WPP signs at Enterprise City
Advertising agency WPP has confirmed a long-rumoured deal at Allied London’s Enterprise City in Manchester, where the company is set to take 82,000 sq ft to bring its five agencies under one roof.
The campus will sit within the former Granada Studios site, bringing together MediaCom, Wavemaker, Code Computer Love, Kinetic and Cheetham Bell.
WPP has agreed a 15-year lease.
The Denton Corker Marshall-designed building was previously earmarked to be a hotel within the St John’s masterplan, however Allied London revealed plans last year to change the proposals to office use, due to “the requirements of a major confirmed occupier”.
The office is due to open in early 2022, and will include education and event spaces to support WPP’s community, school, start-up and SME partnerships, courses and events. There will also be space for Allied London’s media and technology-focused co-working space All Work & Social.
The building will also include a roof terrace, café, bar and business event space. BDG architecture + design, a WPP company, will design the offices.
Karen Blackett, UK country manager for WPP, said: “WPP campuses not only give our people amazing, inspiring spaces in which to work, learn and create, but provide our clients with easier access to our expertise.
“The UK is our second largest market, and by building a brand-new home for our agencies and a creative hub for the city, we’re investing in both our future and in the future economy of Manchester.”
Michael Ingall, chief executive for Allied London, said: “We’re delighted to have WPP join Enterprise City. The co-working spaces in particular will allow SMEs in the media, creative and tech industries to benefit from being located close to some of the world’s largest companies.
“Enterprise City is growing quickly, and with great tech and media companies joining the creative cluster alongside the TV & film studios and The Factory, we believe we’re going to create a place with a real buzz that modern industries will flock to.”
Arcadis are acting as project manager and cost consultant on the project for Allied London.
I thought that St John’s was going to be a cooler alternative to Spinningfields integrating media and creative enterprise, instead it’s just another dull Spinningfields extension bringing in companies who are leaving behind existing city centre offices. WPP, Booking.com, yawwwwn.
By Floyd
Last time I looked, WPP and Booking.com were media and creative enterprises. I don’t see what the problem is with existing Manchester based businesses growing into larger offices where they can take on even more staff. Especially when that’s along all the start-ups already based at Enterprise City.
By ALL
I agree with Floyd. This has gone from Greenwich Village to Slough in two years. I thought it was going to be a place for inspiring creativity.
By Elephant
Yawn yawn yawn. An online travel agent call centre and an advertising agency, & neither new to the city. So creative & innovative it hurts. Let’s move on.
By Bilbo