Ecommerce giant Booking.com has outlined plans to open a new global HQ in Manchester as part of plans to invest £100 million in the city.
The company has struck a deal for 222,000 sq ft of space at Allied London’s St John’s Quarter scheme for its ground transportation division, Rentalcars.com.
The 12-year letting represents an investment of £100 million over the next decade with the business becoming the anchor tenant of the Enterprise City tech campus.
As part of the move, Booking.com’s four existing city centre sites in 201 Deansgate, Sunlight House, and 35 and 42 Fountain Street will be consolidated into the new building.
“We are committed to the city of Manchester and to its future as one of Europe’s largest and most important tech hubs,” said Ian Brown (pictured below), chief executive of Booking.com’s transport division.”
He added: “Our operations in Manchester form a critical part of our global infrastructure and we have big ambitions to grow here over the next 12 years.
“To do this, we need to continue to invest in our people, our offices and technology, and our local community – not least in education and enterprise.”
Work on Manchester Goods Yard will begin this year and the office is set to be completed in 2020. It will be Booking.com’s second largest location outside of its Amsterdam hub.
Mike Ingall, chief executive of Allied London, said: “We have formed a great working relationship with the senior management at Booking.com, which has enabled us to reinforce the company’s commitment to Manchester.
“Enterprise City at St. John’s provides vital infrastructure to creative, digital and tech companies, across ten buildings in total. We’re proud to be working with companies such as Booking.com at Enterprise City, ensuring the cluster will have an international role in the tech and media sectors.”
The deal was hailed by Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese, who described the announcement as a “major vote of confidence in Manchester”.
“As the anchor tenant in Enterprise City, Booking.com’s ground transport global headquarters will also help stimulate Europe’s fastest growing tech and creative hub,” he added.
Property consultants OBI acted on behalf of Booking.com.