Brit Awards' Manchester move generated £5m for city region, study finds

The Brit Awards' first ceremony in Manchester generated £5 million in net additional expenditure for the city and its surrounding area, according to research reported by BBC News. The 2026 event marked the first time the awards had been staged in Manchester after spending their near 50-year history in the capital.

BBC News said an independent study by Amion Consulting concluded that the move produced both economic and social benefits, including more than 3,000 temporary jobs. The ceremony took place at Manchester's Co-op Live arena on 28 February and was hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall.

Key findings from the Manchester study

• BBC News reported that the event generated £5m in net additional expenditure in Manchester.
• Visitors accounted for £3.6m of that spending, while organisers and partners contributed £1.4m, according to BBC News.
• The Amion Consulting study found £3.45m in gross value added, BBC News said.
• The event created 3,099 one-week temporary jobs for Manchester-based workers, equivalent to 15,497 days of employment, according to BBC News.
• BBC News reported that 92% of attendees rated the experience excellent or good.

The £5m spending figure was divided between money attributed to visitors and expenditure by those staging and supporting the show. BBC News reported that £3.6m came from visitors, with another £1.4m generated by organisers and partners.

The study also calculated £3.45m in gross value added and identified 3,099 one-week temporary jobs for Manchester-based workers, equivalent to 15,497 days of employment. BBC News said the research characterised the ceremony as having a positive economic and social impact on the city region.

The economic picture in figures

Measure	Finding reported by BBC News
Net additional expenditure	£5m
Visitor expenditure	£3.6m
Organiser and partner expenditure	£1.4m
Gross value added	£3.45m
Temporary jobs	3,099 one-week roles for Manchester-based workers
Employment days	15,497 days
Monetised social impact	£11.2m

BBC News said the study also assigned a monetary value of £11.2m to the event's social impact. That calculation took into account cultural participation, digital engagement and Manchester's stronger profile as a destination for major events.

From Co-op Live to a wider city programme

The ceremony itself brought performances from Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Raye and Mark Ronson, according to BBC News. Dean won the artist of the year award at the Manchester event.

The effect assessed by the study extended beyond the arena. BBC News reported that the awards generated community-focused initiatives, educational engagement, networking events and other programmes during the weeks leading up to the ceremony.

The research found that 92% of award-show attendees rated their experience as either excellent or good. BBC News said the study described audience feedback as "overwhelmingly positive" and concluded that the move helped the Brits engage new audiences both with the main ceremony and with wider activity around it.

Media and digital attention was also identified as part of the impact. According to BBC News, the study said coverage surrounding the event amplified Manchester's profile globally, contributing to the wider social value assigned to hosting the awards.

Manchester leaders point to culture and hospitality gains

Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig described the move north as a "massive moment for our city region", BBC News reported. She said the decision recognised Manchester's music heritage as well as what she described as its growing reputation for hosting national and global events.

Craig also linked such events to economic activity across culture and hospitality. According to BBC News, she said they bring millions of pounds into Manchester's economy while creating opportunities for people. "We've done it once in style, and we'll do it again next year," she added.

Manchester City Council leader Garry Bridges described the 2026 ceremony as "phenomenally successful". BBC News reported that he said the partnership between the Brit Awards and Manchester went beyond the show itself, with what he described as extensive social and economic reach across the city and its communities.

Bridges said those effects were still being felt at the time of the study's release, according to BBC News. His comments echoed the report's attempt to measure not just direct expenditure but participation, employment and wider activity linked to the event.

Why the first Manchester ceremony represented a change

BBC News reported that the 2026 ceremony was the first Brit Awards held in Manchester after almost 50 years of the event being staged in the capital. That change placed one of Britain's longest-running music awards at Co-op Live and created a basis for measuring what moving the event could mean for another city.

The report's figures separate the direct spending associated with visitors, organisers and partners from measures such as gross value added and monetised social impact. BBC News said Amion Consulting's independent study found positive results across both economic and social categories.

The temporary employment figure also illustrates the concentrated workforce demand connected to staging the ceremony. According to BBC News, the 3,099 one-week jobs for Manchester-based workers amounted to 15,497 days of employment.

Beyond those jobs and the £5m in additional expenditure, the study pointed to participation around the ceremony. BBC News reported that educational work, networking events and community programmes took place in the weeks before the awards, while the ceremony itself attracted an audience that rated the experience highly.

The Brit Awards will return to Manchester in 2027

The Manchester experiment is set to continue. BBC News reported that the 2027 Brit Awards will also be held in the city, extending the relationship beyond the first ceremony at Co-op Live.

For Manchester's civic leaders, the return offers continuity after the economic and social findings attached to the 2026 event. Craig said the first year demonstrated both the city's music heritage and its capacity to deliver major events, while Bridges emphasised the reach of the partnership into local communities, according to BBC News.

The independent study therefore places several distinct numbers around the first Manchester edition: £5m in net additional expenditure, £3.45m in gross value added, 3,099 one-week temporary jobs and an estimated £11.2m in social impact. BBC News reported that the findings were accompanied by strong attendee ratings and an assessment that Manchester's international profile had been strengthened through media and digital coverage.

Frequently asked questions

How much money did the 2026 Brit Awards generate for Manchester?

BBC News reported that Amion Consulting calculated £5m in net additional expenditure for Manchester and the surrounding area. Of that total, £3.6m came from visitors and £1.4m from organisers and partners.

How many jobs did the Manchester Brit Awards create?

BBC News said the study identified 3,099 one-week temporary jobs for Manchester-based workers. The research calculated that those roles represented 15,497 days of employment.

Where were the 2026 Brit Awards held?

BBC News reported that the ceremony took place at Manchester's Co-op Live arena on 28 February. It was the first time the Brit Awards had been hosted in the city after a near 50-year history in the capital.

Will the Brit Awards return to Manchester?

BBC News reported that the 2027 ceremony is also set to take place in Manchester. Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig said the city region would stage the event again next year.