One of the world’s coolest retailers has finally landed in Manchester, with the opening of our very first Flying Tiger.
The Danish variety store sells everything from kitchenware to stationery to toys to fancy dress to spices – and prices are unbelievably affordable.
We’re talking greetings cards from 50p, classic board games from £4, and genuinely beautiful plant pots for a fiver.
You can get a kids’ xylophone for £5 if you like them, or embarrass them by dressing them up as a bright orange pumpkin for Halloween for £8.
For crafty types, there’s a hot glue gun for £7, as well as balls of yarn, bags of googly eyes, and a paint-by-numbers kit (stocking filler sorted).
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There’s even a mini handheld sewing machine for just £6.
Outside Flying Tiger in the Arndale. Credit: The Manc GroupFancy dress galore. Credit: The Manc Group
As if that’s not all cheap enough, there’s an actual clearance section, where prices are slashed and candle holders and picture frames are sold for as little as a quid.
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It’s an absolute dream for stocking up on gifts and trinkets without breaking the bank (which, given that cost-of-living nightmare, is perfect timing).
Shoppers are taken on an IKEA-like journey, with a clear one-way system zigzagging past row upon row of treats.
Click or swipe through the gallery below to see more from Flying Tiger
Halloween items at Flying TigerKids’ toysA handheld sewing machineA wall of slippersKitchen gadgets More kitchen itemsA wall of spices
Need some giant marshmallows? They’ve got it. Novelty unicorn slippers? Yep, and there are dragon ones too. Desperate for some reading glasses? You can get them at Flying Tiger for £6.
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Mancs have been crying out for Flying Tiger to open a shop here for years – our mates in Sheffield and Leeds already have stores, with loads more dotted around the country (and 27 in London, naturally).
Disgrunted tweets have included this one: “WHY ISN’T THERE A FLYING TIGER STORE IN MANCHESTER it is the bane of my bloody life.”
And this one: “Manchester doesn’t have a flying tiger shop ??? Where the f*ck do you all buy nice bits for a bargain value ??? I’m cancelling the north and returning to the south immediately.”
Then once the news of its arrival was announced back in March, excited outbursts included: “a flying tiger is opening in manchester arndale gonna pee my pants.”
And this: “this is the best thing ever, i was so sad about not having a flying tiger in manchester. literally the best shop ever.”
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But anyway, it’s here now, and taking up a unit on the Arndale’s lower mall near the new Paperchase.
Its opening coincides with news that the old Topshop unit will finally be back in use, with Clarks and Gilly Hicks both moving in.
Happy shopping!
Featured image: The Manc Group
Shopping
Tesco confirms it will review ‘unfair’ Clubcard rule after shopper complaints
Emily Sergeant
Tesco is said to be ‘actively reviewing’ one of the rules of its Clubcard loyalty scheme.
Following shopper complaints and long-term campaigning by consumer champion Which?, Tesco has announced that it will be looking into the rule that prevents shoppers under 18 years of age from signing up to its popular Clubcard loyalty scheme.
Which? research found that shoppers must be 18 or over to join loyalty schemes at Tesco, and other major supermarket chains like Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose, whereas at the at Co-op, you only need to be 16.
And then at the Co-op again, and also Sainsbury’s, if you’re added to a parent or guardian’s account, you can be even younger.
Meanwhile, over at popular high street drugstore chains Boots and Superdrug, you only need to be 13 to sign up to their popular loyalty schemes.
Tesco has confirmed it will review its ‘unfair’ Clubcard rule after shopper complaints / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
This discrepancy is why Which? has been urging supermarkets to lift ‘unfair’ restrictions on who can sign up to their loyalty schemes, saying it has ‘repeatedly called’ for action after revealing that millions of people are excluded from accessing lower prices at some of the UK’s biggest retailers due to age, address, or digital access requirements.
Tesco has said in a statement that it is ‘actively reviewing’ Tesco Clubcard with the intention of making it available to under-18s ‘this year’.
According to Which?, Tesco has been rather ‘vague’ on exactly when the change for under-18 shoppers might come into effect, but says customers who don’t have a Clubcard can still find value using its Aldi Price Match and Everyday Low Prices schemes.
“Which? research shows that the savings from Tesco Clubcard can be really significant, which is why access to them matters so much for shoppers trying to make ends meet,” commented Reena Sewraz, who is the Retail Editor at Which?.
“We’ve been putting pressure on Tesco for years now over its unfair policy of excluding young people, many of whom are struggling with the cost of living, so we’re glad [the supermarket] has listened.
“This is a big step in the right direction, provided it moves quickly to fully implement these changes.”
Featured Image – Tesco plc
Shopping
Asda launches red shopping baskets in stores to help singles meet the love of their life
Emily Sergeant
Asda has decided to launch red baskets in stores to help single shoppers meet the love of their life.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that dating in the modern world isn’t easy, right?
According to new Asda research, 94% of Brits say modern-day dating is hard to navigate, but what’s also clear is that face-to-face interactions still hold a special place – with a resounding 87% of people saying it’s better to meet someone in real life than on a dating app.
In fact, 77% of singles saying they’re not currently active on a dating app at all, and to top it all off, 64% say they fancy someone at their local supermarket.
So, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner now, Asda has decided to take matters into its own hands by placing special red baskets in select stores, giving singles a simple way to signal they’re open to a chat while picking up bread, browsing the bakery, or grabbing a few treats.
Unfortunately for us Mancs, the baskets will only appear in Leicester, Liverpool, and Glasgow, as this is where the research revealed people are most actively looking for love.
While the supermarket admits there’s no one ‘right’ way to meet someone, its research does suggest that 62% of couples who met face-to-face describe themselves as being ‘extremely happy’, compared with 51% of those who met online.
And that sense of connection goes beyond romance too, as among those couples who met in real life, 71% of them say they ‘trust their partner 100%’, while 66% describe their relationship as a ‘deep friendship’.
“We know people are craving real-life connections, but we also know our customers are busy and don’t always have the time to put themselves out there,” a spokesperson for Asda admitted.
“That’s why we’re turning the weekly shop into the ultimate meet-cute. These red baskets are a fun, light-hearted way to help people connect while they’re already doing their everyday shop – a simple, playful nudge to start a chat and maybe even spark a little romance.”
Daisy Jackson -
22nd October 2022 
