Budget-luxe and design-led hotel and diner brand, Mollie’s, has openedd its third and largest site to date in Manchester, located in a legendary building. Located in the Old Granada TV Studios in Manchester, the first purpose-built television studio in the UK, Mollie’s occupies 100,000sq ft of the 1950s landmark.
Bringing a social hub to the city where people can work, stay, and play, the Manchester location will be Mollie’s first city centre site, following on from their roadside motel-and-diner sites in Oxfordshire and Bristol. Prices start from £109 per night and there will be 106 rooms across five floors, ranging from classic doubles and twins, bunk rooms and interconnecting family, to studios and several luxe suites featuring freestanding bathtubs, walk-in wardrobes and Peloton bikes. The new city motel and diner shares the building with Soho House, a member’s club featuring a rooftop pool, which occupies the building’s top three floors.
The Old Granada TV Studios have been “imaginatively re-invented”
Designed by architect Ralph Tubbs for Cecil and Sidney Bernstein, the founders of Granada TV, the studios opened back in 1956. According to the hotel brand, the iconic building has been “imaginatively re-invented”. Mollie’s has preserved the modernist, glass and grey-granite façade and made playful nods to the building’s history, while also working with a series of local Manchester-based artists to create bespoke artworks for the rooms and public spaces.
The studio’s glowing red Granada sign was removed in 2010 and is now housed in Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum. The old sign is replaced by Mollie’s signature playful red neon lettering.
What to expect at Mollie’s Motel & Diner in Manchester
From dark wood panelling to Dyson Airwraps
The motel rooms at Mollie’s Manchester give a contemporary nod to the building’s architectural heritage with dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes, rainshowers and super king beds. You’ll also find Mollie’s latest technology and renowned touchpoints, including Dyson Airwraps and hairdryers, GHD straighteners, and Cowshed products.
A modern take on the retro-American diner
The ground floor features the classically designed, elevated Mollie’s diner with 140+ seats and a private dining room. The diner features dark wood, brass finishes, and a mid-century look inspired by the building’s modernist architecture and its roots in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Offering a modern take on the retro-American diner, guests can choose to dine at classic counter seating or relax into luxe leather banquettes inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac. There are also some new dishes on the menu, including salt beef and New Yorker sandwiches, lobster rolls, and a peanut butter and jelly pie.
Plenty of work spaces
Also on the ground floor is a lounge-lobby that combines bar, food-on-the-go, sociable co-working space, and an informal living-room vibe. Plus, guests can find private work spaces featuring meeting rooms and lounges available for exclusive hire.
Live music, VIP bar, snug, and an outdoor heated terrace
Downstairs, Mollie’s large, open-plan cocktail bar with live music and entertainment is be available for guests to enjoy. The space includes a private-hire green room, VIP bar and snug, and an outdoor heated terrace. With music being at the heart of the Old Granada Studios – both the Beatles and the Sex Pistols made their first TV appearances here – Mollie’s aims to celebrate Manchester’s music scene with its own live-stage performance venue.
How to book Mollie’s Manchester
Room prices start from £109 per night and Mollie’s Motel will open its doors in Manchester in early 2026. You can sign up to hear more about Mollie’s Manchester here.
Where to find Mollie’s Motel & Diner in Manchester
Mollie’s Manchester is part of St John’s neighbourhood, set on the once-industrial quays of the River Irwell, between Castlefield, Spinningfields, and Manchester Central. Deansgate Station, Manchester Opera House, and the Museum of Science and Industry are all within walking distance of the motel and diner.
📍Mollie’s Motel & Diner, Old Granada Studios, 4 Atherton St, Manchester M3 3GS.