Seven-figure upgrade for Eastlands hotel underway

Harris Evolution is modernising the 89-room former Diamond Lodge off Kirkmanshulme Lane in East Manchester, which is now trading under the B&B Hotels brand.

Owner Magenta Hotels has pulled the trigger on a “multi-million-pound” refurbishment of the asset having acquired it in 2024 from private owners.

Each of the bedrooms will be refurbished while the ground floor will be overhauled and modernised, becoming a place to “collaborate and gather”, according to B&B. A restaurant will also be created on the ground floor.

Prior to B&B’s involvement, the plan had been to keep the hotel open and refurbish it one floor at a time. However, the strategy has now changed and the hotel is currently closed so that the refurb, designed by Allison Pike Architects, can be carried out in one go. It will reopen early next year.

Dawn Lister, head of UK sales at B&B Hotels UK, said: “Since welcoming Manchester Sportcity into the B&B HOTELS family in April, our focus has been on making sure every guest in Manchester enjoys the same comfortable, great-value stay they would at any of our hotels across the UK.

“Closing the hotel for a short period means we can complete this refurbishment faster and to the standard our guests expect, rather than doing it floor by floor. It was important to us that everyone at the hotel keeps their job while the work is done, and we can’t wait to welcome guests back early next year.”