The Monastery hosts conferences and gala dinners for up to 450 guests, weddings for up to 400 and meetings for 2 to 55 delegates, in the Great Nave and rooms of a restored Franciscan church in Gorton, east Manchester. It is run as a non-profit social initiative, and income from events goes back into the building and its community program.
Seminars and company events
The Great Nave is the main room for large business events. It takes formal seating for up to 450 guests for banquets, gala dinners and awards, and the same number of delegates for a conference, with a minimum of 100. Smaller groups use the dedicated meeting rooms, set up in several styles for 2 to 55 delegates, and the central garden serves for breaks between sessions.
Presentations can be shared from a phone or tablet through an Apple TV linked to an HD screen, and Wi-Fi is free. A lighting rig is installed for evening events, a 4D immersive pod can be hired, and augmented reality can be added to a program. The venue presents its corporate offer as responsible business: booking an event supports the charitable trust behind the building, which also funds free events, courses and activities for local people.
Weddings and receptions
The Monastery is licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies, and couples do not need a religious service. It takes parties of up to 400 guests. In the Great Nave, the wedding breakfast can be set for about 70 among the pillars or for up to 350 across the whole space, with a stage for evening dancing. Exclusive use for the full day is offered on Fridays and Saturdays. From Sunday to Thursday, weekday weddings run from afternoon into evening with a twilight ceremony. The venue also welcomes multi-faith and LGBTQ+ weddings.
Rooms and capacities
Great Nave: up to 450 seated for banquets or conferences, up to 350 for a wedding breakfast, ceiling just under 100 feet high. Meeting rooms: 2 to 55 delegates. A Secret Garden and a central garden complete the site, and a floor plan can be downloaded from the website.
Catering
The website does not say whether catering is in-house or provided by outside caterers. Menus for banquets, private dinners and wedding breakfasts are arranged with the events team. The Welcome Café is on site.
History and setting
The church and friary of St Francis were designed by Edward Welby Pugin, with the Franciscan lay brother Patrick Dalton overseeing the work. Belgian friars arrived in Manchester in 1861, and the first stone of the church was laid on June 9, 1866. The last Mass was said on November 26, 1989, after which the empty building suffered from vandalism. A trust formed in 1996 by Elaine and Paul Griffiths saved it, the site was placed on the World Monuments Watch list in 1997, and restoration followed in 2005 with heritage lottery and European regional funding. Stained glass windows and stone columns frame the nave.
Getting there
The address is Gorton Lane, Manchester M12 5WF. Ashburys station is about 3 minutes by train from Manchester Piccadilly, followed by a 10-minute walk. Buses 53 and 205 from Piccadilly stop outside. Free parking is available on the grounds, and the building has disabled access. Manchester Airport is the nearest airport.
