Residents of the West Tower on Deansgate have been told power will be out all weekend
A power cut has left residents at West Tower on Deansgate looking to find alternative accommodation(Image: UGC)
Residents of one of Manchester city centre’s most luxurious skyscrapers are evacuating their homes tonight – after a major power cut which bosses say can’t be fixed until MONDAY.
Electric is off at the huge West Tower which rises 44 storeys high on Deansgate, and is home to hundreds of residents in luxury apartments and penthouses. The properties are known as The Residences, marketed as “extraordinary apartments” with “exceptional service” and have been open for five years.
But tonight, residents were seen wheeling out suitcases from one of the city’s tallest towers and looking to find hotels and alternative accommodation after being told that power will be off for another four days – until Monday. Many have spoken of their anger about the situation to the M.E.N..
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Residents have reported the electrics first went off on Wednesday night at around 9pm, but the building’s management team sought to reassure them that works were ongoing to rectify the problem.
Power and hot water remained off across Thursday, and then tonight emails were sent to all residents advising them that the problem cannot be fixed until Monday.
Residents are being offered the choice of staying in their homes without power, or finding alternative accommodation which they say will be reimbursed at a later date.
One resident, who asked not to be named, told the M.E.N.: “It’s chaos, everyone’s pi***d off and it’s just the unknown, it’s the uncertainty of whether the electrics will actually back on on Monday.”
He added that he was booking a hotel to stay while the issues are rectified, adding: “I can do without hot water because I can shower at the gym, but having no wifi or TV? No, I had to leave, I need my TV.”
Another said: “Power went off last night, the whole building just went off. It was all blacked out, we thought it would be back on this morning, but we’ve waited all day while they said a generator is coming. They’ve now said they can’t do anything until Monday, and the reception is so busy with angry people. I’ve got to decide where to go tonight.”
One woman said she was so upset about the situation she is now looking to leave the apartments altogether. She said: “We still have no update as to when the electricty will be back on. I work from home so electricity is vital and I’ve had to take today as unpaid leave.
“I pay over £1,600 per month in rent and expect the management to have been better equipped and have higher quality energy infrastructure. We were told to use the gym’s showers but only two of the four women’s showers were working. All we have been provided with is bottled water. Management are refusing to compensate for all the spoiled food from fridges and freezers, as well as the purchase of all new food.”
She added: “I will certainly be looking for alternative places to live.”
An email from The Residences Management, seen by the M.E.N., was sent to residents on Thursday evening updating them of the situation. In it, they “sincerely apologise for the disruption and inconvenience caused”.
It said: “The cause of the outage has now been identified as a fault with the busbar within the Deansgate Square site, which is impacting power supply to all properties within West Tower.
“This section of the development is managed by a third party, who are working closely with their contractors to restore power as quickly as possible. The replacement component is bespoke and is currently being manufactured, with delivery expected onsite next week. Following this, insurers will investigate the cause of the outage and carry out the necessary loss adjustment process.”
It continued: “Although we had previously advised that the power may be restored to apartments this evening, due to unforeseen complications, it is anticipated that temporary generator power will not be in effect until Monday 13th April 2026.
“Whilst there is no power to apartments, we can confirm that there is an emergency supply to all lifts and life safety systems (fire alarm system, automatic opening smoke vents, sprinkler system) within the building, which remain fully operational during this period.
“In the meantime, residents have the choice to stay in the building or arrange alternative hotel accommodation from this evening until Monday 13 April 2026, when temporary power is anticipated to be restored.”
The email stated that they will reimburse alternative accommodation and meal costs “up to £120 per night for couples and singles”, while families were told to speak with a member of staff for “further guidance”.
The West Tower is part of the complex of skyscrapers on Deansgate Square and is currently Manchester’s 11th tallest building at 44 storeys. The tallest building in the city is one of its neighbouring structures, the South Tower, which has 65 floors.
Plush apartments in the West Tower range from one beds for £1,400 a month, two bed apartments from £1,950 a month, three bed apartments from £2,300 a month up to the luxury duplex penthouses which are “price on application” but are thought to cost as much as £20,000 a month to rent.
Council bosses say they will now seek urgent answers on what is happening from the West Tower’s management company.
Deansgate Councillor Joan Davies told the Manchester Evening News that power-cuts in high rise apartments like West Tower ‘have a huge impact’ with water also impacted, with local leaders now calling for a ‘rapid’ solution to be found for displaced residents.
“I’m very disappointed to hear of the power cut at West Tower, Deansgate Square,” she said. “Power cuts in high rise buildings have a huge impact on residents, particularly where apartment water supply fails. I have contacted Electricity North West who confirm the problem is an internal building issue.
“I hear that the emergency facilities are in working order and that residents have been provided with information about financial support to help with temporary accommodation. Deansgate Councillors would be interested to hear from residents and will be speaking with managing agents as soon as possible. We hope to hear that a permanent solution will be rapidly provided.”
As Coun Pat Karney, city centre spokesperson added: “This is an unbelievable development in one of Manchester’s newest towers. Myself and local Deansgate councillors will seek an urgent meeting with the management company of the block to assess how we can help the residents living in the block.”
