Venue
This year’s conference is being held at Contact Theatre in Manchester. It’s on the south side of the city, close to Manchester University, with good transport links close by.
Access
The site has accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, a lift to all floors, and great coffee.
Parking isn’t generally available, but parking for disabled visitors can be arranged in advance. If this is something you need, please contact us.
Planning your trip
We’ve put together a shortlist of hotels and hostels in Manchester.
There are also some tips for people travelling by train, plane, car, or coach.
Don’t forget that if you’re travelling from outside the UK and don’t possess a UK passport you are likely to need an Electronic Travel Authorisation or visa.
Accommodation
Before choosing a place to stay, it’s worth bearing in mind how far it is from the venue and (if you think you might go) to the city centre.
Most hotels are within a 20-30 minute walk, but you can also use taxis, buses, or hop on a “Beryl bike” (Manchester’s bike hire scheme).
Hotels
There are a couple of hotels just over a 10 minute walk from the venue:
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Travelodge (Upper Brook Street) is a 12 minute walk to the east of the venue. While it’s nearby, note that if you’d like to venture into the city centre during your stay that it’s not quite so well located. For those arriving by train, it’s a 30 minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station.
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Hyatt Regency (4 star, so more expensive) is a similar distance away from the venue, but is closer to the city. It’s a 20 minute walk from Piccadilly station.
You’ve got more choice if you opt for a hotel close to the city centre. These are a 20-25 minute walk from the venue and about 10 minutes from Piccadilly station:
- ibis Manchester Centre on Portland Street (map)
- Holiday Inn Express on Oxford Road (map)
- Premier Inn Manchester Centre on Portland Street (map)
- Maldron Manchester City Centre on Charles Street (map)
- Pendulum Hotel on Sackville Street (map)
- Wilde Aparthotels on Dickinson St (map)
There are a lot of other choices if none of those take your fancy. This list of hotels will give you some more ideas (the most expensive ones are at the top, with a budget-friendly section further down the page).
Hostels
The Manchester YHA is in a nice location. It’s a 40 minute walk to the venue, 20 minutes to Oxford Road station, 30 minutes to Piccadilly station, and 35 minutes to Victoria station.
The Malacuna Hostel (previously known as Hilton Chambers) is also worth considering. It’s on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, which is where you’ll find an eclectic mix of shops, plenty of bars, and lots of restaurants (it can be quite lively in the evenings). It’s on the far side of the city centre from the venue, so a 40 minute walk away (or 10 minutes on a Beryl bike). But it’s only an 11 minute walk to Piccadilly station, or 12 minutes to Victoria station.
Getting here
By Train
Manchester has three major city-centre train stations:
- Manchester Piccadilly – a 20-minute walk, 10 minutes by taxi, or 10–15 minutes by bus or Beryl bike
- Manchester Oxford Road – a 10-minute walk to Contact Theatre, or 3 minutes by taxi
- Manchester Victoria – approximately 30 minutes by public transport or 15–20 minutes by taxi
To get to Contact Theatre from Piccadilly, you can:
- Take a bus from Piccadilly Gardens towards Oxford Road and get off at the University of Manchester
- Rent a Beryl bike or e-bike
- Take a taxi or rideshare directly to the venue
By Car
Contact Theatre does not have public parking. The adjacent car park is for permit holders only, but Contact Theatre recommend:
- University of Manchester’s Cecil Street car park – 5-minute walk or 2-minute taxi ride (tariffs are listed here)
- Q-Park Manchester Hospitals – 10–15-minute walk or 5–7 minutes by taxi
Other options include:
- Q-Park First Street – 20-minute walk or 7–10 minutes by taxi
- NCP Oxford Street / NCP Palace – 10–15-minute walk or 5–8 minutes by taxi
NOTE: Private cars are prohibited on the section of Oxford Road adjacent to Contact Theatre every day between 9am and 6pm, with a £70 penalty charge for vehicles that enter. Sections of Oxford Road are also one-way – see the Council’s map of the bus gates for more details.
By Bus or Tram
Manchester has an extensive and accessible public transport network. Many buses run along Oxford Road, close to Contact Theatre, including the 143, 142, and 43.
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Buses: Get off at the University of Manchester stop, just a short distance from Contact Theatre.
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Trams: Trams (Metrolink) don’t stop directly at Oxford Road, but you can take a tram to Deansgate-Castlefield or St Peter’s Square, then connect by bus or taxi (approx. 5–10 minutes).
You can plan your journey with Transport for Greater Manchester, which offers real-time route planning and accessibility info.
By Coach
National Express and Megabus coaches arrive at Manchester Coach Station (Chorlton Street).
It’s about a 25-minute walk, or 8–10 minutes by taxi.
You can also take a bus from nearby Portland Street to the University of Manchester stop.
By Plane
Flying into Manchester Airport?
- Take a direct train to Oxford Road or Piccadilly (15–20 minutes), followed by a taxi or bus to the venue
- The Metrolink tram connects the airport with the city centre in around 35–45 minutes
- A taxi or rideshare from the airport takes around 25–30 minutes, depending on traffic
By Bike
You can rent a Beryl bike (which can be found around the city) after downloading the Beryl app.
There are Dutch-style cycle lanes along Oxford Road.
By Canal Boat
Arriving by canal? You can moor at Castlefield Basin, which is about a:
- 25-minute walk to Contact Theatre
- 8-minute taxi ride or 15–20 minutes by bus or Beryl bike
Let us know if you’re joining us by water — we’d love to hear about it!