Manchester’s office market has seen a lot of activity in the first half of 2025, but a handful of huge deals have made the market look a bit more active than it actually is. In reality, the challenges are not yet over and the market continues to be somewhat unpredictable.
However, that doesn’t mean progress isn’t being made.
In our Manchester office market summary for June 2025 we’ve taken a look at the latest refurbishments, new projects kicking off, big moves in the city and what’s coming in the future, including:
· The refurbishment of Arkwright House has completed…
· …and work has begun at Pinnacle
· Campfield has opened to rave reviews
· The Information Commissioner’s Office has moved to Circle Square
· A FinTech giant has moved to MediaCityUK
· DF Capital has taken new space at the Express Building
· The next steps are underway at Sister
· And finally, there is movement on the renovation of the iconic CIS Tower
Refurbishment completes at Arkwright; begins at Pinnacle
The £4m refurbishment of Arkwright House in the city centre has completed and the building has fully reopened. Begun in November 2024, this extensive refurb has delivered 53,000 sqft of office space, a wellness centre, gymnasium and changing rooms. It’s a great building and a prime location for growing businesses which want to rent office space in Manchester.
Jamie Mount, investment director of Sun Capital Partners, part of ownership group Hillcrest, said: “We are delighted to deliver such high-quality office space in such an attractive setting within the centre of Manchester.”
Also this month, refurbishment works have begun at Bruntwood’s Pinnacle building on King Street. The building was acquired in October 2024 and the £1.4m work is scheduled to complete in the Autumn.
The upgraded building is part of the wider Pall Mall scheme and will include new workspaces, a gymnasium, café, breakout spaces and a contemplation room. We look forward to seeing work commence!
Campfield opens and has an instant impact
Campfield, Manchester’s newest creative and tech hub, successfully opened this month following an extensive refurbishment of one of Manchester’s oldest market halls. The 130,000 sqft space from Allied London and Department is located just off Deansgate, providing a range of office spaces, meeting rooms, a café-bar and much more.
It’s designed to be a centre for work, culture and the new ideas Manchester needs to keep growing. It’s already home to Blue Peter, and has held events for start-ups and sole traders to help them grow their businesses.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“The reopening of Campfield is both a celebration of our city’s history, the very buildings that helped create the Manchester we know today, and an ambitious statement of intent for our city’s future.
“Bringing these important grade-II listed market halls back into use sensitively and sustainably preserves our heritage, while supporting our growth agenda by creating more than 130,000 sqft of workspace that will further bolster Manchester’s renowned and growing tech, digital and creative sectors.”
Information Commissioner’s Office moves to Circle Square
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is relocating into the heart of Manchester city centre from its current base in Wilmslow. By taking 20,000 sqft at Bruntwood’s Circle Square, the regulator is now right in the centre of one of Europe’s most important knowledge quarters – close to world-class businesses, innovative start-ups and Manchester’s two major university campuses.
Jen Green, Executive Director of Strategy and Resource at ICO, said:
“Our relocation to Circle Square will create a working environment that better supports how we operate now and into the future. The new space will provide a more flexible, collaborative setting for our teams, with improved access to the facilities and connections we need.”
FinTech giant moves to MediaCityUK’s Orange Tower
Manchester is a significant national tech hub and its office market is ideal for tech businesses looking to grow. The latest addition to the local scene is Intelligent Lending, a group formed by Ocean Finance, CredAbility and TotallyMoney which serves 10 million people across the UK.
The newly refurbished Orange Tower at MediaCityUK is one of the largest fitted out Grade A buildings outside London and will be the new home for Intelligent Lending’s 250 employees. This is a great bit of business for the area and shows how appealing the location is for tech businesses of this calibre.
Simon Kay, chair of Intelligent Lending, said:
“Greater Manchester is fast becoming one of Europe’s leading fintech hubs, and it’s anexciting place to be. With its continued regeneration and government backing,which is expected to attract £10bn of investment over the next 10 years. We’reextremely pleased to call Salford our new home.”
DF Capital moves in the Express Building
That’s not all from the world of finance! Distribution Finance Capital, a specialist bank based in Manchester, has upgraded its space and moved to the Express Building in Ancoats from its former home on Oxford Road. The new 23,000 sqft office has been leased for 10 years and is significantly larger than their previous office.
Carl D’Ammassa, chief executive, DF Capital, said:
“As a Manchester-based bank, we’re proud to continue investing in the city and in its local talent. This marks our third home here in Manchester and represents an exciting new chapter for us as we continue to scale the bank and grow our team further.”
Positive steps taken by Allies & Morrison at Sister
Sister is one of the most exciting projects in Manchester. We reported on the announcement of the multi-billion-pound innovation district in February, and are now pleased to see the next stages coming to fruition.
Allies & Morrison has announced their application for a 12- and a 20-storey building in Sister which will create 585,000 sqft of premium office space in the centre of Manchester. The new plans will replace several old university buildings on the site and include the restoration of the grade II-listed Holloway Wall and viaduct arches running through the site. It will become retail, leisure and community spaces.
CIS Tower renovation gets started
Lenrose Ventures announced plans in April to bring the CIS Tower back into use following years of stagnation. The business has now built on that announcement by lodging plans with the Council for the full renovation of Manchester’s first skyscraper.
The building is Grade II Listed, and the new scheme will comprise 414,000 sqft of offices, amenities, restaurants, retail and leisure once completed. It’s a real landmark for Manchester and it will be fantastic to see the building in use again!
James Moores, partner at Lenrose Ventures said:
“The proposed development will restore and significantly upgrade this iconic building in the centre of Manchester. We look forward to continuing to work with Manchester City Council as we progress the application.”
Want to find a new office space in Manchester that can boost your company’s growth? Contact the LEVEL team today to get started!
