Barclays backs Central Working space

THE planned Central Working base in Manchester is being launched in partnership with Barclays.

The bank will back something called the Manchester Escalator at the 4,000 sq ft unit in the Great Northern building which will support high growth businesses.

It will be part of the Central Working space which aims to offer a club environment, rather than desk simply space. It says this enables entrepreneurs to help each other nurture and develop their ideas.

Central Working already has three sites in London and one of them already runs an “escalator” service in partnership with Barclays.

The bank’s chief executive, Anthony Jenkins,  is in Manchester for the launch and will be discussing entrepreneurship with a panel that includes Simon Arora, the chief executive of B&M Bargains and Jennie Johnson, the chief executive of nursery chain Kids Allowed.

In  statement Mr Jenkins said: “I am delighted to be opening the Manchester Escalator. It’s about offering the support, infrastructure and tools that entrepreneurs need to help grow and develop and builds on the work that Barclays has already been doing in this space.

“Manchester is already a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, driving significant investment, productivity and growth, and it’s exciting that we can be part of this.”

Central Working chief executive James Layfield said: “We’re really excited to be bringing Central Working to Manchester with Barclays, demonstrating our commitment to truly support entrepreneurship and the startup community.”  

London-based Resolution Property bought the Great Northern for £71m from Capital & Regional a year ago. Central Working has 20,000 sq ft at Resolution’s Dept W building in Whitechapel, London, where it hosts the London Escalator.