Historic Wigan mill to be transformed into gaming and street food venue

The Heaton Group has revealed plans to launch Factory Floor this spring, a brand-new competitive socialising and late-night venue set inside the historic Eckersley Mill at Cotton Works in Wigan.

Backed by a £3 million investment, Factory Floor will reimagine the Grade II listed as a ‘large-scale social playground’ featuring interactive games, immersive industrial design, street food and a central feature bar.

Dating back to 1884, Mill One at Eckersley Mill was the first mill built on the historic Eckersley site, once one of the largest cotton mills in the region.

At its peak, the powerhouse site housed more than 230,000 ring spindles and nearly 1,700 looms, with thousands of workers passing through its doors daily. In recent years, parts of the building fell into disrepair, but the upcoming project will breathe new life into the space while preserving its industrial heritage, including exposed brickwork and original iron beams.

Once complete, Factory Floor will accommodate around 350 guests and offer seven interactive games like darts, shuffleboard, pool, karaoke, skee ball, basketball and beer pong, alongside retro arcade machines.

At the heart of the venue will be a feature bar, surrounded by flexible social spaces, as well as a kitchen by the team that brought Super Fry Guys to Factory Floor’s sister venue, Feast At The Mills, who are introducing their new concept ‘Feed’. As night falls, DJs, dancers, disco lighting and immersive production will take over.

Over time, the space will evolve into a food hall-style venue, with selected games making way for independent food traders and a stage area, creating a dynamic and ever-changing social hub.

The new venue joins a growing line-up of independent hospitality and lifestyle brands already calling The Cotton Works home.  The site has quickly established itself as a destination in Wigan, with the popular pub The Three Mills, outdoor food and drink market Feast at The Mills, and creative workspace Weave Co-Working, which opened in summer 2025, all contributing to the area’s revival.

John Heaton, Managing Director of The Heaton Group, explained: “Factory Floor is all about bringing people together for shared experiences in a setting that feels both exciting and rooted in Wigan’s history. Eckersley Mill has an incredible story, and we’re proud to be part of its next chapter.

“This investment allows us to create something completely new for the town; a place where you can play, eat, drink and celebrate under one roof, from daytime socials through to late-night parties. The Cotton Works is already building a strong community, and Factory Floor will add another major layer to that, strengthening it as a destination venue in the North West.”

Further details on opening dates and traders at Factory Floor will be announced in the coming weeks.