Venue at a glance
Victoria Warehouse is one of Manchester's best-known industrial event venues, built inside restored 1920s cotton warehouses beside Old Trafford in Trafford Park. It retains original brickwork, steel columns and warehouse-scale proportions from its cotton-trading history, combining authentic industrial heritage with large-scale blank-canvas flexibility for conferences, exhibitions, gala dinners, brand activations, weddings and live events.
Its mix of spaces lets organisers run everything from a 20-person screening in The Cinema to multi-track conferences and full-site takeovers across the Cotton Sheds, with capacity up to around 5,000 at concert scale. The venue offers built-in AV and staging infrastructure, drive-in ground-floor access, backstage production offices and on-site hotel accommodation, and has hosted clients including Netflix, Nike, Ferrari, Adidas, TikTok, BBC, Heineken, Jeep, Kellogg's and Manchester United.
Exchange Quay Metrolink stop sits roughly 0.2 miles away — about a 5-minute walk — with Manchester city centre about 1.7 miles away, significantly improving accessibility for large delegate numbers.
Why choose this venue
The venue retains original brickwork, steel columns and warehouse proportions from its cotton-trading history. Buyers looking for authentic Manchester industrial heritage shortlist it quickly because the architecture feels real rather than themed.
It can host a 20-person screening in The Cinema, a 300-person event in The Archives, or a multi-thousand-delegate production across the Cotton Sheds — particularly attractive for organisations running multi-format events in a single venue.
Set up for large-scale production with built-in AV capability, staging infrastructure, drive-in access through the entire ground floor, backstage production offices and crew rooms, and experienced production support. The Cotton Sheds include house lighting and audio within hire.
Exchange Quay Metrolink sits roughly 0.2 miles from the venue, with Pomona and Wharfside close by, giving direct connections into Manchester city centre — critical for moving large guest numbers efficiently.
The venue has hosted clients including Netflix, Nike, Ferrari, Adidas, TikTok, BBC, Heineken, Jeep, Kellogg's and Manchester United, offering proven operational experience at scale for high-profile launches and nationally attended events.
Planning details
Best for
- Large conferences and exhibitions
- Industrial-style weddings
- Brand activations
- Product launches
- Gala dinners
- Experiential events
- Corporate parties
- Events needing breakout flexibility
- Organisers wanting authentic Manchester warehouse character
Less suited to
- Traditional luxury ballroom events
- Small board meetings needing formal corporate surroundings
- Events requiring extensive natural daylight throughout all spaces
- Clients wanting external catering flexibility
- Ultra-quiet events sensitive to industrial acoustics
Catering
- Model Mandatory in-house catering across all event types, delivered by Grape and Grain Catering Co. Styles include conference and delegate dining, gala dinners, wedding catering, private party catering, and reception and networking catering.
- External External caterers are not permitted. All catering is provided in-house by Grape and Grain Catering Co.
- Bars Private bars are available within selected spaces including The Bays. The Bays private bar is licensed until 00:30 for weddings.
- Dietary Allergen-aware and dietary-specific catering available on request.
Accessibility
- Features Exchange Quay Metrolink within short walking distance
- Private entrances across event spaces
- Drive-in ground-floor access
- On-site hotel accommodation available
- Caveat The venue occupies a historic industrial warehouse complex with varied floor levels and configurations across two main levels and basement spaces. Buyers should confirm step-free access routes, accessible toilet provision, lift access, backstage access and viewing arrangements directly for their chosen event space.
Sustainability
- Details Victoria Warehouse holds Greengage ECOsmart Hotels and Venues accreditation (confirm current status with venue). Publicly referenced commitments include sustainable food and beverage practices and ongoing operational sustainability initiatives. Detailed sustainability reporting metrics are not publicly published.
Pricing notes
- Day delegate / day catering
- per person £38.50 - £55
- Note Indicative. Varies by space, date and event type and should be confirmed directly with the venue.
- The Bays 2027 wedding package
- Friday or Sunday room hire £3,900 inc VAT (min food & beverage spend £7,650 inc VAT)
- Saturday room hire £4,500 inc VAT (min food & beverage spend £8,500 inc VAT)
- Weekday weddings POA
- Note Indicative 2027 rates. Confirm current pricing with venue.
Space combinations
- Cotton Sheds (Shed A + B/C/D) Large conferences with breakout and exhibition space
- Bays + Skyhook + Cinema Conferences with breakout and screening
- Archives + Cellars Multi-room workshops and underground-style receptions
- Full venue takeover Exhibitions, festivals, large-scale corporate events
Wedding notes
- Ceremonies Licensed for civil ceremonies in The Bays and The Cotton Sheds, with a dedicated wedding team supporting planning and registrar liaison. Ceremony and dining capacities: Cotton Sheds up to 1,000 ceremony / up to 700 dining; The Bays up to 300 ceremony / up to 260 dining.
