X marks our latest collaboration, a new tile and coaster for the Stock Exchange Hotel on Norfolk Street, Central Manchester. The Grade II listed building was erected in 1904 to house Manchester’s very own stock exchange which had been up and running for the best part of half a century by that point. It carried on trading all the way up until 1973, albeit most of that as the broader Northern Stock Exchange, before London’s dominance forced it to close.
It spent the next few decades in the doldrums as office space, but in 2015 it was restored to its iconic grandeur by two appropriately iconic new owners – Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The gorgeous Edwardian Baroque architecture has been lovingly restored under their stewardship including all the original brass, woodwork, and marble, to create one of the best overnight stays the city has to offer.
Gary is one of the city’s most vocal and high profile champions, particularly when it comes to social responsibility. And now, while the Stock Exchange brings the essence of luxury and the essence of Manchester together beautifully, there is an interesting side note. When the hotel was squatted by a homeless activism group just after they took ownership, Neville and Giggs supported their campaign to provide rough sleepers with winter clothes and allowed them to stay till the following spring.
Our new tile design for the hotel has sought to capture the architectural style of the original building, whilst also reflecting the spirit of the contemporary refit. By integrating the columns and typography found at the entrance, and the marble, balustrades and windows visible throughout the interiors, it conveys a strong sense of the ambience, finished neatly with a nod to the stylised X featured in the hotel’s own logo.
As well as being sold in the hotel, some of these new tiles and coasters will be gifted to VIP guests.
