Pannone Corporate signs up for Waterman’s former chapel
PANNONE Corporate is moving from its office in Deansgate to the former chapel used by Stock, Aitken and Waterman as a recording studio.
The firm has taken the entire 12,000 sq ft Congregational Chapel in Castlefield on a 10-year lease, and is moving from Lincoln House at the end of January.
The grade II-listed church was built in the 1850s by prominent Victorian architect Edward Walters. Pete Waterman bought it in the 1980s and used the basement as a studio to record hits such as Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.
Mr Waterman sold up in 2006 and it was taken on by Bluetree Estates which went into administration in 2011. Manchester-based M20 Group, led by Peter Quinn, bought the site earlier this year and has carried out a full refurb.
Pannone Corporate’s managing partner, Paul Jonson, said: “Castlefield Chapel is a landmark building that has a long and proud history in Manchester. We considered several other options but decided that the chapel best fitted our needs and identity. It will be a great environment for clients to visit and for our staff to work in.”
Pannone Corporate was formed earlier this year when Australian legal group Slater & Gordon acquired the consumer division of Pannone. Slater & Gordon has since taken a lease on the 100,000 sq ft former Cobbetts office in Mosley Street.
OBI is the letting agent for the chapel.
