DEPARTURES
On business in...
Manchester
Industrial charm will win the hearts of visitors to Manchester, last year declared the third best city in the world by TimeOut. From a vibrant music and arts scene to foodie options galore – oh, and a couple of pretty decent football clubs – this northern city has a lot to shout about, writes April Waterston
Third best city in the world?
S L E E P IN G
A fleet of buses, trams and trains
the city's accommodation options.
The ultra-cool re-purposed freight-
make travelling around Manchester
depot is just a two-minute walk from
a breeze. The Metrolink tram
Piccadilly station. The industrial
network covers four zones from the
known as the 'Jenga’ building,
space boasts a unique selection of
city centre to the suburbs. A single
or the "fun and affordable"
bars, a food market and varied
ticket costs from £1.40, or a day
Moxy Manchester City in
seating areas, all complemented by
pass for all zones is £7.10.
Manchester Piccadilly, fondly
GATEWAY TO THE NORTH
42
G etting about
Escape to Freight Island – literally!
Try the striking Leonardo Hotel
Getting there The 'Gateway to the North', Manchester Airport is just seven miles from the city centre. It's the busiest UK airport outside of London and is well connected to Europe, the US and beyond. For domestic travel, Manchester is easiest to reach by train, with over 50 services a day from London and a direct travel time from just over two hours. Avanti West Coast services many of the routes, with a one-way fare starting at around £70. Onward travel to the likes of Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield is also easy with regular and inexpensive services. By car you're looking at closer to four hours travel time from London. Head up the M40 or M1 and M6 for an easy, straightforward drive.
EATIN G
A flurry of openings has broadened
the heart of Spinningfields with rooms from £99. Choose
live music and DJs. Or, for something a bit more boujee, OSMA brings a
M ust - see Sights
vibranT music AND arts scene
from not just one but two Hyatt
taste of Scandinavia to the city. Its
Head to the Northern
Hotels which opened just before
name is symbolic of the founder's
Quarter to get a feel
Covid hit – The Hyatt Regency and
hometowns (Oslo and Manchester),
for the city's artistic
Hyatt House – both in the Innovation
a heritage which is reflected in the
flair or explore Chinatown,
District on the Oxford Road Corridor.
menu. The Norwegian-Mancunian
the third largest in Europe. Or take a
For longer stays, there's a new a
fusion may sound like an odd one,
tour of one of its famous football
Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity in St
but OSMA consistently ranks as one
stadiums – Manchester United’s
Peter's Square and a CitySuites
of the best eateries in the city.
historic Old Trafford or Manchester
aparthotel in Embankment West.
City’s ultra-modern Etihad Stadium. AF TER HOURS
Catch a gig at the newly-refurbed Band on the Wall on Swan Street, a venue ingrained in Manchester's famous music scene. The likes of Buzzcocks, the Fall and Joy Division played some of their earliest gigs at the venue back in the 70s, with today's shows offering a platform to up-and-coming local artists.
THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.com
On Biz in Manchester V8.indd 42
7/12/22 02:50 PM