0161 Manchester Numbers

Why an 0161 number helps your business

Manchester has a busy mix of creative, digital and professional firms, from media companies around MediaCityUK in Salford to agencies, start-ups and retailers in the city centre. It is also a major university city, so landlords, letting agents and service firms stay busy all year. Many customers in Greater Manchester would rather ring a business with a code they recognise.

An 0161 number tells callers you serve their area. A cold enquiry feels more like a call to a neighbour, and that helps people take the step of dialling. You do not need a desk in Manchester for this. The number works just as well if your team sits in Cheshire, Lancashire or across the Pennines, as long as the calls are answered.

About the 0161 area code

0161 serves Manchester and much of Greater Manchester, including Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Bury, Sale, Altrincham, Stretford, Ashton-under-Lyne and Hyde. Some boroughs have their own codes: Bolton uses 01204, Wigan uses 01942 and Rochdale uses 01706. Manchester numbers follow the format 0161 xxx xxxx, with a seven-digit local number after the code.

The code was 061 until PhONEday in April 1995, when it became 0161. Callers outside the UK dial +44 161 and then the seven digits.

Who uses Manchester numbers

Digital and creative studios

Freelancers and small agencies often work remotely but pitch to Manchester clients. An 0161 number on a proposal or website shows you are part of the local scene, even if the whole team works from home.

Letting agents and property services

With so many students and young professionals renting in the city, property firms field calls at all hours. A Manchester number can go to the office during the day and to an on-call mobile in the evening, so tenants with an urgent repair still reach someone.

National brands with northern customers

A business based in the south can add an 0161 number for its North West customers. Calls still go to the same head office team, but customers see a local number on adverts, emails and invoices.

How your 0161 number works

Your 0161 number can divert to any UK landline or mobile, or connect to Alphatalk's cloud phone system. Log in to myAlphaTalk, our customer portal, to change the destination whenever you like. Time-of-day routing lets you set different destinations for office hours, evenings and weekends. Missed calls can go to voicemail, with each message sent to your email, and call statistics show when your busy periods are. Every number costs £4.99 a month and includes 1,000 free UK minutes. Standard numbers have no setup fee, and Silver and Gold numbers are more memorable options with a one-off charge.