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City Information
Manchester has a vibrant conference scene with a host of contemporary venues able to accommodate
any style or budget. Its landscape an eclectic blend of Victorian industrial mills and glass skyscrapers, it is the
second most popular destination for meetings and events in the UK, outside London, after Birmingham.
Organisers and PAs looking to plan events in Manchester are confident in its reputation for commitment to
customer service and imaginative conferencing. The third largest economy in the UK and the 74th largest in the
world, the city has a proliferation of major companies and leading media organisations that ensures a busy
events agenda.
From project leaders booking a room for a management training course to tiered auditoriums for large
corporate conventions, Manchester is easily accessible with national and international transport links.
Delegates can commute from their chosen accommodation using one of the UK’s most successful tram
systems.
For wedding or civil ceremony planners, the city has a number of stunning churches and cathedrals, while
Manchester Town Hall – a towering Neo-Gothic fortress – dominates Albert Square in the centre of town, a
popular place for public weddings.
Evening entertainment is easy, with hundreds of bars and restaurants to choose from. The North Western
metropolis is renowned for its cultural history, and there’s something for all tastes. There are several art galleries
and museums in the city centre, while Old Trafford is only a short tram ride away.
According to a study by Visit Manchester, conferences and business events generated £822 million for the
Greater Manchester area alone during 2011. With a range of innovative venues catering to any requirement, it’s
easy to see why Manchester is the nerve centre of conferencing in the North West.
Facts and Figures
Visit Manchester
Bureau Details:
| Largest venue: |
EventCity - 28,000m², 7,500 seated |
| Largest stadium: |
Old Trafford - 75,765 seated |
| Largest hotel: |
Bewleys Hotel Manchester Airport - 365 bedrooms |
| Largest banqueting venue: |
7,500 people |
| Largest conference venue: |
28,000 seats |
| Largest exhibition venue: |
28,000m² |
| Largest hotel: |
365 bedrooms |
Transport Links
Air
Manchester Airport is the third busiest in the UK and the largest outside the London area, serving
national and international flights.
Rail
A major transport hub, Manchester has some of the busiest railway stations in the UK. Manchester
Piccadilly is the main central station, serving routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South
Wales, the North and South of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central. Other stations include
Manchester Victoria, which largely serves routes to the North and East of England.
Metro
Manchester has a modern light rail network called the Metrolink, which is one of the UK’s most
successful tram systems. It serves commuter routes into and out of the city centre, with stops including
Beetham Tower (the Hilton Deansgate) and Piccadilly Gardens for the Northern Quarter and main
retail district.
Road
Manchester has two main ring roads. The M60 runs within the Greater Manchester region, providing
good inter-suburban transport links, while the A57/A57 (M), popularly known as Mancunian Way, runs
from the centre to the south of the city. Other main motorways include the M56 for Birmingham and
the M62 for Liverpool.
Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is the only purpose built ship canal in the UK, and today it’s also used for
leisure trips past MediaCityUK and Spinningfields.