Lottery cash secured for Portico Reunited
The historic Manchester library will receive £6.4m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, advancing the £12m project to expand the asset’s scope across all floors of its grade two*-listed home once again.
Heritage specialist Purcell is working on Portico Reunited, the name of the project to bring back the whole of the listed building into use as a library, opening up new spaces for reading and learning open to all.
For many years, the ground floor hall space and basement have been taken up by the Bank pub, operated by national pubco Nicholson’s
With heritage fund backing now secured, plans can advance to bring the ground floor and basement back into library use and introduce step-free access throughout.
Alongside urgent repairs and restoration of the historic interiors and glazed dome, the plans worked up by Purcell include a lift, a Changing Places toilet and a quiet room. The Portico LightBox, a new architectural feature, will connect the ground floor, first floor and dome.
Plans also include a new bookshop along with the Portico Kitchen. Fundraising will continue in earnest to complete the transformation and support the Portico’s work before, during and after construction.
Purcell is leading on reimaging and reworking the historic building. Credit: Purcell
Founded in 1806, the Portico was established as a subscription library and newsroom before Manchester had a free public library, offering its members books, newspapers and periodicals.
The Portico already welcomes the public across six days a week, but is only accessible with stairs to its fist floor base. Reinstating the Mosley Street entrance or library use will change that.
At the expanded library’s heart will be the historic collection of 25,000 books and archive material.
Dr Thom Keep, librarian and chief executive of The Portico Library, said: “This is a landmark moment in the Portico’s rich and complex history, and a huge achievement for our staff, trustees, volunteers, and partners. Their imagination, care and persistence have brought us to this point.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can reunite this extraordinary building and make room for people to discover, learn and create together.”
Low carbon heating and environmental improvements are also part of the remodelling project.
Lucy Powell, secretary of state for education and MP for Manchester Central, said: “For more than two centuries, the Portico Library has stood at the heart of Manchester as a home for books, learning and new ideas.
“This support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reunite one of our city’s great historic buildings, open it fully to everyone and secure its remarkable collections for the future.”
Manchester City Council has granted planning permission and listed building consent, the process being triggered with applications lodged last autumn.
On the project team are North Star, Chambers, Max Fordham, Price and Myers, Maze Fire Consulting, Appleyard and Trew, and iM2. To view the application, use the planning reference number 143816/LO/2025 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
The building is expected to close for construction works in late spring 2028 and reopen in early March 2030. Until then, the Portico will continue to welcome visitors.
During construction, its work will continue through Porti-Go!, bringing collections, conversations and creative activities into temporary spaces, community settings and online. Following reopening, the transformed library is expected to welcome around 95,000 visitors each year.
The plan is to close in 2028 and reopen in spring 2030. Credit: Purcell
