Former Birdcage nightclub set for overhaul

The site of a former nightclub on Withy Grove, Manchester, is set to be converted into a Roxy Lanes entertainment venue.

The building’s owner, a joint venture between Intu Properties and M&G Real Estate, has submitted a change of use application to Manchester City Council.

Roxy Leisure, which also operates Roxy Lanes on Deansgate, plans to lease the 14,000 sq ft premises, which has been vacant since the Birdcage nightclub closed unexpectedly in May 2019. It submitted a licensing application for the site last September.

A spokesperson for planning consultant Pegasus said the company hoped the application would be considered at the start of the year. Further news as to when it will be heard by the council is expected at the end of January.

Preliminary work is already underway at the site opposite the Printworks by contractor Eastwood Interiors.

In a covering letter accompanying the application, Pegasus said: “Intu Properties and M&G Real Estate are committed to maintaining the vibrancy of the Arndale Centre. To do this, they are required to consider diversification [of uses] so that the Arndale Centre can respond to changes within the retail and leisure sectors to ensure it remains vital and viable.”