And it’s true – if your business is successful, you will be making a lot more money in the capital than you would be in Manchester.
However, what business owners should consider is that this will be drastically offset (by up to 50%) by living costs and the cost of renting your business premises.
Offices in Manchester are typically 40-50% cheaper to rent than in London – in addition – by conducting your business in Manchester as opposed to London, you will be able to lower your team costs. In other words, you will be able to provide yourself and your employees with a far more efficient salary with more disposable income – which benefits everyone.
Manchester today is now recognised by the UK government as one of the six ‘science cities’; fast becoming a major city – not just for scientific research – but for innovation, academia, and entertainment.
For example, the development of Media City UK, located in the heart of the city, has brought companies such as the BBC and ITV to Manchester, which has not only put the city on the creative map, but it has also created many more job opportunities and enabled unprecedented levels of creative collaboration – with many television programmes being made and broadcast from Manchester.
In other words, the creative and academic infrastructure of the city is allowing Manchester to cement itself as a major business hub, which is no doubt going to create many more opportunities in the future – the perfect place for your start-up business, and a fantastic, friendly, and more affordable alternative to London.
Voted the UK’s most liveable city by the Economist in 2022, and the 28th most liveable city in the entire world (placing it above London) Manchester truly has something to suit everyone and every lifestyle.
In other words, in Manchester, you are never going to find yourself bored, presenting opportunities for any enterprise wanting to start out.
The city is served by four, highly respected, educational establishments; it boasts a modern, urban city centre, as well as a rich history and heritage – the dichotomies of the city, make it the perfect place for your business start-up, ensuring you can attract a diverse talent pool, whilst never providing you with a dull moment (whether it be in business or in leisure).
In addition, the lower cost of living in the Manchester city region, compared with the rest of the UK, means that salaries and hourly rates of pay can remain more practically competitive than other more expensive cities, without adversely affecting levels of personal disposable income.
When you choose to set up in Manchester, you will be surrounded by other enterprises that have enjoyed gaining success in the city – and as they say, success breeds success. This means that it is incredibly easy to find exciting new collaborators so that you can quickly maximise your business growth and success.
This is something that you simply do not find in other cities such as London, which are often highly competitive as opposed to collaborative, which is why Manchester is such an exciting location for new start-ups – and with some of the best universities in the country at an arm’s reach, there’s no better place to recruit new talent than in Manchester.
Manchester boasts some of the best universities in the country and offers unparalleled young talent and graduates looking to begin their careers (with a population of 500,000 almost 40% of that figure are of working age and are educated to at least Level 4 NVQ or above).
This means that Manchester has an array of new talent at its fingertips, something you seldom find elsewhere, and something in which any new start-up business would be foolish not to capitalise upon.
However, with the rising cost of living and housing prices steadily increasing, many graduates’ ambitions of beginning their careers in London are simply not possible anymore, which is why they elect to study and work in more affordable cities such as Manchester.
Setting up camp in Manchester as an employer, therefore, is an incredibly smart business move – Manchester has been ranked as the 3rd best student city in the whole of the UK, meaning that employers have an array of talented, intelligent – and most importantly – work focused graduates who specialise in a range of fields and will be a reliable asset to your start-up business.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic came to an end, serviced offices have been massively popular amongst new start-up businesses and SMEs.
Simply put, a serviced office (also known as a managed office or a business centre) is a workspace which comes ready-furnished, with internet and phone lines pre-connected and devices already equipped – meaning small start-up companies do not have to worry about the hassle of having to contract an external company to install their infrastructure – which can be time-consuming as well as costly, to say the least.
Statistics show that prospective employees now actively seek either hybrid or remote working, which is something business owners have effectively been forced into offering in their employment contracts – a recent survey revealed that 85% of remote workers want their employers to introduce hybrid office working post-pandemic.
This is something employers must, whether they like it or not, now actively accommodate if they wish to hire the best workers from within the ever-expanding talent pool
Moving your business into a serviced office could be a highly cost-effective way to realise your business needs. Above we have defined serviced offices as office spaces that come already equipped with infrastructure such as telephony, internet, and various other assets – which obviously mitigates the stress of setting up new office space from scratch, saving businesses both time and money.
But there are additional benefits to serviced offices, too, which make them a desirable solution when it comes to choosing a new workspace:
✅ Serviced offices have zero set-up time - a major advantage for small start-up businesses. Since these sorts of companies cannot afford to miss a single phone call for fear of losing out on prospective clients, companies are able to get straight to business with minimum downtime when choosing a serviced office over a more conventional approach.
✅ Serviced offices typically provide a modern and stimulating environment, featuring plush furniture and generous amenities to promote the well-being of employees. Conventional offices are typically dull, prosaic, and lack character, which typically instils a sense of monotony within employees – reducing their productivity. Serviced offices, on the other hand, are often adorned with unique décor and entertainment facilities, and are much more dynamic spaces in comparison, allowing for a far more friendly and productive working environment.
Here at Level Workspace, we are a major provider of affordable serviced offices and want to work closely with you so that we are able to find the right workspace for your enterprise. Serviced offices will work wonders for your business, and will aid in the smooth running of your company, providing you with:
In addition to the above benefits, serviced offices may be considered a preferable alternative to more conventional offices due to the fact that they typically offer more flexible lease arrangements.
