Historic Manchester Hotspur Press building destroyed in devastating fire as investigation launched
One of Manchester 's most recognisable and historic buildings has been destroyed by a major fire.
The derelict Hotspur Press building, beside Oxford Road station in the city centre, erupted into flames on Monday 23 June, with thick smoke clouds seen for miles.
The major incident saw trains cancelled, main roads closed and more than 180 residents evacuated from nearby high-rise buildings as emergency services battled to bring the flames under control.
At the height of the fire, more than 20 fire engines, two aerial units and more than 100 firefighters were working at the scene, with some working overnight to extinguish the blaze.
During the incident, the fire spread to several balconies at the two tower blocks at number 1 Cambridge Street.
All occupants made it out of the buildings safely and there are "no reports of any occupants suffering ill health", a Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said.
They added: 'Shortly after 9pm, the major incident was lifted.
"The occupants of one of those blocks have now been able to return home, while the other remains closed as we work with Manchester City Council and the building owner to make the building habitable again.'Oxford Road station and the railway line have now reopened. Crews are still working on Gloucester Street and the main area around the mill, but the main roads of Whitworth and access off the Mancunian Way have reopened."
"Crews will be joined by specialist fire officers to begin investigating the cause of the fire, as well as assessing the extent of the structural damage to the building", they said.
The Victorian building was originally built as Medlock cotton mill in around 1801 and is considered Manchester's oldest mill.
It was later repurposed as a printing works by the Percy Brothers in the late 1800s, producing comics and journals, but it failed to be redeveloped and modernised like its counterparts.
In recent years it had fallen into an uninhabited derelict state.
In May 2024, Manner, the company who have owned the building since 2020, had a planning application, to turn the The Hotspur Press into a 37-storey block of student flats, unanimously approved by Manchester City Council.
The plans were delayed due to changes in the design, but the company announced in May 2025 that it was planning to submit fresh proposals.
Manner, who had vowed to "preserve the iconic Percy Brothers signage" and "restore much of the existing brick exterior," has been approached by ITV News for comment.
A full investigation is underway to establish the cause of the fire.
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