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Whitworth Building

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Venue Type

Academic Venue

City

Manchester

Region

North West

Standing

400

theatre

600

dinner

300

bedrooms

About Venue

The Whitworth Building is one of The University of Manchester's most prestigious event venues, occupying a magnificent Grade II listed neo-Gothic building at the heart of the Oxford Road campus. Combining historic architecture with elegant event spaces, the venue provides an exceptional setting for conferences, gala dinners, award ceremonies, receptions, weddings and corporate events.

Centred around the spectacular Whitworth Hall, the venue also includes the elegant Christie's, the Council Chamber and six adjoining boardrooms. Together they offer a flexible collection of historic spaces suitable for everything from executive meetings and private dining to conferences, exhibitions and formal dinners.

Event Spaces

Whitworth Hall

The venue's flagship event space accommodating up to 600 delegates theatre style, 400 for receptions and 300 for formal dinners. Featuring a magnificent hammerbeam roof, stained glass windows, oak panelling and a historic pipe organ, Whitworth Hall is one of Manchester's most iconic venues for conferences, awards dinners, graduations, gala events and product launches.

Christie's

An elegant wood-panelled reception and dining space located alongside Whitworth Hall. Accommodating up to 200 guests for receptions or 120 for private dining, it is ideal for networking events, drinks receptions, corporate dinners and VIP entertaining. It also serves as the principal reception area for events taking place in Whitworth Hall.

Council Chamber

A distinguished boardroom-style space seating up to 30 delegates, perfect for executive meetings, committee meetings, presentations and private discussions.

Boardrooms

Six traditional boardrooms accommodating between 12 and 24 delegates. Ideal for interviews, breakout sessions, workshops, board meetings and syndicate rooms during larger conferences.

Facilities and Services

The Whitworth Building offers complimentary WiFi, in-house catering, accessible facilities with lift access to most areas, breakout rooms, natural daylight, integrated presentation facilities, licensed wedding facilities, exhibition space, professional event management and flexible catering options including banqueting, private dining and drinks receptions. The venue operates with exclusive in-house catering.

Location and Access

Located within The University of Manchester's Oxford Road campus, the venue is approximately a 10-minute walk from Manchester Oxford Road Station and around one mile from Manchester city centre. It is also within easy walking distance of University Place, allowing both venues to be combined for larger conferences.

Ideal For

Conferences
Awards Dinners
Gala Dinners
Corporate Events
Networking Events
Board Meetings
Private Dining
Product Launches
Exhibitions
Wedding Receptions
Civil Ceremonies

Key Features

Grade II Listed Building
Whitworth Hall
Christie's Reception Space
9 Meeting & Event Spaces
600 Theatre Capacity
300 Dinner Capacity
Historic Neo-Gothic Architecture
Licensed Wedding Venue

Why Hire

Combining some of Manchester's finest historic architecture with flexible event facilities, the Whitworth Building offers a memorable backdrop for conferences, gala dinners and prestigious corporate events. From the grandeur of Whitworth Hall to the elegance of Christie's and the adjoining boardrooms, it provides a unique setting supported by an experienced events team and exceptional catering.