Bruntwood’s Union claims Jon Matthews, Maray as tenants
The architecture firm will occupy 3,000 sq ft at the building, while Liverpool restaurant Maray will make its Manchester debut on the ground floor.
Bruntwood Works’ Union sits off Albert Square, overlooking Lincoln Square. It offers tenants an auditorium space and a studio gym.
Jon Matthews Architects will take over its new office at Union in spring after the completion of an in-house designed fit-out. The practice has signed a ten-year lease for the space.
The company’s founder, Jon Matthews, said: “The new studio will not only be a space to foster that creativity but to showcase our projects and welcome clients, students and others working in the built environment. Union is the perfect location for that and I and all the staff are really looking forward to moving in.”
The team at Jon Matthews Architects. Credit: via Jill Burdett
With the new space comes a series of staff promotions. Frances McGeown, Richard Scott and Sam Ainsley are now associate directors and Ian Burnett, Joanna Beal and Joanne Bradbury are associates.
“It is an exciting time for the practice as we continue to deliver innovative work for high calibre clients who want to create legacy schemes across the North West,” Matthews said.
“Integral to this is the team of talented, loyal staff who care passionately about what they do and it is right their hard work is both recognised and rewarded.”
Bruntwood Works head of commercial, Joshua Hancock, welcomed JMA to the fold.
“Overlooking the recently transformed Lincoln Square in between Deansgate and the Town Hall, Union provides the perfect blend of easily accessible, high-quality workspace and lifestyle-enhancing facilities,” Hancock said.
“We’re confident the JMA team will not only enjoy making full use of the location and their own vibrant, flexible space, but also Union’s wellness studio and hospitality operators, Ditto Coffee and Maray.”
The Disco Cauliflower dish from Maray. Credit: via Siobhan Hanley Communications
On the ground floor of Union will be Maray, which has taken 3,326 sq ft in the building. It will share the ground floor with coffee shop Ditto.
This will be the first Maray outside of Liverpool, where the brand has three locations. Inspired by the Le Marais district in Paris, Maray offers diners dishes loaded with Middle Eastern flavours, as well as wine and cocktails. Customer favourites include buttermilk fried chicken with harissa and pickles, disco cauliflower, lamb shawarma and baked halloumi.
“Opening a restaurant in Manchester has long been an ambition of ours and we have combed the four corners of the city to find somewhere we felt was just right,” said James Bates, managing director of Maray.
“We’re so excited to get going at Union, we love the area and feel like we’re going to be right in the middle of it all, in a city with a huge reputation for loving restaurants, nights out and a good drink!”
Bruntwood Works head of retail and leisure, Charlotte Wild, said the team was “delighted” to have Maray join the Union lineup.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming them to Union, where alongside Ditto Coffee, they’ll add another fantastic independent name to the building’s amenity,” Wild said. “Not only will this bolster the exciting transformation taking place around the Town Hall and Lincoln Square, our HQ is based at Union, so for us as a team at Bruntwood Works and the wider Bruntwood Group, it’s a double win!”
