Manchester’s best-known entertainment complex, The Printworks, has bucked the wider trend of the leisure market with a 8.25% increase in footfall since the complex was purchased by commercial real estate managers DTZ Investors in early 2017.
DTZ Investors purchased The Printworks in February 2017, and reported record figures for the second half of 2017, with visitor figures up 7% towards the end of the year.
The Printworks has continued to innovate under DTZ Investors ownership, attracting new tenants including Vue Cinema and the Irish-themed pub chain O’Neills. The complex also expanded its experiential leisure offering with new leisure activity tenants including England’s first Treetop Adventure Golf and nationwide business Escape Reality, which is Manchester’s largest escape room with six-themed rooms, including an Alcatraz prison.
To welcome the family-friendly Treetop Adventure Golf to the complex, DTZ Investors remodelled 20,000 square foot of mothballed space on the second floor of the building into a new lettable unit with its own dedicated entrance point.
As well as 2018 seeing The Printworks expand its horizons beyond food, drink and fitness with new activity-led tenants, it has also been reaching new audiences with an ambitious events programme. These have included DraigCon (a Harry Potter fan convention), ThronesCon (a Game of Thrones fan convention), Vworp (a Doctor Who fan convention), a Soul Festival and the premier of Amazon’s All or Nothing documentary about Manchester City Football Club, which saw globally renowned names such as Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Pep Guardiola attend.
The Printworks also has various charitable initiatives having raised over £98,250 raised for The Christie in total so far – just £1750 short of its £100,000 target to hit by the end of this year. The complex has also raised over £7,500 for various local causes including Forever Manchester, The Booths Centre and Volition.
DTZ Investors now plans to build on the initial successes, with a substantial budget set aside for a major refurbishment to enhance the internal common areas, ie the Pump Yard, as well as improving the entrances and external prominence.
A spokesperson for DTZ Investors said: “We have already invested approximately £2m since acquiring The Printworks with a focus on opening new venues which give customers a well-rounded experience, with world renowned entertainment and leisure brands all under the one roof. The Printworks has a special place within Mancunian hearts and we are committed to evolving the scheme to make it even more attractive for those looking for day-time competitive socialising and family friendly activities as well as the renowned wet-led evening entertainment.
Fred Booth, Director of The Printworks, said: “Despite the horrific terror attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017, which had a huge effect on businesses and the city as a whole, we are proud to see the city bounce back with The Printworks continuing to thrive and offer visitors a welcoming experience for guests of all ages.”
The Printworks continues to welcome nearly 8 million people through its venue each year.
