£12m events venue will bring new business to Manchester

THE opening of The Point at Lancashire County Cricket Club in three weeks time will give the city a corporate events venue expected to pull new business into the city from across the UK.

The £12m development will open for the first time on June 17 for an England versus Australia one day international event, before several more launch events scheduled for September.

It is the first phase of a wider £44m scheme at Old Trafford that will see the ground’s capacity increased to 25,000 and is due to complete 2013.

The huge main suite has a 7.5m high glass panel that runs the length of the room, looking out onto the field.

It can seat up to 1,000 for dining or up to 800 for a dinner dance. Sub dividable into three sections or rooms, each has its own bar and a balcony.

Sales manager Peter Ash expects corporate events to comprise as much as 90% of the venue’s total business, because of its size.

He sees the venue competing for business nationally, rather than with other existing venues in the city.

He said: “Yes we are competing with hospitality at Manchester United and City etcetera but we are more keen about bringing more new business to Manchester.

“Because the venue is so different we are bringing new business from outside Manchester and we have enquiries coming in from across the UK.

“Something like this helps to sell other venues – for example we’ve had enquiries about conferences using Manchester Central and then coming to us for the gala dinner in the evening.”

Last December the club turned over £500,000 in Christmas bookings and Mr Ash is modestly targeting £600,00 this time around in the new venue.

Mr Ash admits performance targets have been revised since the recession hit but adds that he expected the venue’s success to be built on year on year.

“Some will book now but others will want to see the finished product first and to see it open, he said.

“If we get £100,000 in the first month, I’ll be happy.”