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 transform part of the Grade II listed mill into a large-scale social playground featuring interactive games, immersive industrial design, street food and a central feature bar, creating a new day-to-night destination in the heart of the town.
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 Heaton Group is now breathing new life into the space while preserving its industrial heritage, from exposed brickwork to original iron beams.
Once complete, Factory Floor will accommodate around 350 guests and offer seven interactive games, including darts, shuffleboard, pool, karaoke, skee ball, basketball and beer pong, alongside retro arcade machines for an added nostalgic twist.
At the heart of the venue will be a feature bar, surrounded by flexible social spaces designed to shift from daytime play to a high-energy evening atmosphere, 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, the venue will evolve into a party destination with DJs, dancers, disco lighting and immersive production, delivering a late-night experience unlike any other concept in Wigan.
Factory Floor has also been designed with the future in mind. 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. Factory Floor will welcome 20 new employees, bolstering the group’s hospitality team to a total of 60.
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.”
Find out more here.