The Britannia Hotel

The southern part of the city centre is dominated by grand warehouses, almost all of which have been redeveloped into other uses.  Portland Street is home to a number of them and in almost every case they have been turned into hotels. This is Watts' Warehouse.


James Watts started his textile business in a weaver's cottage in Didsbury.  He rose to be one of the most influential industrialists in the country and apparently Prince Albert stayed with Watts in his Cheadle home when he came to Manchester in 1857 to see the Art Treasures Exhibition.



The warehouse was built between 1851 and 1856 by Travis & Magnell at a cost of £100,000. It is made of sandstone and had 5 floors, each built in a different architectural style.  Pevsner describes it as, "King of the home trade warehouses, a vast and ambitious affair." ...  "The length is twenty-three bays or circa 300 ft, the height nearly 100 ft.  There are four roof towers.."





Today it is the Britannia Hotel, and as you can see, it still has its original, spectacular staircase and in the entrance it has the Watts and Company War Memorial.