The first NFT-focussed integrated agency has officially launched in Manchester.
Anna and Alex Moss, directors and co-founders of digital marketing agency FireCask, have joined forces with two co-founders in the crypto space – Alexander Golombeck and Sheraz Ashiq – to unveil NFTU: A company specialising in collaboration, production, marketing and tools within the NFT (non-fungible tokens) industry.
The self-professed goal of the company is to build a bridge between the digital and traditional word of arts through accessibility, education, trust and creativity, and ‘help facilitate NFT adoption to the masses’.
NFTU has already secured a number of high-profile clients – including an NFT artist who will be handling the world’s first ‘utility token’ drop.
NFTU also has also recruited several big names to its Board of Directors, including music producer Eddie Kramer (who’s worked with Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bad Company and The Beatles) and media creative Tim Searle (2DTV, Baby Cow Animation with Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, Tiger Aspect Productions, Beano Studios, CBBC, Aardman Animations).
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The NFTU board also stars Nunan and Cartwright – a three generational family of independent artists – and Selena Støback, a Social Impact Director with a wealth of experience supporting civil society, NGOs and NFPs.
Also on the company board is Adam Malach – Head of Cyber Security Advisory at The Post Office and a results-driven professional experienced in InfoSec assurance, vulnerability management, operations, incident response, network security and compliance.
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Co-Founder & CMO Anna Moss said: “This is such a new and exciting industry to be a part of and I am looking forward to working with new and established artists to help them reach new audiences.
“I love the idea of working with traditional artists and helping guide them through the world of NFTs as well as working with those who are already established.”
Fellow Co-Founder Alex Moss added: “The NFT space is an interesting and crazy place to be. Navigating the ecosystem and discovering the curations you need is becoming increasingly more complex in a metaverse that is already complicated to begin with.
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“NFTU is going to help true creatives produce and collaborate on NFTs that will stand the test of time. We’re already excited about some of the collaborations we have in production at the moment and can’t wait for them to drop.”
Fellow Co-Founder Alexander Golombeck said: “NFTs merge trust and creativity in a seamless way; and have the opportunity to make the concept of ownership more transparent and equitable.
“At NFTU we aim to bring together ideas from all over the world – to produce and market NFTs that create and hold both financial and cultural value.”
Business
Two Greater Manchester towns among 16 UK locations set to get new Aldi stores this year
Emily Sergeant
Aldi is set to open 16 new stores over the coming months as part of its continued expansion across the UK, it has been confirmed.
For thousands of residents in two Greater Manchester towns, they could be about to get themselves a new local supermarket, as Aldi – which currently has 1,080 stores nationwide – has revealed the locations where its new stores will be opening up before the end of the year, and our region is well represented.
Aldi says it has a long-term ambition to operate 1,500 stores across the UK, helping more communities access its award-winning quality products at ‘unbeatable’ prices.
And these 16 new stores are set to work towards that ambition.
Watford and Hoxton in London, Balsall Common and Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, Malton in North Yorkshire, and even the Isle of Wight are just some of the locations across the country where new Aldi stores will be opening up, alongside the two Greater Manchester stores.
Two Greater Manchester towns are set to get new Aldi stores this year / Credit: Aldi UK
Here in Greater Manchester, it’s been confirmed that Hattersley and Wigan are the two areas chosen by Aldi for new stores.
The announcement of the 16 new store locations follows the opening of Aldi’s new Salford Quays store last month, and also forms part of the budget retailer’s planned £370 million investment into new stores during 2026.
It also comes after Aldi increased pay rates for store colleagues earlier this year following a £42 million investment in pay during 2026.
Full list of new Aldi stores opening in 2026
Hattersley, Greater Manchester
Newport, Isle of Wight
Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham
Newport, South Wales
Orpington, London
Hoxton, London
Ashford, Kent
Watford, London
Rayleigh, Essex
Balsall Common, West Midlands
Marble Arch, London
Malton, North Yorkshire
Port Talbot, Wales
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Wigan, Greater Manchester
Sudbury, Suffolk
“At Aldi, we’re committed to making high-quality, affordable food accessible to everyone, which is why we continue to invest in expanding our store network across the UK,” commented Jonathan Neale, who is the Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK.
“Our £370 million investment in new stores this year will help us bring Aldi’s unbeatable value to even more communities, supporting local economies through our industry-leading pay for colleagues.”
Featured Image – Aldi
Business
Much-loved Manc music shop Tasty Records goes up for sale as owners calls on next custodians to take over local favourite
Danny Jones
Much-loved Greater Manchester record and music store Tasty Records has officially closed, and the current custodian is putting the Trafford institution up for sale in hopes that someone will take over as worthy successors.
What an opportunity for any budding entrepreneurs.
The Alty record shop in its current brick-and-mortar form has stood for some time now, but popular owner Ben Molesworth has been selling physical media from 2012 onwards, and now his time at the helm of the hailed south Manchester spot has come to a somewhat bittersweet end.
A bit of a local legend with regulars who frequent and flick through his coveted vinyl collection, not just on Record Store Day but throughout the year, the area will be sad to see him go – and so will we – but it doesn’t mean this has to be the end.
“The shop deserves more than I can give it, and I have sold records in Altrincham for 14 years”, he explains, before going on to add that “It’s time for me to concentrate on different things.
“What happens now?” he continues, “Keep following! I’m not sure yet. I have closed the doors, but everything is still there… A busy website, Discogs, socials, a strong set of accounts and £ks of great vinyl stock.”
You’d think with a sales pitch like that, it would be a no-brainer for audiophiles who’ve ever dreamt of spending their days cataloguing their favourite tunes and artists, whilst providing a still criminally unsung public service: delivering printed music to the masses.
With more than a decade and a half of experience to his name, we’re sure Ben has plenty of wisdom to impart about how to take good care of his baby moving forward – he just needs some to set up to the plate/turntable.
As saturated as the Manc music market and record store scene is, it was also comfortably on this list pretty much since day one.
All that being said, part of the challenge for any independent business is getting the word out, hence why we thought we’d help do our bit by shouting about it.
He signed off by adding: “Thank you to all of my wonderful customers, friends and supporters. Tasty Recordsisn’t dead, only sleeping. Lots of love, Ben.”
For anyone who might fancy taking over this “awesome little record shop” (his words AND ours), you can express your interest/table an offer over email via [email protected].
What an honour it would be to carry on this place’s legacy – here’s hoping someone takes up the mantle soon.
The Manc -
6th May 2021 
