One of the most popular music venues in Manchester during the 1960s is to receive a major renovation in keeping with the NOMA scheme – one of the largest development projects in North West England.
New Century Hall, which is situated on Miller Street, has hosted some of the biggest names in music during the sixties, including Jimi Hendrix, Ike and Tina Turner and the Bee Gees. The site, which is owned by the Co-operative Group, will be regenerated to provide retail, residential, leisure and office space. Manchester city centre businesses will be invited to put forward ideas for use of space in the reinvigorated building.
The existing workers in the building will be transferring to a brand new headquarters, One Angel Square, which is situated over the road. New businesses are invited to move into the area once the Co-operative’s staff has vacated the building in 2013. Although New Century Hall is currently used mostly for corporate events, it also played host during Manchester’s International Festival in 2011 for Amadou and Mariam, music legends of Africa.
A spokesman for the Co-operative Group said:
“As part of the scheme, which will transform 20 acres of the city’s Northern Gateway by incorporating an exciting mix of office, residential, retail, leisure and cultural space, we are currently investigating ways in which we can reinvigorate New Century Hall for the 21st Century.”
The Co-operative Group is hoping that the NOMA scheme will encourage more companies to continue to invest in north Manchester. The building was originally constructed in recognition of the 100-year anniversary of the Co-operative Wholesale Society.
