CEO praises venue for impressive growth and recovery in the face of significant economic headwinds
Venue adds £21.1m to regional economy in Q4 2022
City centre events venue, Manchester Central, has praised another strong quarter as it releases its most recent business results.
From October 1 - December 31 2022, visitor numbers exceeded 92,200, up 77 per cent on the previous quarter, driven by 49 events, including the ever-popular Vivid Experiences’ Christmas Party World, which pulled in over 26,800 attendees alone.
Over 4,500 visitors attended the venue’s hosting of the spectacular Wheelchair Rugby World Cup Final, while other events including the International Congress of the European Hernia society and the Manchester Art Fair also drew strong crowds.
The trading quarter also revealed delegate spend at the venue rose 20 per cent on the previous quarter, while secondary spend on hotels, hospitality and travel in the city region contributed to an overall addition of £21.1m to the Greater Manchester economy over the three months to December 31st, aiding the continued recovery of the region.
Overall, the business events venue, which is the largest of its kind in the region, added over £73.2m to the regional economy from April to December 2022.
With over 23,000m² of space and a capacity of over 10,000, the results signal Manchester Central’s continued recovery, despite continued economic pressures and inflation spiking energy bills and day-to-day running costs.
Shaun Hinds, CEO at Manchester Central, commented,
“I am very pleased with the results of the last quarter, and how we have performed as a venue over the past year.
“We have needed to react to unplanned global events, and despite the significant headwinds caused by economic pressures and rising costs, we have managed to sustain strong booking figures and delegate numbers.
“Spend at the venue is above pre-Covid figures, and this is testament not only to the team who have worked extremely hard to achieve these results, but also to the event organisers and businesses showcasing at Central, who have delivered events that have attracted fantastic crowds and entertained in a multitude of ways.
“The venue continues to demonstrate impressive growth and recovery, and looking ahead, we are forecasting that we will welcome up to half a million delegates at Manchester Central in 2023. This a figure we perhaps may have doubted earlier in the year at the height of economic turbulence but once again, it confirms the strength of the events sector post-Covid and the intrinsic, important nature of our venue in the Greater Manchester city region and across the North West.”