Transaction Agreed With Independent Bank Sees Express Building Fully Let
27 June 2025The Express Building in Ancoats, Manchester has achieved full occupancy following the completion of a 23,000 sq ft transaction on the final two floors to DF Capital, a specialist savings and commercial lending bank, under a 10-year lease agreement.
DF Capital, which provides award-winning commercial finance solutions and savings products to consumers and small businesses, are currently the first and only independent bank to have its headquarters based in Manchester. The team of 130 were previously located on Oxford Street before the move.
Originally built in 1939, for the Daily Express newspaper, the restoration of the grade II* listed Express Building was completed in 2019 and now boasts over 77,500 sq ft of contemporary workspace. Whittington are current owners of the building.
OBI, represented the landlord Wittington Property (Investments) Ltd on the transaction. Other businesses occupying the building include cyber security firm, Novacoast, co-working brand, Huckletree, and VF Corporation, who use the space as showrooms for brands including Vans, The North Face and Timberland.
Richard Lace, Transactions and Asset Management, said: “The Express Building is a Manchester landmark and the calibre of names now occupying the building reflects the quality of the space Wittington have provided and the iconic nature of the building. I am pleased to see we have created a dynamic mix of tech, fashion, digital and creative companies, which was always the vision when we set out this repositioning back in 2019.”
Related articles

JD FASHION COMPLETES ON SALE OF WALTON SUMMIT CENTRE UNIT
22 October 2025Multi-disciplinary property consultancy, OBI, has announced the sale of a 28,544 sq ft industrial unit on behalf of fashion giants, JD. The semi-detached unit is prominently situated at the Preston-based Walton Summit Centre, one of central Lancashire’s premier business parks. Located on 171 Brierley Road, the unit has been sold to Woodside Logistics Group, for […]

Law firm expands in Manchester with deal for more space in landmark building
26 August 2025A full-service law firm has expanded in Manchester by almost doubling its space at a prominent building in Spinningfields. Browne Jacobson has agreed a deal with Schroders Capital, the $111bn private markets business of Schroders, to expand at No.1 Spinningfields. The firm has committed to an additional 4,642 sq ft of office space, almost doubling […]

North West’s first office development of 2025 breaks ground as part of major extension to much-loved Mayfield Park
28 July 2025Construction has begun to deliver the first sustainable office within Manchester’s award-winning Mayfield Park. This marks the start of a major new phase for regeneration specialist Landsec and the Mayfield Partnership, which will deliver park side working for thousands, hundreds of high-quality homes, and a significant expansion of the city’s greenest public space. The wider […]