thestudio

thestudio, Agile Manchester's venue in the Northern Quarter The coffee bar inside thestudio

The venue

thestudio sits in The Hive, in the heart of the Northern Quarter, a stone's throw from independent traders, great food and drink, and Manchester's creative community. Agile Manchester has exclusive access to thestudio for the full duration of the event, including seasonal food cooked fresh on site - more on that here.

Getting there

Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria are both around 10 minutes on foot, and Piccadilly Gardens tram stop is 5 minutes away. Manchester Airport connects the city to the rest of the world.

Staying over

There is a Premier Inn a short walk away, plus hundreds more choices across the city centre. See the Accommodation section below for details.

A characterful space in Manchester's most independent-minded neighbourhood - practical, hands-on, and designed to help great conversations happen.

Visit thestudio's website

Getting here

thestudio is in Manchester's Northern Quarter, easy to reach from across the UK and beyond.

By train

Two main stations within walking distance - Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria, both around 10 minutes on foot.

By tram

Piccadilly Gardens is a 5 minute walk away and provides the best Metrolink connections to the rest of the city.

By plane

Manchester Airport offers worldwide connections from a range of airlines, and is around 20 minutes from the city centre by train or tram.

By car

From the Inner Ring Road (Great Ancoats Street) turn into Newton Street, take the 5th right onto Hilton Street, then right onto Lever Street. thestudio is number 51, The Hive, the 3rd entrance on the left.

Parking

No parking at the venue itself. The nearest car park is Church Street Car Park (M4 1LX), and the closest accessible parking is on Port Street, just around the corner from Lever Street.

Accessibility

Step-free access and accessible facilities at thestudio, and accessible parking on Port Street. Get in touch if there's anything that would make your visit easier.

Easy to reach. Worth the journey.

Manchester Airport connects directly to cities across Europe and worldwide - no London changeover needed - and fast, frequent trains link Manchester with the rest of the UK.

London
2h 07 by train
(Euston)
Leeds & Liverpool
An hour
by train
Edinburgh & Glasgow
around 3h 15
by direct train
Dublin
under 1 hour
direct flight
Amsterdam & Paris
around 1h 30
direct flight
Worldwide
direct flights from
Manchester Airport, the UK's third busiest

Travelling within the UK? The train beats flying on carbon by a wide margin, and both Piccadilly and Victoria stations are a 10 minute walk from the venue - no transfers, no taxis.

Accommodation

If you are staying over, the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly area have plenty of options within a short walk of thestudio - here are a few we would point you to.

Premier Inn Manchester City Centre (Piccadilly)

City centre - short walk to the venue

A reliable, well-priced option a few minutes from thestudio. If you are coming with a team and need 10 or more rooms, Premier Inn offer a group booking service.

Our Special Rate via HotelRes

Exclusive conference rate

Book through our dedicated HotelRes page to access the special rate we have arranged for participants.

Book via HotelRes

More options on Booking.com

Every budget - city centre and beyond

Manchester city centre has hundreds of hotels, aparthotels and budget stays. Search around the M1 postcode area to stay within walking distance of the venue.

Search Manchester hotels

Need help with accommodation? Feel free to contact us and we will do our best to point you in the right direction.

Explore Manchester

thestudio sits in the Northern Quarter - the most independent-minded corner of the city, full of coffee shops, record stores, street art and some of the best food in the North. You will not need to go far, but if you do, Manchester rewards it. If you are making the trip, make the most of it.

Coffee in Manchester's Northern Quarter

Places to eat and drink

All within a few minutes of the venue:

  • Companio Bakery - right next door, sourdough and pastries worth the short trip
  • Mackie Mayor - food hall in a restored 1858 market, something for everyone
  • Rudy's - Neapolitan pizza that started right here in Ancoats
  • Bundobust - Indian street food and craft beer

See more at Northern Quarter Manchester or Manchester Confidential.

The reading room at John Rylands Library, Manchester

Culture and sights

Manchester has something for everyone:

Full list at Visit Manchester.

Castlefield canal basin in Manchester

The great outdoors

Castlefield Viaduct is a Victorian railway viaduct reborn as a sky garden - the National Trust's most urban outpost, and free to visit.

A little further out, RHS Garden Bridgewater is 154 acres of restored gardens, one of the biggest gardening projects in Europe, about 20 minutes from the city centre.

Got longer? The Peak District National Park starts half an hour away by train - Edale and Kinder Scout are doable as a day trip, no car needed.

The music city

Joy Division, The Smiths, Oasis, the Haçienda - this city soundtracked half a century, and the Northern Quarter is still its beating heart.

  • Band on the Wall - legendary venue, two minutes from thestudio
  • Night & Day Café - where new Manchester bands get their start
  • Vinyl hunting - the Northern Quarter's record shops are among the UK's best

Stay for the weekend

The conference finishes on Thursday - perfect timing to make a long weekend of it. Football, gigs, galleries, the Peak District on your doorstep, and more good restaurants than you could manage in a month.

Explore Manchester on Visit Manchester

Find us

thestudio Manchester

The Hive
51 Lever Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester
M1 1FN

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Ready to join us?

Agile Manchester 2027

Prices rise as the event gets closer - the earlier you book, the less you pay.