Manchester’s landmark leisure scheme, Printworks, has recently completed its £21M refurbishment, which included the unveiling of the largest digital ceiling in Europe in March. This relaunch has resulted in a 60% year-on-year increase in footfall during the immediate launch period.
The transformation continues with the announcement of a new senior management team on site, aiming to maintain the high footfall. Printworks’ managing agent, Cushman & Wakefield, has appointed Dan Davis as centre manager and Kristian Brennan as the new marketing manager. Both have extensive careers in the north west within leisure, retail, and hospitality.
Dan Davis recently managed the Corn Exchange, another iconic Manchester leisure destination, and brings over 18 years of retail and centre management experience. He will lead the onsite team to deliver the future vision for the scheme, working alongside the scheme’s tenants and wider stakeholders. His early career was spent as a store manager with the Fraser group, followed by a move into centre management in a client-side capacity before transitioning into property management.
Kristian Brennan joins from Brazen, one of the most awarded consumer PR agencies outside of London, where he was an account director across a wide range of national retail and hospitality brands. The team will support owners DTZ Investors’ vision for Printworks to be at the forefront of UK leisure.
Responding to evolving leisure trends with the creation of unique technology-led experiences, owner DTZ Investors has delivered a truly immersive and interactive environment on a scale not found elsewhere in the UK. Dan Davis said, “I’m delighted to join an established and high-performing team here at Printworks. The scheme is a leading brand within our city and our relaunch has shown what we can achieve and we have huge ambitions for the future. I am looking forward to working with Kristian, the wider team, and all of our tenants as we head into a new era for the Printworks, further cementing our place as Manchester’s leading leisure destination.”
The £21M transformation of Printworks includes a full refurbishment inside and out, with the customer experience at its heart. The centrepiece is a new 1,000m² digital ceiling screen – the largest in Europe – covering the scheme’s internal streets. It offers unrivalled audio-visual control of the environment, displaying extraordinary bespoke creative content and special effects from day to night. It is complemented by a giant interactive gaming screen and other new features around Printworks designed to engage consumers and support tenant trade.
The refurbishment project has provided 50 additional jobs locally and has contributed a positive wider economic impact in the north west of approximately £18M.
