Popular indie gift shop Utility is opening up its second Manchester site over in Altrincham where it will take up the old Paperchase space in the Stamford Quarter.
Since opening up on the University Green complex along Oxford Road back in 2018, the independent lifestyle, homeware and gift shop has become a bit of a cult favourite, especially among the students who walk past it most days — and now they’re expanding even further into Greater Manchester.
While Utility only has three locations in the UK (the two others being in Liverpool) their knack for all things quirky, unique and fun, as well as personalised when it comes to gifts, has seen their reputation continue to grow across the North West and now Alty locals will be able to enjoy it too.
Set to fill the unit which once housed Paperchase over on George Street which has been vacant since April, the fourth Utility store is due to open sometime in August although a firm date is still unknown.
Paperchase (via Facebook)Utility on University Green (via Facebook)The Trafford market town’s old stationery staple is soon to be the fourth Utility store in the UK.
As confirmed in an exclusive with Altrincham Today, this will be the first-ever town centre Utility shop since the company began in 1999, with the three others all situated within city centres.
Explaining why they chose the Trafford market town of all places to roll out their new site, co-founder and director Dick Mawdsley said Altrincham has “one of the best high streets in the UK” and since they already have “a big customer base here… it just made a lot of sense”.
Insisting that Utility will not only fit in with some of the best parts this beautiful part of the borough has to offer but also provide something different, he explained how they are “a design-led gift store, and everything has to have either a purpose or be amusing or well designed.”
Still the only independent shop in the Liverpool One shopping centre, he detailed how “around 40% of [their] greeting cards and art prints are our own in-house design products”, and you know much we love a good indie success story.
Speaking on the opening, Bruntwood’s Head of Retail James Tootle said: “Utility will be a fantastic addition to our Stamford Quarter community and it’s wonderful to see the brand expanding with its second store in Greater Manchester here in Altrincham.
“As we continue to see shoppers enjoying everything the town’s high street has to offer, it’s great to be adding exciting, independent brands like this and we’re looking forward to welcoming the Utility team.”
The old Paperchase site they will be taking over sadly shut down earlier this year as the stationery chain announced it was going into administration, seeing the Manchester city centre location close and replaced with a branch of END. Clothing.
The closure also saw the brand selling off its stock for 50% off on the final day of brick-and-mortar trading before it was fully taken over by Tesco, who will continue to sell items online.
In other Alty news, the bustling Greater Manchester suburb is also set to once again play host to this year’s Tour of Britain — a huge coup for the area.
Body found in search for missing man Craig Foy after police scour Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
A body has been discovered in the search for missing Bury man Craig Foy.
Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team had been carrying out an extensive search for Craig, 40, after he disappeared on Saturday 26 July.
Those searches had included the Heaton Park area, after CCTV appeared to show the Whitefield man climbing into the park just before midnight.
Officers have now confirmed that a body has been found in connection with the investigation.
While formal identification is yet to take place, it’s believed to be that of Craig.
Craig’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Earlier in the week, GMP said that three men were arrested on suspicion of murder, with one suspect since released on bail and two others facing no further action.
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Billington, from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, said: “The investigation remains ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to Craig’s death, and to ensure that we can get the answers that his family deserve.
“We appreciate the support of the public in sharing our appeals to locate Craig and ask for his family to be given privacy, space and time to process their loss.”
Police are still appealing for information relating to the investigation – you can contact GMP on 101 quoting log number 917-28/7/25 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
New data reveals a third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday
Emily Sergeant
Surprising new data has revealed that a third of Brits admits to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday.
After a long and tiring week, most of us would love the chance to clock off work a little earlier than usual on a Friday, but for a lot of workers, this isn’t always a possibility – and for some, they even have to work longer at the end of the week to make sure everything has been finished off and tied up before the weekend arrives.
But since there has been a noticeable rise in remote working and working from home, a new survey has revealed that working attitudes have changed.
Virgin Media has released new broadband data that reveals a drop in traffic on Friday afternoons during the summer months – with as much as an 8% dip between 3-5pm compared to the winter, as remote workers clock off early.
A third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday / Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
The Friday traffic drop-off comes from Virgin Media’s broadband network analysis, which it says is a ‘reliable indicator’ of the connectivity habits of the British public.
Alongside the network data, Virgin Media also asked Brits about their work policies and working habits ij a bid to fully understand the trend.
Nearly a third (30%) of Brits say they have a formal early Friday finish in place during the summer, but despite almost half of UK adults (48%) saying they’re not authorised to finish early on a Friday, 32% have admitted to regularly logging off with or without official permission.
Surprising new data has revealed Brits’ working habits / Credit: Chuttersnap (via Unsplash)
Many Brits have also confessed to working ‘on the move’ on a Friday afternoon too.
15% admitted to having worked from the train station as the weekend creeps nearer, as well as 14% from the park, 10% from the pub, and many as 30% of 18-24-year-olds worked from the car while travelling for the weekend.
“Our network traffic analysis is revealing changing workplace habits in real time as the nation takes advantage of long summer Fridays,” commented Jeanie York, who is the Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.
“We’re continuing to boost our fixed and mobile networks so whether Brits are working from their local park, or finishing their work at home, we’re ready to keep them connected.”
Danny Jones -
14th August 2023 
