The 2026 Hospitality Forecast: Manchester Edition

Gavriela is the Sales & Events Manager at Professionals at Play, overseeing events at Roxy Ball Room and King Pins, two standout, experience-led entertainment venues. Roxy Ball Room brings high-energy games, great food and drink, and a lively social atmosphere to the heart of the city, while King Pins is a state-of-the-art bowling and leisure destination. She’s proud to help create experiences that bring people together through fun, memorable moments.

Her entire career has been within the hospitality sector, with previous roles including Hospitality Manager, Business Development Manager, and Assistant General Manager. She also brings HR experience to the table, which has given her a strong understanding of both operational excellence and the importance of caring for people—whether that’s guests or team members.

She thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys planning events that leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s a large-scale corporate booking or an intimate birthday celebration, her focus is always on delivering a smooth, enjoyable experience while building meaningful connections along the way.

Jake is a solicitor in the Employment department at Kuits, a leading, full-service commercial law firm based in Manchester city centre.

Jake advises on all aspects of employment law, providing strategic, practical advice to businesses on employment and HR issues such as disciplinary, grievances, poor performance and sickness absence. Whilst Jake has experience in acting for a range of employers, he is particularly experienced in acting for SMEs and those operating in the hospitality and leisure sector.

Jake acts for both employers and employees in the Employment Tribunal, with a particular focus on claims involving disability discrimination, harassment, constructive and unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and sexual harassment. He also delivers training sessions to clients on various topics including Equality and Diversity and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, which assist employers to protect their business in the event of a claim of discrimination or harassment.

Working in the hospitality industry for 15 years, firstly in London and then Manchester, Richard is now Head of Commercial Partnerships for Marketing Manchester. Richard oversees the visitor economy partnership and the Manchester Invest Partnership, working with companies across the sectors.

Managing the partnership on behalf of Manchester for both MIPIM and UKREiiF he has attended MIPIM for 8 years running and UKREiiF since it’s first year. Richard makes sure Manchester takes a strong delegation to both events to represent the region, it’s key strengths and investible projects.

With over 20 years of experience in the hotel industry, I lead Manchester’s premier 5-star hotel. My leadership journey over the past 12 years has been marked by a commitment to being commercially focused, operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and team development.

In addition to my hotel leadership, I have the honor of chairing the Manchester Accommodation BID. Here, I advocate for the collective interests of our city’s accommodation providers by working on opportunities that drive demand in our city.

Becci joined Co-op Live in April 2021 as the Head of Premium Sales and Service. Since then, she has advanced through several key roles, including Sales Director for Sponsorship and Premium, before being promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in July 2025. In her current position, Becci oversees all revenue streams within the venue, encompassing Premium Sales, Premium Account Management, Sponsorship Sales, Partnership Activation, and Special Event Sales.

Her leadership has been instrumental in driving growth in premium and sponsorship sales, resulting in an impressive 22 partnerships, over 350 premium members worth circa £40m annually. With a strong focus on enhancing revenue generation, Becci continues to contribute significantly to the success of Co-op Live.

Passionate about supporting others and the industry, outside her role with Co-op Live Becci is a mentor for the events and venues sector, working as part of Elevate Mentoring, and previously Fast Forward 15, inspiring and enabling aspiring individuals.