The developers planning to transform The Hotspur Press into student flats say they are ‘truly heartbroken’ by a ‘horrific fire’ that destroyed the Victorian mill.
An inferno erupted at the building, in the city centre, at 4.30pm on Monday (June 23), which spread to neighbouring blocks of flats and stopped railway services to and from Oxford Road station.
More than 100 residents were evacuated, and one block still has not returned home as of Wednesday evening, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands. Earlier in the day, the fire service said crews were still dowsing the blaze and confirmed the mill will now need to be partially demolished.
Now, two days after the fire, the developer behind the plans to regenerate The Hotspur Press has broken its silence.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Like all of Manchester, it was truly heartbreaking for us to watch the horrific fire spread through The Hotspur Press on Monday.
“Over the last two years we have worked conscientiously to develop a plan for the regeneration of The Hotspur Press that would celebrate its rich history and heritage. We are absolutely devastated to see the extent of the damage that has been caused, and it is incredibly hard to come to terms with what is now left of this important building.
“Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected, and we thank the fire crews who have worked tirelessly at the scene to bring the fire under control.
“We are now assisting the emergency services with the investigation to understand the cause of the fire and will continue to liaise closely with Manchester City Council and local residents in this part of the city.”
Manner’s plans included retaining the facade and iconic ‘Percy Brothers’ signage at the mill, which closed as a printing press in 1996 and fell into dereliction in the intervening decades.
A student tower, clad in bronze, was set to rise above the facade to a height of 36-storeys. An earlier version of the project, with the tower clad in brick, was given planning permission in May 2024.
