Asda is currently eyeing up a new site in Manchester city centre, and let’s just say that the new location has come as something of a surprise.
The budget supermarket – best known for its giant superstores in Hulme, Eastlands, and Longsight – has filed an application to take over a new unit in Manchester city centre which, by Asda’s standards, is positively tiny.
The supermarket giant has its sights set on a convenience store space in the new Circle Square development, which is located just off Oxford Road.
Bosses have submitted plans to open a new Asda Express store in the neighborhood, which is otherwise populated with a host of independent bars, shops, and restaurants – such as hot pot shop Mr Su’s, dedicated sake bar Monkey Trio, Leeds’ North Brewing Co. Taproom, and Antipodean brunch kitchens Tahi and Federal.
If successful, the new Asda Express will open in Circle Square’s Retail Unit T4 with proposed opening hours of 6am to 12 midnight, Monday to Sunday.
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Asda launched its first Asda Express stores at the end of 2022 in Sutton Coldfield and Tottenham Hale, as it announced that it had 30 more store openings planned for 2023 as part of an effort to step up its profile in the convenience market.
The expansion is part of a ‘test & learn’ approach to developing its convenience model, which Asda sees as a key element to achieving its vision of becoming the UK’s second-largest supermarket.
Sales in convenience stores are forecast to grow by 13% to over £50bn by 2027, leaving the supermarket keen to play its part.
However, it’s questionable as to how well the new Asda Express will be received in a neighbourhood populated by mid-to-high-price indie supermarkets, bars, and restaurants.
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Speaking on the new Asda Express concept ahead of its launch last year, Mohsin Issa, Asda’s Blackburn-born co-owner, said: “The launch of our first two Asda Express convenience stores is a landmark moment for our great business and a key step on our journey to bring Asda to more customers in more communities right across the UK.
“The stores have been designed to cater for a broad range of customer needs – whether that’s popping in for a pint of milk, grabbing a spot of lunch on the go, or buying the fresh ingredients to cook dinner from scratch. We’re confident customers will find everything they need in these stores and enjoy the convenience of having a new type of Asda store on their doorstep.
“I’m delighted to welcome the new colleagues at Sutton Coldfield and Tottenham Hale to the Asda family – leading us on our first steps into this market and am grateful to all the colleagues who have worked with such pace and enthusiasm to bring this vision to life for Asda.”
Featured image – ASDA
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Former care home worker who defrauded elderly woman out of £300k arrested after fleeing to Spain
Emily Sergeant
A fraudster former care home worker who’s been on the run for almost a year has finally been arrested in Spain.
Pamela Gwinnett has been arrested in Tenerife, where she fled to in 2025, and will be returned to the UK to face justice for her crimes.
The arrest comes after a meticulous investigation by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) where Gwinnett was found guilty of defrauding an elderly woman, named Joan Green from Chorley in Lancashire, out of almost £300,000 while she was employed as a caregiver at a nursing home.
Gwinnett fled the UK for Tenerife in 2025 in an effortto evade authorities, GMP said.
She was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison in her absence back in October 2025 for a number of offences, including fraud by abuse of position and theft , and at a subsequent Proceeds of Crime hearing, an order for £300,000 was granted… but up until this week, Gwinnett has been on the run and police have been trying to track her down.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) worked alongside the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Spanish authorities to locate Gwinnett and begin the process of her return to the UK where she will serve her sentence.
Speaking in reaction to Gwinnett’s arrest this week, PC Georgia Loughton, who was the GMP officer in charge of the investigation, said: “I am pleased that Pamela Gwinnett will be returned to the UK where she will serve her sentence.
“Gwinnett knowingly defrauded a vulnerable woman out of almost £300,000, cutting off all contact with her family and controlling every aspect of her life.
“She was trusted by Joan, and she used this position of trust to her own financial gain. Joan was isolated from her family and denied from seeing her grandchildren and their children.
“Sadly, Joan passed away in 2022, however we hope that the return of Gwinnett to the UK to serve her sentence gives Joan’s family a sense of justice as they look to move on with their lives.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Micah Richards reveals dad ‘unexpectedly’ died shortly before going on air for England v Argentina last night
Emily Sergeant
Micah Richards has revealed that his dad died shortly before he went on air for the World Cup semi final last night.
The former right back – who most-notably played for Manchester City for a decade from 2005-2015, and for the England national team from 2006-2012 – was one of the BBC’s pundits providing on-air analysis last night as England faced Argentina in a highly anticipated semi final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup last night.
The two teams faced off in Atlanta, and while goals came from both sides, it was ultimately Argentina that reigned supreme – securing a 2-1 win over the Three Lions.
But while much of the country is grieving the fact that football won’t be ‘coming home’ (well, for another two years at least), Richards is grieving on a deeper level.
He took to Instagram after the loss last night to share with his 1.4m followers that shortly before he went on air, his father Lincoln passed away ‘unexpectedly’ – calling him the ‘proudest parent possible’ in a touching tribute.
“He has left us all too soon,” Richards began in his tribute.
“Hwas my greatest fan. He barely missed a game my entire life. He would take me wherever I needed to go when I was a kid and he was the proudest parent possible during my professional career. It was so rare for him to not be by my side.
“I know how much watching England World Cup games means to everyone at home, and how the experience bonds families together across the generations, like nothing else.
“I know, particularly as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, dad would’ve wanted the show to go on this evening. And so it did.”
Georgina Pellant -
27th July 2023 
