Westons buy Manchester’s Daily Express building

The family office that owns Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason in London has bought the Daily Express building in Manchester for £10.5m. Wittington Investments, the Weston family vehicle that is also the majority owner of Associated British Foods, one of the largest food companies in the world and parent company of Primark, has bought the asset from A&A Investments. The Grade II listed Daily Express building on Great Ancoats Street is one of three similar ex-press buildings designed in the 1930s by Sir Owen Williams. The other two are 120 Fleet Street, EC4, and 195 Albion Street in Glasgow. The block comprises 76,000 sq ft of vacant offices. Wittington Investments is planning an extensive refurbishment that will restore the building back to its former condition and design, and provide a high specification modern office space. It is located on the border of Manchester’s emerging creative districts, Ancoats and the Northern Quarter. Metis Real Estate advised Wittington Investments; CBRE and JLL represented A&A Investments. • To send feedback, e-mail louisa.clarence-smith@estatesgazette.com or tweet @LouisaClarence or @estatesgazette