| Manchester Central Convention Complex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Former names | Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre (1986–2006): GMEX |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | 19th-century railway terminus, cast iron and red brick |
| Location | Manchester City Centre, Windmill Street Petersfield,Manchester Greater Manchester M2 3GX England[1][2][3][4] |
| Coordinates | 53°28′34″N2°14′49″W / 53.476°N 2.247°W /53.476; -2.247 |
| Construction started | 1982 |
| Completed | 1986 |
| Opened | 21 March 1986 |
| Renovated | 2008–09 |
| Cost | £20 million (1986) |
| Renovation cost | £30 million |
| Owner | Manchester City Council |
| Height | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | Arch span: 210 feet (64 m) Hall length: 550 feet (168 m) long |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | 2-storey brick building with single-span segmental iron and glass arched roof |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | EGS Design |
| Main contractor | Alfred McAlpine |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | G MEX |
| Designated | 18 December 1963 |
| Reference no. | 1270514 |
| Renovating team | |
| Renovating firm | Stephenson Bell |
| Website | |
| Venue website | |
| Manchester Central Convention Complex | |
|---|---|
| Operator | Manchester Central Convention Complex Ltd. |
| Banquet/ballroom | 1,200 (Exchange Hall) |
Theatre seating | 10,900[5] (Central Hall) 804 (Exchange Auditorium) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 17,776.71 m2 (191,346.9 sq ft) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 11,834.56 m2 (127,386.1 sq ft) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 2,820.15 m2 (30,355.8 sq ft) |
| Public transit access |  St Peter's SquareDeansgate-Castlefield DeansgateManchester Oxford Road |
Manchester Central Convention Complex (commonly known asManchester Central and formerlyGMEX (GreaterManchesterExhibition Centre)) is an exhibition and conference centre converted from the formerManchester Central railway station inManchester, England. The building has a distinctive arched roof with a span of 64 metres (210 ft) – the second-largest railway station roof span in the United Kingdom,[6] and was grantedGrade II* listed building status in 1963.[7]
After 89 years as a railway terminus, it closed to passengers in May 1969. It was renovated as an exhibition centre formerly known as the G-Mex Centre in 1982 and was Manchester's primary music concert venue until the construction of theManchester Arena. After renovation the venue reverted to its former nameManchester Central in 2007.
From April 2020 until March 2021, the complex became a temporaryfield hospital for non-criticalCOVID-19 patients,[8] part of a network of temporaryNHS Nightingale Hospitals.[9]
The complex was originally Manchester Central railway station, one of the city's main railway terminals.[10]
Designed bySir John Fowler, the station was opened in July 1880 by theCheshire Lines Committee. The station served as the terminus forMidland Railway express trains toLondon St Pancras. The station's large wrought-iron single-span arched roof, spanning 210 feet (64 m), 550 feet (168 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) high – was a noted piece of railway engineering and is the widest unsupported iron arch in Britain after theBarlow train shed at London St Pancras.[11]
At its height, in the 1930s, more than 400 trains used the station every day.[12]The station operated for 89 years, before closing in May 1969.[13]
In 1978, the structure was acquired byGreater Manchester County Council to redevelop as a concert venue. In 1982, construction work was undertaken byAlfred McAlpine.[14] It was the centrepiece of the regeneration plan for the area and widerCastlefield district. The hall covered 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft) and could be partitioned into various sized units for different exhibitions.[15] Initial construction work concentrated on repairing the derelict structure and re-pointing brickwork which took 18 months.[14] The Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre or G-Mex Centre was opened byQueen Elizabeth II in 1986 after four years of renovation.[16]
In 2001 the Manchester International Convention Centre (MICC) was added, comprising an 804-seat auditorium and breakout rooms and the Great Northern Hall. In 2005, the company running the complex was bought byManchester City Council. G-Mex was Manchester's primary concert venue from 1986 to 1995. Its position as a concert venue diminished after the opening of theManchester (then NYNEX) Arena in 1995.[17]
In January 2007, the venue was renamed Manchester Central, evoking the memory of the former station[18][19] and converted into an exhibition and conference centre. The building was renovated at a cost of £30 million in 2008 by Manchester-based architects,Stephenson Bell. The first phase to create a foyer took from February to November 2008.[20]
The second phase, completed towards the end of 2009, included an extended foyer to the Grade II listed Central Hall. The old smoked-glass structure was demolished and replaced by a flat-roofed, clear-glazed structure exposing more of the original architecture.[11] The final phase, completed in September 2010, focused on the rear of the building. New event spaces were built and rooms refurbished to increase the venue's range and size of meeting and banqueting spaces.[21]
During its days as the GMEX Centre, the venue was used for hosting rock concerts. Not long after its official opening,Factory Records used the venue for theirFestival of the Tenth Summer in July 1986 to celebrate the 10th anniversary ofpunk in the city, and included appearances bythe Smiths and Factory Records stalwartsNew Order.[22]James appeared in 1990,U2 in June 1992,Metallica in November 1992 on theirThe Black Album tour andthe Cure in November 1992. G-Mex had aseating capacity of 9,500 for end stage concerts and 12,500 for standing events and stopped hosting concerts in 1997, with the last gig byOasis in December. G-Mex was also the2002 Commonwealth Games venue forgymnastics,weightlifting,judo andwrestling.[23]
After a nine-year break, it was again used for concerts bySnow Patrol in December 2006 withMorrissey,the Verve,Marilyn Manson,Franz Ferdinand,Manic Street Preachers,Arctic Monkeys,[24]Bloc Party andHard-Fi holding concerts in 2007.Status Quo have performed there multiple times. The venue hosted concerts byPlacebo in December 2009,Arcade Fire,Biffy Clyro,Thirty Seconds to Mars, theTaste of Chaos Tour 2010,deadmau5,[25]Pendulum in December 2010 andthe Eighth Plague Tour. In 2011 it hosted theGirls' Day Out Show.[26]
In 2009 and 2010, it played host to the Manchester audition stages of theITV programmeThe X Factor. In December 2012, it hosted the finals ofseries 9 ofThe X Factor.[27]
In September 2006, theLabour Party moved from traditional seaside venues to holdits annual party conference at the complex. It has also hosted conferences for theConfederation of British Industry,ECOFIN, theLiberal Democrats, theConservative Party and theGreen Party.[28][29][30]
The venue was also the filming location ofNinja Warrior UK between 2015 and 2022.[31]
The venue was selected to host the2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final,[32] which sawEngland beat France 28–24 to lift their second world cup title equalling the record set by the runners-up.[33]
Located in the heart of the city, Manchester Central is served by twoMetrolink tram stops –Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop andSt Peter's Square tram stop, both of which are under a five-minute walk from the venue.National Rail local train services serveDeansgate railway station whilstManchester Piccadilly is a 20-minute walk away.[34]
On 27 March 2020, the UK government announced that the building would be converted into an emergency hospital, part of a network ofNHS Nightingale Hospitals similar to theNHS Nightingale Hospital London that was already under construction, intended to deal with theCOVID-19 pandemic and with 1,000 beds. It opened on 17 April 2020,[9] and was closed in March 2021.[35]
The facility will provide oxygen therapy and general medical care for people with Covid-19 who do not need critical care.