- Scale Known for large industrial-style weddings, alternative celebrations and LGBTQ+ weddings, with capacity scaling from The Bays up to full Cotton Sheds takeovers.
- Notes The Bays 2027 wedding package includes exclusive use with private bar; tables and chairs; black or white linen; cutlery, crockery and glassware; multicoloured pillar down lighting; PA system and two wireless microphones; cake stand, table and knife; specialist wedding team; and security. Evening private bar licensed until 00:30. Indicative 2027 rates: Friday or Sunday room hire £3,900 inc VAT (min food and beverage spend £7,650 inc VAT); Saturday £4,500 inc VAT (min food and beverage spend £8,500 inc VAT); weekday weddings POA. Wedding coordinators: 0161 974 0968 / specialevents@victoriawarehouse.com.
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Cotton Sheds
Flagship warehouse event complex for major conferences, exhibitions and large-scale productions The Cotton Sheds are Victoria Warehouse's largest and most recognisable event space, built in 1925 for cotton…
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Tobacco Stores
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The Archives
Basement event space with atmospheric industrial styling The Archives are a refurbished, urbanised basement with raw industrial charm, stripped-back brickwork and statement flooring. The space suits exhibitions, award…
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The Cellars
Flexible industrial basement space for meetings, receptions and breakout use Located alongside The Archives, the Cellars extend the venue's basement offering with adaptable layouts and an intimate industrial…
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The Skyhook
Bright, well-lit breakout and reception space with city views Named after the Trafford Park chain sculpture visible through its floor-to-ceiling windows, The Skyhook is a bright, airy space…
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The Cinema
Intimate screening and presentation room with original theatre seating The Cinema is the venue's smallest hireable room, restored with seating salvaged from an old Manchester theatre. It is…
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Capacity matrix
| Space | Standing | Theatre | Dining | Cabaret | Concert | Ceremony | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton Sheds | 2500 | 1650 | 900 | 720 | 5000 | - | Ask |
| Tobacco Stores | 1000 | - | - | - | - | - | Ask |
| The Bays | 400 | 300 | 260 | 140 | - | 300 | Ask |
| The Archives | 350 | 300 | 210 | 150 | - | - | Ask |
| The Cellars | 300 | 250 | 170 | 110 | - | - | Ask |
| The Skyhook | - | 70 | 50 | - | - | - | Ask |
| The Cinema | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | Ask |
Facilities and services
Facilities & Amenities
Getting there
Victoria Warehouse sits on Trafford Wharf Road beside Old Trafford stadium and close to MediaCityUK and Salford Quays.
AddressManchester, Greater Manchester
PostcodeM17 1AB
AreaManchester, North West
Nearest stationExchange Quay Metrolink — ~0.2 miles, 5 min walk
Good forAwards and galas, Christmas parties, Conferences, Corporate events, Exhibitions, Meeting rooms
- Exchange Quay Metrolink — 0.2 miles, 5-minute walk
- Pomona Metrolink — 0.3 miles, 6-minute walk; Trafford Bar — 0.5 miles, 11-minute walk
- Manchester city centre approximately 1.7 miles; MediaCityUK approximately 1.4 miles
- Old Trafford stadium adjacent
- On-site parking available subject to availability; arrangements and charges vary by event type — confirm with venue
Frequently asked questions
Is Victoria Warehouse good for conferences?
Yes. The venue is particularly well suited to conferences from around 100 delegates upwards, especially multi-track conferences needing breakout rooms, exhibitions, staging and networking space. The Cotton Sheds can support major conferences across multiple connected sheds.
Which space works best for gala dinners?
Shed A in the Cotton Sheds seats up to 900 for banqueting at large scale, while The Bays suits mid-scale dinners up to 190 with a strong pre-function space and built-in AV.
Can the venue be hired exclusively?
Yes. Victoria Warehouse supports both individual-space hire and full-venue takeovers for large-scale events and private functions.
Is it suitable for weddings?
Yes. The venue is licensed for civil ceremonies in The Bays and The Cotton Sheds, and is known for large industrial-style weddings, alternative celebrations and LGBTQ+ weddings.
Does the venue include AV and WiFi?
Complimentary WiFi is available throughout. The Cotton Sheds include staging, house lighting and audio infrastructure, while The Bays include a full built-in AV package with screens, projectors, PA, staging, lecterns, microphones and relay screens.
How easy is it to reach from central Manchester?
Very straightforward. Exchange Quay Metrolink is roughly a 5-minute walk, with Manchester city centre about 1.7 miles away.