We love digging up little glimpses of the old world and nuggets of what Greater Manchester used to be like back in the day, but unearthing a song all about how wonderful Stockport is might just be up there with one of the best things we’ve ever come discovered.
Yes, we fully appreciate how surprising and potentially funny that sentence alone might be to a lot of you, but please just bear with us.
We’ll confess that finding this gem of a track came from nothing more than a stroke of sheer luck and the whims of the YouTube algorithm during one of the late-night scrolling on our phones, at which we point we stumbled across what appeared to be an ode to the town of Stockport.
Simply entitled, ‘Stockport’, the song was performed by Liverpool-born easy-listening star and all-round crooner, Frankie Vaughan, who was a big recording artist throughout the 1950s and, without further ado, here’s what it sounds like. Are you ready?
The best and likely only song about how great Stockport is. Simply glorious.
Yes, that is a real single that was genuinely recorded in the old Cheshire borough back in 1983, and not at the legendary Strawberry Studios as you might have expected, but in the equally iconic Plaza Theatre located in the town centre.
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Believed to have been recorded as a bit of a wink and a nod by Vaughan and lyricist Geoff Morrow, a songwriter and businessman from London, the tune came about as a response to an article by the Mail on Sunday which essentially dragged Stockport’s name through the dirt.
While the details surrounding exactly how that article led to this collaboration are equally muddy, it’s thought that the Mail set up a competition for someone to write about how great the area was as a kind of apology — i.e. giving the locals a chance to paint it in a better light like no one else could.
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However, perhaps because SK residents weren’t overly keen to shout about the region themselves, it turned out Morrow asked Vaughan to do it as the two were friends and (tongue firmly in cheeky, we expect), the 60s/70s cabaret singer gave it his full big band best. It was a big story at the time, too.
The result is an almost Sinatra-esque soliloquy all about the place that has gone on to be dubbed ‘the new Berlin’ by some and was voted Greater Manchester’s town of culture in 2023, but we dare say few would have expected it to have such a reputation today — including the blokes who created it.
From the almost Coronation Street-like opening second or two, to Frankie Vaughan’s insistence upon occasionally letting loose a laugh at the end or even sometimes in the middle of a lyric, there are moments when this song very much feels like a bit of a parody, but I guess we’ll never know.
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As someone born in Stockport myself, I feel I have some authority to assume that lines like “there’s nowhere that can beat it”, “the houses seem to say ‘come in'”, and “there’s nowhere finer” were sung at least a little bit sarcastically but, regardless, we’re very happy to have pulled this love letter out from the very back of the Manc music draw.
Nevertheless, in all seriousness, the Stockport of the mid to late-20th century is very different from the one we’ve come to know of today, boasting plenty of new cultural hotspots, highly-regarded restaurants and bars, not to mention a new wave of local artists like Blossoms, Fuzzy Sun, Findlay and more.
Fellow Stopfordians might smirk at the suggestion of their town being “where it’s at”, as Frankie Vaughan puts it with such questionable sincerity, but the honest truth is that it’s still one of our favourite places to go in and around Manchester and has a special place in our hearts.
The only difference is that we’re fairly sure our love comes from a very different place than the songs did. Exhibit A through Z.
Featured Images — Helder Rock (via YouTube)/Stockport Library Archive Footage/The Manc Group
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A 5k charity event where runners dress up as Pitbull is coming to Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
Yep, you read it right the first time – a regular 5k charity run returns to Manchester this month, only this time, those taking part will be dressed up as Pitbull for some reason…
Don’t ask us, we just thought it was funny and it’s for a good cause, so why the hell not?
For a little context, this is the latest idea from Slow Run Club: a local running organisation that takes place weekly at three different locations across Greater Manchester.
We know ‘Mr Worldwide’ himself has been and gone, having played a couple of nights in Manchester earlier this year, but these lot have decided two nights of yelling ‘Timberrrr’ still wasn’t quite enough and asking those joining the October fundraising 5k to dress up like the one and only Pitbull.
In case you missed it when ‘Dale’ fever took over the city streets this past summer, bald caps, sunglasses, black felt goatees and drawn-on moustaches descended upon central Manchester as they have been all over the UK and beyond for his live shows.
