As time has gone on, the worlds of business and leisure have collided to create a trend known as “bleisure”. With that in mind, Real Business travelled to the city of Manchester to find out what this development involves.
The location was selected following the British Business Bank’s launch of a £400m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund to drive SME growth in the North of England.
During our time in the city of Manchester, an entrepreneurial hotspot of the north, we observed how leaders heading there on business can make the most of their stay in luxury, covering travel, accommodation and recreation.
Travel: From A to B
The drive from London to Manchester will take in the region of four hours, but Virgin Trains can get travellers there in little over two hours at speeds of up to 125mph a pace traffic police may have something to say to any drivers attempting similar swiftness.
Single fares start at £20 for standard class and £42 for first class, the latter of which will come with access to an exclusive lounge before departure.
Meanwhile, the journey will be helped along with complimentary food, soft drinks and alcohol, as well as WiFi and charging points.
Virgin estimates productive time for train journeys at 80 per cent compared with 25 per cent for air travel and five per cent for travel by carThe frequency of Virgin trains at Manchester Piccadilly Station from London to the city alone are every 20 minutes at peak times, so combined with arrivals from other destinations it’s safe to say that taxis are in regular supply.
But for those that don’t fancy waiting in line at the taxi rank, on-demand services such as Uber have a strong presence in the city of Manchester, so those seeking that added bit of luxury can choose a ride from the Premium section of the app, which includes cars such as Mercedes-Benz.
But where to stay in the city of Manchester” On the next page, we talk about the newly opened and sophisticated option we selected.
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