A brewery which has been an icon in Stockport town centre for the last 182 years is to move its operations in a £12 million project.
Robinsons Brewery has announced plans to relocate its brewing and head office operations from its well-known central site on Lower Hillgate – also known as the Unicorn Brewery – to its packaging centre in the Stockport suburban area of Bredbury.
The £12 million project – which expected to be completed by 2025 – includes the installation of a new brewhouse, together purpose-built office accommodation.
This move means that everything the company does, from brewing, cask racking, and kegging, to bottling lines, logistics, and more will soon be housed all one site for the first time since 1949, which is said to be fulfilling a long-held ambition of the Robinson family.
The brewery’s directors said it had been a “difficult decision” to relocate all operations, but assured there would be no job losses.
We can today announce our plans to relocate our Lower Hillgate brewing & head office operations to our packaging centre in Bredbury. This will see the installation of a new brewhouse, together with up-to-date, purpose-built office accommodation. More info: https://t.co/spIxqPQMAopic.twitter.com/r8E9hJGEb1
In a joint statement issued on the move’s announcement, Directors William and Oliver Robinson said: “It will be a wrench [as] the business has a long history in the town centre and we are very respectful of the company’s role in the Lower Hillgate area.
“But the economic and logistical limitations of the site were impossible to ignore.
“Moving everything under one roof gives us the ability to provide a more modern, flexible and greener brewing and packaging operation, while reflecting the company’s heritage.”
An artist’s impression image of the new Robinsons Brewery site in Bredbury due to open in 2025 / Credit: Robinson’s Brewery
Around 50 employees will make the move from Lower Hillgate to Bredbury, and Robinsons’ famous shire horses will also be moving to a new home.
As previously mentioned, there will be no compulsory job losses and Robinsons says the move will support its wider recruitment plans, which are linked to the acquisition of new pubs, and it also plans further investment in its “230-strong tenanted pub estate”.
“This announcement demonstrates our commitment to writing a new chapter in our history in Stockport, continuing to brew, deliver and package award-winning cask, keg and bottled beer under 100pc family ownership,” the directors added.
The brewery is currently working on proposals to reopen The Bull’s Head in Stockport’s Market Square later this year.
It is currently liaising with Stockport Council over possible uses for the present brewery site.
Stockport Council leader Elise Wilson said the relocation of Robinsons was “good news for jobs” in Stockport, adding: “We look forward to seeing their future plans for the town centre site as they are developed over the coming months.”
Featured Image – Robinsons Brewery
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You can stay in an aircraft, helicopter or old school bus at this glamping pod near Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a glamping retreat near Manchester offering extraordinary stays in an aircraft, helicopter, old school bus and more.
Over in Blackpool at Manor House Glamping, there is a range of static vehicles that you can have an overnight stay or two in, and according to the pictures on its website, there’s even a resident emu.
You can stay in various modes of transport, such as an aircraft, an iconic yellow school bus, a campervan or a military green truck.
Each has its own perks ranging from a hot tub, outdoor bath, fire pit, sandpit and more. Whatever type of getaway or retreat you’re looking for, you’ll find everything you need right here.
The most eye-catching of the company’s stays is certainly the aircraft, which has kept its original cockpit features, although it’s safe to say the interior has definitely had a makeover.
There’s no such thing as a bad in-flight experience with this guest house, as you can get cocktails delivered to the cockpit after taking a dip in your own personal hot tub – not too shabby, eh?
With the bright and unmissable yellow school bus, there are plenty of decorations that help continue this theme in the form of various American road signs, one of which acts as your headboard for the night.
If you’re after a more toned-down chance to unwind, you can step into a pale-white camper van with cosy cushions and a snug haystack-turned-sofa adorned with some gorgeous blankets.
And if you’re looking at going all out, then your Manor House Glamping accommodation of choice has to be the chopper, which was once used by the Royal Navy.
Worried this option might be a tad nippy? Fear not, because this helicopter is fully kitted out to suit your glamping needs with two fluffy-lined cushions on each seat of this vintage heli.
Anyone who experiences cabin fever, fear not, because all the aircraft and vehicles are static and aren’t planning on making a long-haul journey anytime soon, you’ll still be able to keep your feet firmly on the ground.
Manor House Glamping has a variety of vehicle-themed guest houses, both old and new, for you to stay in overnight and if you’re interested or after any further information.
If you fancy staying within the boundaries of Greater Manchester but still fancy getting the feel for a cockpit, though, there’s a very fun day out over at Barton’s City Airport.
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Emily Sergeant -
21st January 2022 
