A gigantic Debenhams store in Wigan that has stood empty for years is set to become ‘Britain’s biggest charity shop’.
The vast unit, which is housed inside Wigan’s Grand Arcade, hasn’t welcomed customers since it shut its doors in 2021 – but now it is set for a new lease of life.
New charity shop Rebuild With Hope will be taking over the huge space, opening what it is thought could be the biggest charity shop in Britain.
Selling clothing from high-street names alongside homeware, accessories, and other bits and pieces, the team behind the massive new charity shop – who are from Wigan themselves – say that shoppers will be able to find discounts of up to 70%.
Chief executive officer Louise Atherton said: “We have only been around for a couple of years but this is massive for us.
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“I am from Wigan and was hoping that we could establish our base here and couldn’t believe it when this opportunity arose.
“We receive donations and seconds, but a lot of the products we will sell are surplus from high street names. A lot is donated by a company we work with and we also purchase from other organisations which get the stock from retailers.
“It means we can sell top quality products at discounts of up to 70 per cent and we have loads in reserve.”
Being a charity, Rebuild With Hope does not have to pay any rent to the Grand Arcade – although there is a clause that its lease can be revoked with 28 days’ notice.
The relatively young charity helps people struggling to find a job into productive work, and has worked with local organisations in Wigan including The Brick, Fur Clemt, churches and community centres.
Rules around booking driving tests in UK change from today to make system ‘fairer’
Emily Sergeant
The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.
It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.
Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.
While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.
Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.
The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.
“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.
“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.
“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”
Featured Image – Pxfuel
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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
Georgina Pellant -
11th August 2023 