Was it utterly daft? Yes. Was it still one of THE best gig crowds we’ve seen in yonks? Absolutely.
The 44-year-old Floridian rapper and resurgent pop star played multiple nights at the Co-op Live, and they were brilliant, but we’re not going to pretend that the best wasn’t seeing the sea of shiny bald heads and shades in suits and ties.
It’s rare that you see such a shared moment of abandoning inhibitions and embracing the silliness; it was genuinely so great to see, and it’s that same energy that these guys are trying to tap into. Put simply, it’s about letting go and dancing like no one’s watching.
Teaming up with fellow charity-focused running group, Run The Streets MCR, Slow Run Club (SRC)’s Pitbull fancy-dress-themed run is just the latest in a growing trend of alternative ways to get some exercise in.
After you’ve gone all ‘305’ at the Pitbull run, these Manchester runners are worth looking into as well.
Having done everything from the regular fancy dress Halloween runs to Oasis, Sabrina Carpenter, ABBA-themed runs, and many more, you’d be surprised how much you don’t care about what people think when you’re running around and dancing to tunes – especially when it’s for charity.
Once again, the Slow Run Club x Run The Streets MCR ‘Pitbull Edition’ 5k charity run takes place this month on Wednesday, 22 October, from 6:30pm onwards outside The Tap House on Circle Square, just off the Oxford Road Corridor, before setting off at a laid-back social pace.
This is the same place and time you’ll find SRC’s city centre regular meet-up every week; speaking to The Manc, founder Holly Spiers said: “We run from The Taphouse every Wednesday (just not usually dressed as Pitbull) and offer an inclusive pace as well as rest stops.”
Speaking of fancy dress, if you haven’t seen the group of four mates who made history at the 2025 Manchester Half, stop what you’re doing and read this:
These legends set an incredibly fun, wholesome and amusing world record at this year's @ManchesterHalf – all whilst raising money for @andysmanclubuk. 👏
Courteeners set for huge hometown event at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester
Danny Jones
The latest artist due to play Wythenshawe Park has been announced, with hometown heroes Courteeners set to take the stage in Manchester.
Now that is a big booking.
The Middleton-formed Manc band remain one of the biggest contemporary names to come out of Greater Manchester, and having already played to record-breaking crowds at Heaton Park, Old Trafford, and most venues in the region over the last two decades, this is just the next one to tick off.
Better still, they’re bringing some brilliant acts along with them for Live From Wythenshawe Park 2026, with the one-day festival becoming more established every year.
Courteeners, Wythenshawe Park, Manchester. Saturday 29th August 2026 +special guests @thevaccines(performing debut album 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?' in full),@thecoralband,Getdown Services & Girl In The Year Above. Tickets:10am Friday 24th Oct https://t.co/AYk3UlTdlkpic.twitter.com/vQAw2ZEpd0
Who is supporting Courteeners at Wythenshawe Park?
As well as openers, Getdown Services and Girl In The Year Above, who’ll be representing Bristol and the Irish delegation respectively, there’s no chance of the warm-ups not doing their job before the headliners get underway.
The two big support acts scheduled to join the St. Jude stars for the massive outdoor gig are none other than Merseyside veterans, The Coral, as well as fellow indie favourites, The Vaccines.
Get. IN.
As if that lineup wasn’t already one of the best Live From Wythenshawe Park has seen to date, the latter are set to play their debut album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, in full – 2026 marks a whole 15 years since it was first released, if you can believe that.
You won’t be surprised to hear that their headline UK tour celebrating the same milestone has sold out pretty much across the board, with a second Manchester date added AND now an extra chance to see them live supporting Courteeners.
General admission for the show goes on sale 10am on Friday, 24 October 2025, with tickets available via Gigs and Tours.com as well as Ticketmaster; Courtneers are also donating £1 from every ticket sold directly to the Music Venue Trust, the UK charity protecting and improving grassroots music venues.
That’s what we like to hear.
Contributions like this really do go on to help keep local venues open, support up-and-coming new artists on tour, not to mention it serves as an investment in the future of live music in what is an increasingly challenging industry.
With Courteeners set to follow another big and even more iconic indie rock band already confirmed, Live From Wythenshawe Park 2026 is shaping up nicely.
Danny Jones -
12th January 2024 
