Stylish restaurants have been popping up at the burgeoning Deansgate Square district in Manchester city centre in recent weeks. Kitten - a Japanese restaurant with striking interior - opened its doors this weekend and follows in the footsteps of Salvi’s and The Green Lab.
The Square is becoming more of a destination for people to visit from across the city, but also a vibrant neighbourhood for the residents who live in the cluster of skyscrapers above. There are four shiny glass towers in total - with South Tower being the tallest residential building in Manchester at 67 storeys high.
You may have seen pictures of eye-opening sunsets taken from the apartments shared on Instagram, or you may have been passing by and wondered what it’s actually like to live there. Well for Ella Gorton, her two-bedroom rented apartment isn’t just a flat, it's a lifestyle, and reminds her of holidays in Dubai.
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The 28-year-old lives with her 31-year-old boyfriend Charles, who has found the central accommodation a good transition from living in London. “It wouldn’t look out of place in Dubai, it just gives me that elite hotel vibe," she says. Laughing, she adds: "If you put a casino in there it would fit in Vegas easily."
Ella, who owns My Skin Story skin clinic, previously lived with her parents in Swinton before moving into the apartment in the North Tower last August. She had a preconceived idea that all flats were “dingy” but says Deansgate Square felt different.
“When my boyfriend mentioned getting an apartment instead of buying a house, I was against the idea at first,” she explains. “We viewed a few different ones but I just couldn’t imagine myself there, until I walked into Deansgate Square.
“We hadn’t even walked into the rooms, it was just being there, I was like ‘okay I can see myself here.’ The couple pay around £2,000 in total for rent, bills, and council tax.
Ella argues it’s worth the cost for the convenient location, which has its own beautiful corner shop General Store, and the facilities - which include a 20m swimming pool; a vitality pool; a sauna and steam room; a gym; a sports hall for 5-a-side football; a spin studio; and a yoga studio.
She also speaks of the treatment rooms available where you can book a massage, or you can hire out pods to work in. There are also suites available to book that come with a kitchen and lounge if you have a big group of friends visiting, for example.
Sometimes, Ella will work from home in the Tea Room - a relaxing co-working space for residents. On what she would say to people who question the price of it, she says: “It comes with the territory of renting, you’re always going to have larger outgoings, but because of the lifestyle we now have, it counteracts that price.
“It’s just nice being able to go downstairs and able to get a coffee from Atomeca then go to the gym without a 30-minute commute to get there. There is no excuse not to exercise.
"When we buy a house, we’re going to have to convert a garage into a gym because we can’t imagine having to go to a gym anymore. We’ve got so used to the novelty."
She adds: "There is a neighbourhood feel now. Charles, who moved up from London, has met people from the gym, by seeing similar faces in the lift, there is a community feel.
“All residents use an app, which is a bit of an eBay with people selling things when they move out or selling gig tickets. There’s a community feel with that as well.”
A typical Saturday for the couple would start with a walk around Castlefield and the locks, followed by breakfast at Federal. Ella might pick up some flowers from florist Flourish just downstairs from their apartment before the pair hit the gym, sauna and steam room.
If it’s nice outside, they will spend time chilling out at the 18,000 sq ft landscaped rooftop. In the evening, they’d order a Deliveroo takeaway or head downstairs to one of the nearby restaurants, or head further into Manchester city centre.
While it may seem like only young influencers and models live in the towers from online snaps, Ella says there is a mix of residents, including young professionals and families. She and Charles are on an 18-month contract but can see themselves staying longer and starting a family there.
“I’ve spoken to a few couples who have said it’s easy to have kids here, so I could see us having kids here. We will be extending our contract.
“It is a lifestyle; it’s a way of life. When I wake up or when I get home, I feel so lucky and grateful and don’t take it for granted”.
Another resident who feels like he has hit the jackpot is Thomas Harry Eaves, who rents a two-bedroom furnished apartment in the West Tower with his partner. Since moving in last month, he hasn’t felt the need to cook.
“The easy access to food and drink is amazing, I literally haven’t cooked yet,” he says. The couple put off buying a property to be able to experience a taste of city living.
They previously lived in Didsbury and then Romiley in Stockport, and felt they missed being able to dine out regularly. “My partner had never lived in a city centre and he had always wanted to do it.
“We were actually looking for a house to buy in Whaley Bridge but he felt that if he didn’t do Manchester first he would regret it, so we’ve paused buying our forever home.
“We signed up to a one-year contract at Deansgate Square, however, we love it and feel we will be here longer.” The pair, both 28, pay £1,500 per month, with an additional charge of £50 for their pooch.
This price includes their bespoke furnishings, which James says are high-quality and stylish. The couple both work at the salon Thomas owns in Marple Bridge - Harry Thomas Hairdressing.
Before driving to work in his electric car, which he can charge in the building using free tokens, Thomas starts his day with a swim and sauna. Like Ella, he believes the rent price is worth it when compared to other rental properties in Greater Manchester.
“I don’t personally think it’s that expensive,” he says. “I was in a two-bedroom detached house before in Romiley costing £1,000 a month and then I paid for exercise classes and gym membership on top.
“Add on travel costs too - whereas here I can walk loads and fit much more into my day, it actually cost me more in total before!”
He highlights little details like their wine fridge, and a friendly concierge team that remembers you, for making it feel like luxury living. The only downside, he says, is the year-long waiting list for the carpark.
“Living in the West Tower is very zen, you feel a constant feeling of being on holiday in a nice hotel,” he adds. “It’s got a sense of magic about it.”
In the South and East Towers, apartments are available to buy. Of the last remaining few for sale, a 1150sq ft three-bedroom standard apartment is available from £482,000 while a two-bedroom special apartment, spanning 1770sq ft, will set you back from £900,000.
Personal chef Jev Kristopans bought one of the two-bedroom furnished apartments with his wife when they first went on the market in April 2021. The 31-year-old, who says the property is an investment, was impressed by the high-spec kitchens.
“It was very important to me as I like creating and I’m always trying something new at home to later bring to my menus,” he says. “I love to use the Tea Room, I love to sit there with a coffee and my laptop and create new dishes for my menus and projects, also there are the amazing private rooms for when I’m doing cook-offs and photoshoots.”
Jev and his wife had been living in Manchester for around 10 years before the high towers of Deansgate Square caught their attention. He says that within 10 minutes of viewing the complex, he knew he had to live there.
“The concierge team are so friendly, always happy to assist with everything you need or they can just smile and say ‘good morning’ and it has already made my day,” he says. Jev argues the location is the best in the city, combining close proximity to amenities but at the same time there is a sense of “calm”.
“Tell me, what else do you need in your life? Where is the best place in Manchester? I’m calling Deansgate Square - we have everything here and more," he claims. "From the first step to the apartment door, it’s impressive; the Manchester view from the window, it’s stylish; it gives me lots of inspiration and creativity for my work.”
Laughing, he adds: “ Living in the towers you feel like a king”.
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