For example, leases offered by conventional offices may force a business to commit to renting for a year or more, whereas serviced offices are able to lend you a working space for a short time – whether it be a month, a week, or even just for one day.
But how much do serviced offices cost? Here at Level Workspace, we always endeavour to negotiate the cheapest prices for our clients, whilst providing the highest quality office space on offer (and are incredibly successful at doing so). But to put it simply, the cost of your serviced office will depend on a variety of factors including:
A serviced office space means you can just move in and get straight down to business while worrying about little else.
Everything will be taken care of for you, with pre-installed infrastructure, facilities, and more – and there’s plenty of flexibility to be enjoyed if you need to make any last-minute changes to your lease, which is often impossible when it comes to conventional office options.
Here at Level Workspace, we offer you affordable, high-quality office space with no hidden costs or fees – and that’s a promise. Leave the price negotiations to the experts.
According to an RSM analysis, there were 1,079 Manchester-based software development and programming companies incorporated in 2018, which was a 48% increase from the previous year – the highest growth out of all of the regions in the UK.
The reason, perhaps, for this is that Manchester’s prestigious educational institutions are far more ‘tech focused’ than the (arguably more political, legal, and medical) institutions you may find in London. This means that Manchester is a highly efficient city at producing graduates that may be desirable for tech-based enterprises, which is why such companies decide to anchor themselves in the city.
The city of Manchester is famous for hosting a variety of popular corporate and entertainment events all year round, which is easily accessible from all four corners of the UK – couple this with affordable locations set perfectly within close proximity to industry leaders, it’s no surprise that tech startups see Manchester as the ideal place to conduct their business.
Manchester boasts a flourishing and evolving tech scene that is unrivalled by any other city in the UK – and perhaps even the world.
Research from Deloitte has revealed that in the year 2018, more building work took place in Manchester than in Chicago or Los Angeles – a staggering, almost unbelievable statistic. Corporate offices in Manchester are in incredibly high demand due to their affordability and cost of living when compared to the capital, whilst at the same time allowing businesses to work alongside some of the world’s tech giants.
Just some of the prestigious and famous names to come out of Manchester included LADBible, Kellogg's, the BBC, AutoTrader, Missguided, PrettyLittleThing, On the Beach, and more. With offices based in the heart of Manchester, working alongside these renowned companies will no doubt present many commercial opportunities and advantages for new tech start-ups – which will allow their enterprises to thrive.
Major broadcasters such as ITV and the BBC have set up headquarters in Manchester’s MediaCity as recently as the past decade, which has brought not just more wealth to the city, but a higher level of prestige to the area – cementing Manchester as a reputable tech hub within the industry, with that reputation only set to increase as more enterprises invest in the city.
In recent years, Manchester has emerged as a major business and finance hub and has been a main player in attracting already established corporations, as well as new start-ups – which is no surprise, as the city has always been a thriving part of the UK; renowned for its rich history, cultural heritage, and industrial past. Nowadays, however, the city is undergoing a profound – and rapid – revolution within its business and finance sector. But just why exactly is this?
There are many key contributors to why Manchester’s business and financial sectors have so rapidly evolved. One of them, arguably, is the existence of the Alliance Business School, which has cemented itself as one of the most prestigious business schools in the whole of the UK. Located in Manchester itself, the Alliance Business School provides world-class business education to undergraduate students, postgraduates, as well as executives.
In their own words, the school prides itself on delivering ‘industry-focused courses underpinned by social responsibility’.
This then allows them to ‘produce highly employable graduates who question, challenge, and make a difference’, allowing them to join some of ‘the world’s brightest minds’.
In other words, Manchester boasts a diverse and dynamic economy which makes it a highly attractive location for start-ups, SMEs, and businesses of essentially any size. The city presents significant opportunities for businesses and investors across various sectors, particularly when it comes to its prestigious educational establishments which produce highly employable, skilled – and motivated – graduates.
The city’s strengths in financial services, manufacturing, healthcare and life sciences, and digital and tech have attracted significant investment and contributed to its reputation as a leading destination for business and finance – and that only seems like it is going to continue to evolve.
Over the years, prices for serviced offices in Manchester have been almost half the cost of offices in Central London – making Manchester a highly desirable location to conduct business and a great alternative to the capital. Like London, prices and supply in Manchester have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with the median price across Greater Manchester dropping 11% from £429 in May 2020 to £383 per person in the first quarter of 2023, while the available number of offices and square footage has increased from 120,000 sq. ft. to 329,150 sq. ft. for the same period. Here at Level Workspace, we have a track record of being able to negotiate the best prices for our clients, providing affordable and high-quality office space for enterprises of any size in the heart of Manchester.
The standard rule for open office space per person is to allow 50 square feet (4.6 sqm) per desk and an additional 50 square feet (4.6 sqm) per person for communal areas. 80 square feet per person is a good rule when calculating how much office space you need for your team, avoiding claustrophobic working environments while keeping teams close enough to communicate efficiently during the day. Providing enough space per person is likely to increase their productivity, so it is something that should be carefully considered.This is in line with Health and Safety regulations on legal office space per person, stating “the total volume of the room, when empty, divided by the number of people normally working in it, should be at least 11 cubic metres.
Want to find your next leased, managed or serviced office space to rent? Book a call with our team today.
