Manchester’s second largest Premier Inn tops out

The 229-bedroom hotel off Rochdale Road is being built by GMI Construction and is on course for an autumn 2026 opening.

Whitbread, the owner of the Premier Inn brand, has said the 10-storey hotel’s development is a response to “consistently high levels of consumer demand” in Manchester.

The hotel, which has been designed by Jon Matthews Architects, has reached its highest point and will now be fitted out to prepare to take its place as the second largest Premier Inn in the city, behind Whitbread’s Portland Street hotel, until they are both overtaken by a 276-bed hotel within MIX Manchester.

Signature hotel-wide branding with a bar, restaurant, and reception space to welcome guests on the ground floor is all to be delivered.

Construction of the hotel began in October 2024, led by principal contractor GMI Construction Group, appointed in July.

Whitbread acquired the freehold of the 25 Rochdale Road site from Premcor in February 2024, and according to the Land Registry, the address was traded for £7.2m.

Builder GMI Construction was appointed to construct the scheme in July 2024.

Anthony Judge, regional director for the North West at GMI Construction, said: “Topping out marks a major step forward on what is a complex and high-profile city centre site, and it’s a testament to the hard work, expertise, and collaboration across everyone involved.

“Following our successful partnership with Whitbread on the Premier Inn in Keswick, we’re delighted to be working together again to deliver a truly standout hotel in Manchester.

“With its striking brick façade, it will be a great addition to the city’s skyline, and we look forward to carrying that momentum through to completion.”

Whitbread’s Keswick Premier Inn was completed by GMI in February 2023.

Will Steward, project and programme manager, Whitbread, added: “Whitbread is a long-standing investor in Manchester, and we have an ambitious strategy to continue our growth in the city to meet strong year-round customer demand.

“Rochdale Road’s prime location by Manchester’s Northern Quarter strengthens our presence in this part of the city.

“A combination of the Northern Quarter’s vibrant social, creative, and retail scene and its proximity to the business districts of Manchester city centre means this is a prime location for both our business and leisure customers.”

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He continued: “The swift transformation of this once stalled development site into a new affordable hotel for the city is a testament to Whitbread’s ability to deliver sizeable projects in central locations.

“I’m looking forward to working with the contractor team to finish the development and add another superb location for our customers to our growing Manchester network.”