Consent secured for aparthotel at Mash & Air

Developer Cringle Corporation and Staying Cool, a boutique serviced-apartments operator, have been granted planning permission by Manchester City Council for a 40-apartment scheme on the corner of Chorlton Street and Canal Street.

The operator is aiming to be open in December 2018, and said that the facility will include studios of 290 sq ft and two-bedroom duplexes of 750 sq ft.

Opened in late 1996 by Oliver Peyton, Mash & Air was one of the most influential bars in the city, winning widespread praise before its closure in 2000. The building also housed comedy club Jongleurs for a time.

Halliday Meecham is the architect for the scheme, while Euan Kellie Property Solutions has worked on planning.

Joshua Senior, director at Cringle, said: “Having instructed Nick Huddleston of CBRE to undertake a rigorous selection process with strong bids from six operators, we have worked jointly with Staying Cool to create a sympathetic yet modern redevelopment which will add to the renaissance of the area.”

Paul Taylor, co-founder of Staying Cool, said: “The building is hugely characterful. The significant redevelopment schemes in the immediate neighbourhood, including Manchester New Square, Kampus and London Road Fire Station make this a perfect location for a design-led apartment hotel.

“We’re delighted to be able to announce this new scheme – one of a number over the next few years as we move ahead with our ambitious expansion plans.”

Staying Cool’s first aparthotel was opened on the upper floors of Birmingham’s Rotunda. The Manchester venture will be its first since Bespoke Hotels, operator of Manchester’s Gotham Hotel, took a minority stake in the business to accelerate its rollout.

Cringle is a property business associated with Nigel Alliance, brother of Manchester business titan Baron Alliance, who has himself long been involved in successful companies such as N Brown and JD Williams. The business acquired the 15,500 sq ft building, which had been marketed for sale at £2m in 2008 by then-owner Shenton Homes, in 2014.