Christmas Party Venues in Manchester: 9 Venues to Book
Manchester has a wide spread of places for a Christmas party. A city centre bar suits a team of 30, a museum gallery gives a company dinner a more unusual setting, and a football stadium has the space for several hundred guests. The list below sets out nine venues, with room capacities as each one lists them on venues.org.uk, so you can shortlist by group size and style of evening.
Before you book, check four things:
✓ Capacity for your whole group, in a seated or standing layout
✓ Food and drink: in-house dining or a bar on site, and dietary options
✓ Access (step-free) and the nearest tram or train station
✓ Whether the venue lists Christmas parties among the events it hosts
Our one Featured venue in Manchester comes first, with an At a glance block that answers these checks. The other eight are listed under Christmas parties on venues.org.uk, with a short summary each.
Quick picks
- King’s House Conference Centre: an awards evening or sit-down dinner for a large team
- Manchester United Football Club: large Christmas parties, award ceremonies and gala dinners at Old Trafford
- Hotel Football: a rooftop pitch and on-site dining opposite Old Trafford
- Science and Industry Museum: dining among historic galleries in Castlefield
- IWM North: receptions and dinners on The Quays
- Banyan Corn Exchange: private dining and karaoke parties in the Corn Exchange
- BOX Deansgate: a sports bar with spaces from 50 to 550 guests
- The Snow Centre Manchester: a licensed lodge bar beside indoor snow slopes
- Manahatta Deansgate: private rooms from 15 to 125 guests on Deansgate
1. King’s House Conference Centre, Oxford Road
Featured venue
King’s House is a purpose-operated conference centre near Oxford Road in Manchester city centre, with six event spaces across three floors. It is listed under Awards and galas, and its First Floor Hall is a period-style hall with high ceilings, suited to workshops and banquets. Conference surplus supports Homes of Hope, a Manchester homelessness charity, which matters to many charities, public-sector organisations and values-led businesses when they choose a supplier.
Best for: awards evenings and seated dinners for large teams, and charity or public-sector groups.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: Auditorium 600 theatre, 350 dining, 350 classroom; First Floor Hall 220 theatre, 207 dining, 161 cabaret; Seminar Room 1 90 theatre, 72 dining; Seminar Room 3/4 Combined 85 theatre, 72 dining; Seminar Room 2 48 theatre, 36 dining; Additional Spaces next to the Auditorium for a green room, cloakroom or breakout use
✓ AV: The Auditorium has a professional d&b audiotechnik PA system, a 10-metre projection wall, stage lighting and livestreaming capability, which suits an awards presentation. Building-wide superfast WiFi is included
✓ Catering: Provided through local catering companies, with menus arranged through the venue’s events team. Hot buffets are available for up to around 400, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free requirements can be met
✓ Access and transport: A passenger lift serves all floors, with step-free access throughout and accessible toilets. Manchester Oxford Road station is about six minutes’ walk and St Peter’s Square Metrolink about ten. There is no on-site parking
See the rooms at King’s House Conference Centre
2. Manchester United Football Club, Old Trafford
Old Trafford has event spaces for hire in its stands and quads, and the venue lists Christmas parties, award ceremonies and gala dinners among the events it hosts. The Manchester Suite takes up to 1,100 people, the International Suite up to 600, and Salford Bar & Kitchen and the Trafford Suite up to 300 each. Old Trafford Metrolink station is a five-minute walk and is fully accessible for wheelchair users. See Manchester United Football Club on venues.org.uk
3. Hotel Football, Sir Matt Busby Way
Hotel Football is at 99 Sir Matt Busby Way, opposite Old Trafford, and is listed under Christmas parties. It has six event spaces, including Heaven, a rooftop pitch used for birthdays, DJ events, matches and corporate parties. Cafe Football provides on-site dining. See Hotel Football on venues.org.uk
4. Science and Industry Museum, Castlefield
At the Museum of Science and Industry, the Revolution Manchester Gallery and Power Hall let guests dine among some of the world’s oldest exhibits from science and engineering, including the first stored computer. The purpose-built Conference Centre sits on the second floor of a Grade II listed building in the Great Western Warehouse. The venue hire team arranges catering and entertainment, and the museum is listed under Christmas parties. See the Science and Industry Museum on venues.org.uk
5. IWM North, The Quays
IWM North is listed under Christmas parties and is available for parties, dinners and drinks receptions. The Main Exhibition Space suits receptions, award ceremonies and dinners, with a 360 degree HD digital projection system, and on-site technicians work with you to create the setting. The WaterShard is a 250 sqm space with views of MediaCityUK and The Quays, and it divides into three rooms. Complimentary on-site car parking is included with room hire. See IWM North on venues.org.uk
6. Banyan Corn Exchange, city centre
Banyan Corn Exchange is a bar and kitchen in the historic Corn Exchange building, a short walk from the major tram and train stations and near the Exchange Square tram stop. It hosts private dining, karaoke parties and corporate events, and the private dining rooms have a Singa karaoke system. The Restaurant takes 130 and The Root takes 60, and the cocktail bars can hold up to 150 guests as a whole. The venue is wheelchair accessible, with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. See Banyan Corn Exchange on venues.org.uk
7. BOX Deansgate, Deansgate
BOX Deansgate is a sports bar on Deansgate with private hire spaces for parties and business events. The Shufflebox takes 50 guests, the Upstairs Bar takes 200, and the entire venue lists a capacity of 550. It has 35 HD screens showing live sport, free Wi-Fi, a food menu with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, and wheelchair access. See BOX Deansgate on venues.org.uk
8. The Snow Centre Manchester, Trafford City
The Snow Centre Manchester (formerly Chill Factore) is at 7 Trafford Way, with function spaces beside its indoor snow slopes. The Lodge Bar & Kitchen is fully licensed and takes 50 or more guests for partial or exclusive hire, and the catering options include private dining and evening receptions. Exclusive hire can also cover the slopes, and an events team helps plan the booking. See The Snow Centre Manchester on venues.org.uk
9. Manahatta Deansgate, Deansgate
Manahatta Deansgate is a bar at 188-192 Deansgate with private hire rooms for parties, celebrations and private dining. The Argyll Suite seats 65 and holds 125, the Drivers Lounge seats 14 and holds 30, the Oval seats 10 and holds 30, and the Library seats 10 and holds 15. Free Wi-Fi is available. See Manahatta Deansgate on venues.org.uk
Choosing the right venue
Start with group size, because the capacities above run from a 15-person library to a suite for 1,100. A team of 15 to 60 is well served by the private rooms at Manahatta Deansgate, Banyan Corn Exchange or The Shufflebox at BOX Deansgate. Groups of 100 to 300 have more choice, including the Argyll Suite, the Upstairs Bar and the larger Old Trafford spaces, and a company of several hundred can look at the First Floor Hall or Auditorium at King’s House.
Next, decide what kind of evening you want. A bar gives you a lively, informal party, a museum or exhibition space suits a seated dinner, and a conference centre such as King’s House suits an awards presentation followed by a meal. You contact each venue direct and we charge no commission, so you can ask about your date and your numbers from your first enquiry.
You can browse every listing on our party venues in Manchester page and our venues in Manchester page.
