2007 - present day

Re-named Manchester Central

In 2007, the GMEX and MICC were re-named Manchester Central Convention Complex, bringing cohesion to the venue’s facilities. The name also reflects the historic roots of the station building and captures two of the venue’s key selling points; the city and the location.  Within the complex, individual suites of rooms reflect the history of the site; the Charter suite of conference rooms was named to honour the Chartist movement, which had its roots in Manchester in the 1830s; the Exchange Hall and Auditorium reflected the proximity of the venue to the Free Trade Hall, which was for many years a focal point for public debate and cultural activity in the city.

The new corporate brand identity for the venue included the colours orange, blue and green, all of which help to tell the story of the venue and reflect its history. The orange represents the red sandstone buildings in the heart of the city; the blue signifies the nearby Bridgewater Canal and the green was included to evoke the historical location of St Peter’s Field. This name was synonymous with public debate and political demonstration, but gained notoriety as the site on which the Peterloo massacre had taken place in 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd that was meeting to demand the reform of parliamentary representation. Some 190 years later, it is apt that a site of such historical and political significance is the location for Manchester Central Convention Complex, a venue that hosts conferences and debates, including the conferences of the Labour and Conservative parties. Once again, 21st century Manchester finds itself at the centre of political debate and discussion, though thankfully the outcome is nowadays less violent!

Today, Manchester Central is renowned as a premier international convention complex, attracting high profile conferences, exhibitions and events from the UK and internationally. Recent events included the American Travel Writers Conference in 2007, the Labour Party Conference in 2008; in 2009, the venue is set to welcome the Conservative Party and the CIPD (Charter Institute of Personnel and Development) Conference.

To add to Manchester Central’s appeal as a major convention and exhibition complex the venue is currently benefiting from a three-stage investment programme costing in excess of £20 million which will expand and enhance the facilities.

The first phase of the impressive redevelopment programme - the creation of a new foyer area – was completed on schedule in November 2008. The addition of Charter Foyer provides a new entranceway to the convention complex and increases flexibility within the Manchester Central site.

The second phase of the redevelopment programme, which is now underway, includes a new and extended foyer area to the iconic Grade ll listed Central Hall. The old smoked glass foyer has now been demolished and will be replaced by a stylish, flat-roofed, clear glazed structure that will expose more of the original Grade II listed architecture, giving impressive views of the building both internally and externally. It marks the next stage in the development of this much- loved and iconic Manchester building.