Wigan’s Civic opens its doors as radical glow up completes

After months of restoration, Civic, the striking brutalist landmark on Millgate, is open from Saturday 16th August, just in time for one of the town’s annual Pride weekend.

Brought back to life by regeneration experts and social impact developers Capital&Centric, the brutalist icon has been reimagined as a new kind of workspace for Wigan’s businesses, creatives and solo deskers, with organises of this year’s Wigan pride getting a first spin of the spaces to help support the weekend’s festivities.

The volunteers and AV team will use Civic as a base across the weekend and will be the first to get a taste of the exposed waffle ceilings, corduroy concrete walls, and statement windows that have been retained from the building’s brutalist past. Inside, the spaces are full of natural light, lush planting and cosy corners, mixing heritage grit with modern design.

The building is now home to a mix of co-working, studios and private offices, perfect for everyone, from freelancers fed up of the kitchen table, to growing teams who want a more inspiring place to get their best work done. Civic is a place to work with extras - a mini cinema, a rooftop terrace, meeting rooms, and shared spaces designed for members to meet, collaborate, and make things happen.

And opening at the heart of Civic is Cotton, a new café-bar for the building and the wider community. Welcoming Pride go-ers and Wigan locals across the weekend and beyond, Cotton is serving up a brunch menu, artisan sandwiches, fresh juices, matcha, coffee and evening drinks accompanied by a selection of seasonal small plates. Whether you’re grabbing a flat white before a meeting or staying late for a glass of wine on the terrace, Cotton is open to everyone.

Also moving in on the day is software and business services provider, Agilisys, who are relocating their north west office to Civic. They’ll be taking a 4,400 sq ft letting, which is nearly half of the 2nd floor space – a major coup for the town.

John Moffat, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric said:

“Civic was built to make a statement, and we wanted to do the same with the transformation. It’s more than an office, it’s a proper community for people doing interesting stuff. From the building’s brutalist character to the vibe we’re creating inside, it’s a world away from your average workplace. Whether you’re going solo or building a team, this is a space where you can grow and connect with others doing the same.”

Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux MBE, said:

“The opening of Civic marks a significant milestone for Wigan and represents real progress in the regeneration of our town centre. With its mix of modern office space and the publicly accessible Cotton, Civic is set to become a vibrant hub for businesses, creatives and the wider community.

“The timing couldn’t be better, coinciding with Wigan Pride, one of our busiest town centre events. I’d encourage people pop over to Civic which will be part of the food and drinks zone. Thanks also to Capital&Centric for their support of this year’s Wigan Pride – it’s great to have them involved.

"Bringing this project to completion offers a glimpse of what’s ahead for Wigan, with further developments like Fettlers, Cotton Works and STACK at the former Debenhams site already underway.”

The project has been supported by Wigan Council through the UK Government’s Town Deal, part of a wider push to bring new life to the town centre and keep talent in the borough.

The first Civic members are already moving in, and spaces are still available. Desk tours and coffee catchups at Cotton are now in full swing. Head to www.capitalandcentric.com/civic for more info.