Manchester Central, one of the UK’s largest venues has announced it will welcome nearly half a million through its doors (13 per cent uplift) during its 2025 season, contributing a forecasted £130m into the city region.
The growth has been attributed, in part, to the notable trend of organisers, including Hyrox, Accountex and the Destination and Caravan Show all choosing to add Northern editions to their event calendars to tap into the burgeoning northern market.
Furthermore, 49% of the events which took place in 2024 are returning for 2025, including the UK’s largest insurance broking event, The BIBA Conference, MegaCon Live, and Housing, which sees the whole of the UK’s Housing sector convene in Manchester.
Lori Hoinkes, CEO of Manchester Central said: “We’re seeing a significant shift in the events landscape. November 2024 was our busiest month ever at Manchester Central, and it’s clear that businesses are recognising the immense value and vibrancy that Manchester offers.”
She added: “As a centrally-located venue, we’re within walking distance of the city’s transport hubs and hotels, which our organisers love, and this also supports the local businesses who benefit exponentially from the hundreds of thousands of visitors coming here.”
The forecast comes as one leading UK economic forecasting group, EY ITEM Club, projected that Manchester would become the UK’s fastest-growing city in 2025, with an expected GVA uptick of 1.8%, citing the region’s focus on attracting talent to value-add sectors as an example for other cities to follow.
The coming years are also projected to see the city and surrounding region continue their strong growth trajectory, with GVA in 2026 expected to be £2bn higher than it was in 2022.
Manchester Central offers 23,000sqm of flexible event space, from intimate gatherings to large-scale conferences and exhibitions with a capacity of over 10,000.
