Airport City launches event space with Burgess
A flexible events area has been created within Manchester Airport’s transport interchange, with Airport City’s partners engaging ex-Spinningfields head of events Fran Burgess to develop the destination and build links between companies working in the area.
The airport itself is at the start of a ten-year £1bn expansion plan, while Airport City is amid a programme set to deliver 458,000 sq ft of offices and 1.4m sq ft of logistics space.
The first regular event is Platform Airport City, now launched and set to be held on the last Friday of each month between 12pm and 2pm with pop-up food and drink stalls, socialising and live music.
Burgess told Place North West: “Platform is about creating a public realm where a community can come together before Airport City is fully developed. By bringing together some of Greater Manchester’s best street food traders, showcasing some of the fantastic destinations the airport flies to and holding themed flagship events.
“We are bringing together passengers and workers alike to interact and build relationships with one another.’
John McHugh, head of strategic and commercial marketing at MAG Property, said: “We’re creating a vibrant community, which was clearly evident at the pop-up food events within our new social event space. Platform Airport City will host a variety of events from networking and socialising to industry debates and seminars.
“The social gathering proved to be a lively and engaging way to bring different people together and will become a permanent fixture in our events calendar. It’s a great way to showcase what Manchester has to offer as well as get a taste of some of the airport’s global destinations.”
Since her time at Allied London and then Capital Properties, Burgess has worked on community engagement at St John’s and was drafted in by Ask and Carillion on placemaking at the Bauer Millet site.
This year she has worked on a placemaking strategy at Clipper’s Quay, Salford for Grainger and an Ellesmere Port regeneration campaign for Cheshire West & Chester Council.
