With a rich history and exciting future, First Street is the place to gather, work, live, and enjoy; a natural home for culture, creativity and success, it’s where the big city meets and communities thrive.
From 1825, the First Street site was home to the Gaythorn Gas Works for over 100 years. And what is now known as N0.1 Tony Wilson Place was first erected for the British Council which they occupied between 1992 and 1995. In 1997, BT leased the building until it was acquired and underwent a complete refurbishment in 2007, taking it back to its core and adding two floors. This coincided with a huge remediation programme to prepare the remainder of the site for development, and with a Manchester City Council endorsed masterplan in place, the area is now established as the First Street neighbourhood.
During mjf, the site is transformed with three free stages: the outdoor House of Social Main Stage in Tony Wilson Place outside HOME; the outdoor Ask Garden Stage on James Grigor Square behind Tony Wilson Place, and the HOME Stage inside the HOME bar area. Limited seating is available at each.