Council staff move into Ask’s First Street scheme

MORE than 1,400 members of Manchester City Council’s staff have now relocated to Ask Developments’ First Street scheme for the duration of its £165m project to renovate the city’s town hall and extension scheme.

Ask Developments said that the first phase of public realm improvements at its site has now been completed by contractor Mayfield Construction, which consists of a 16-metre-wide, tree-lined boulevard.

These grounds are now being used by Manchester-based Civilian Military Fitness (CMF) to host classes in the city centre.

This franchise operation, which already operates classes from five locations in Greater Manchester including Stockport Rugby Club, Chorlton Water Park, Hyde Park, Worthington Park and Stamford Park in Ashton-Under-Lyne, offers outdoor fitness training classes taught by ex-military physical training instructors. It was started in 2008 by ex-Marine Jamie Bloor.

John Hughes, director at Ask, said; “We’re delighted that CMF classes have now started at First Street. Military boot camps have become a modern fitness phenomenon, so it is a real coup to have the first ever city centre classes at First Street as it will help to establish the area as a recognisable part of the city.”