Looking west along Quay Street
“Both buildings form part of the New Bailey regeneration area: a mixed use development which forms part of the 50 acre Salford Central Masterplan”
This Flashback Friday looks west along Quay Street in Manchester city centre.
The top photo was - as ever - very kindly provided by Steve Welsh and dates back to 2016. The building in the centre of the photo is 88-100 Quay Street. Built in the 1930s it was originally built as the headquarters and showroom of electrical and motor goods retailer Globe & Simpson.
To the left (and partly visible) is the Granada TV office building. In the background is the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel.
The bottom photo was taken July 2026 and shows the significant change that has taken place over the past decade, with the delivery of the St. John's Strategic Regeneration Framework - the £1bn development of the 13-acre former ITV Granada site being delivered by Manchester Quays Ltd (MQL): a partnership between Manchester City Council and Allied London.
In the centre of the picture is The Globe Building. Designed by AXIS Architects the building is on the site of 88-100 Quay Street which was demolished in 2018. The building comprises 88,000sqft of accommodation over ground, mezzanine and eight upper storeys. The building serves as WPP’s northern headquarters, housing MediaCom North and Kinetic across its workspace.
In the background - and across the River Irwell into Salford - is the 23 storey Cenza apartment building; designed by Hawkins\Brown, and comprising 196 apartments.
Adjacent to that is the 21 storey Graphite. Designed by AHR the scheme forms part of the wider Slate Yard development, which includes Quartz (16 storeys), and Flint (10 storeys), completed in phases between 2017 and 2021.
Both buildings form part of the New Bailey regeneration area: a mixed use development which forms part of the 50 acre Salford Central Masterplan delivered by ENGLISH CITIES FUND, Homes England, Muse and Legal & General in collaboration with Salford City Council.
Just visible on the far right hand side of the photo is the New Bailey Premier Inn, along with the 12 storey office building Eden, designed by Make Architects.