Constructed by Corbett, Raby and Sawyer in 1871, Barton Arcade is one of the oldest surviving Victorian shopping arcades in the country. Its basement, which sits two levels underground beneath Deansgate, spans the entire length and width of the building and had been sitting derelict for 56 years, with the majority of the space bricked up and just a few small rooms used for storage.
On taking possession of the basement, Crowd has overseen a repair and restoration programme that has seen the 19th Century archways unblocked, the original brickwork cleaned and the entire floorplate opened up to create one large interconnecting space.
Crowd, which also manages Barton Arcade on behalf of Mansford LLP, will be making the space available 365 days a year for hire as an event space, starting with local charity Forever Manchester, who will host its annual spooky lock in on 31 October 2017.
Mark Burgess, Crowd UK managing director, says: “Our approach to asset management is all about looking at how to breathe new life in to places and spaces and to try to identify opportunities which have previously been missed. The first time I went down in to the basement at Barton Arcade I was blown away by its potential. It has taken a fair bit of work to restore the basement to its stunning original form and open the entire 10,000 square foot floorplate up, but the result is that we now have a stunning space to work with that is unlike any other in Manchester.
“The Basement is a great example of how with some foresight and vision, you can transform a neglected and unused space into an amazing venue. Now not only does Barton Arcade offer a unique and eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants, but an unrivalled, architecturally stunning event space too.”
The versatile, blank canvass space can be hired for anything from an hour for photoshoots, to a few months as a pop-up venue or filming location. Bookings are now being taken for 2018.
The landmark, Grade II* listed Barton Arcade on Deansgate was built in 1871 and features one of the finest examples of an iron and glass domed roof in the country. Spread across four above ground floors, the building boasts 24,413 sq.ft of retail space and 20,531 sq.ft of offices overlooking the arcade. The 13 retail and leisure units are predominantly occupied by stylish and boutique fashion stores and eateries, with existing tenants including Lunya, Pot Kettle Black, Barber Barber and Jeffrey West.
For further information about hiring the basement at Barton Arcade, please contact Angela Fielding – angelaf@crowduk.com
