Free Trade Hall

Built by public subscription on the site of the Peterloo Massacre, the building was erected to honour the dead of the struggle for democratic freedom. the premiere public venue in manchester City Centre it hosted concerts by every leading musician in the world for nearly 150 years. In 1996 the Dalai Lama was the last entity to appear there and the council sold the memorial to our glorious dead in order for it to be turned into a luxury hotel

written by anonymous.



Free Trade Hall is one of Manchester’s longest serving buildings, housing everything from the start of the suffragette movement to genre-denying shows that shaped a generation. It is located on Peter Street in Manchester (M23NQ). The Free Trade Hall was actually built on the site of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, hence its address being Peter street. It opened its doors in 1856, but became a concert hall and home of the Hallé Orchestra in 1858, funded by public subscription. Charles Halle conducted the first of his Grand Orchestral Concerts with his own orchestra. It was once home to lesser Free Trade Hall where the sex Pistols played a legendary gig in 1976, which helped to inspire members of bands like The Smiths and Joy Division.

Until 1996, the Halle Orchestra was based at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, however during WWII in 1940, the hall was requisitioned and bombed, prompting the orchestra to perform across Greater Manchester before returning to the hall in 1951.

Especially in the 1960’s, Free Trade Hall was a hotspot for international artists. There were notable acts such as Bob Dylan who notoriously shocked the audience by playing an electric guitar, which at the time was viewed as distasteful to its high brow audience, in 1966. The hall also hosted iconic artists like David Bowie, KISS, Pink Floyd, and Ella Fitzgerald, making it a hub for international music acts. 

A pivotal moment in Manchester’s music history occurred in 1976 where Punk exploded here at Lesser Free Trade Hall with performances by Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks, inspiring future bands such as The Fall, Joy Division, and The Smiths.

After the Halle moved out in 1995, the hall closed in 1997 and was converted into the Radisson Edwardian Hotel. The hotel celebrates its musical heritage through dedicated spaces, displays of autographed memorabilia, and preserved artifacts, keeping alive the legacy of Manchester’s rich musical history.

Writing Credit: Tamzin Rowthorn