Historical mill to reopen as entertainment venue

An historical cotton mill is set to reopen as an entertainment venue following a £3m refurbishment.

Described as a "socialising day-to-night" venue, Factory Floor officially opens on Thursday inside Grade II-listed Eckersley Mill as part of the Cotton Works complex in Wigan.

Owner The Heaton Group said it had transformed the mill into a large "social playground" featuring darts and shuffleboard as well as beer pong and retro arcade games, immersive industrial design, street food and a bar.

Managing director John Heaton said seeing the mill "open and full of life again is incredibly rewarding".

Dating back to 1884, Mill One at Eckersley Mill was the first mill built on the historic Eckersley site, once one of the largest cotton mills in the north-west of England.

At the heart of the venue, which holds about 350 guests, sits a striking feature bar, surrounded by flexible social spaces designed to shift from daytime games to being a lively party destination with DJs, dancers and disco lighting.

Each week, on Friday and Saturday nights, it will play host to dancers and DJs spinning retro disco and dance tracks from 21:00 to 01:00.

Details of themed events to be announced in coming weeks include Gatsby evenings, Abba parties and DJ takeovers.

The opening marks another milestone for The Cotton Works, which continues to grow as a destination for hospitality, culture and community in Wigan.

The Heaton Group said Factory Floor had created 20 new jobs, bring its team across the site to about 60 employees.

Already operating within the development is The Three Mills, outdoor food and drink market Feast at The Mills, and creative workspace Weave Co-Working, which opened last summer.

Heaton said: "Factory Floor is all about bringing people together for shared experiences in a space that feels exciting while still respecting the incredible history of Eckersley Mill.

"We've transformed part of this historic building into somewhere people can play, eat, drink and celebrate under one roof."

He added: "Seeing it now open and full of life again is incredibly rewarding."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.