It might look like a shipping yard dropped into a car park in north Manchester, but Pollard Yard is in fact a community shopping space where you can get a birthday card, a vinyl record and a tattoo all in one spot. I’m in!
This community retail location sees vendors selling their products and services directly from industrial-style shipping containers, making for a quirky and eccentric shopping experience.
Nestled betweenAncoatsand New Islington while being only a couple of minutes’ walk from Holt Town tram stop, it’s a lively hub of retail therapy which everyone can easily access.
There are a wide range of shops and small businesses perched in this small and innovative retail village and unfortunately we can’t list them all.
So here are a few highlights of the independent businesses you can visit at Pollard Yard.
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Pollard Yard – The Guide
Vinyl Fetishes
Vinyl Fetishes – Pollard Yard’s LGBTQIA+ owned music shop with its many pop offerings.The selection at Vinyl Fetishes specialises in pop releases.The vinyl racks stacked with some of the greatest musical releases on vinyl at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
In September, Pollard Yard welcomed Vinyl Fetishes, a record shop catering towards pop and R&B records that may not be as readily available in other suppliers.
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It comes as no surprise that they’re also home to various editions of Charli XCX’s iconic ‘Brat’ album, including its extended edition and remix variants, that is until savvy shoppers like yourselves snap them up.
The owners are keen to interest more people in pop music that’s pressed onto vinyl even recently running a competition for Kylie’s new album ‘Tension II’, promising the first six customers a bottle of her very own ‘Kylie prosecco’.
The Lucky Pig Tattoo
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The Lucky Pig Tattoo shop where you can get tatted from an industrial shipping container.The cozy setup awaiting the next tattoo lover and their newest design at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
Ever wanted a tattoo but needed reassurance from a friendly face? Well fear not, because over at The Lucky Pig Tattoo, they don’t have one friendly face but four to assist you with your next piece of body art.
Megan, Zena, T.A.K and AJ make up this tattoo parlour family and although the containers may be on the small side, they’ll always have room for some more creative visitors welcoming artists to host guest spots for a few days throughout the year.
This time last year, The Lucky Pig Tattoo gave customers the opportunity to get some spooky Snoopy designs tatted at their Halloween flash day.
The Letter Arty Shop
The seemingly never-ending card selection at The Letter Arty Shop.Pollard Yard’s answer to a celebratory occassion – The Letter Arty ShopA wide range of printed designs made right here in Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
If you suffer from decision paralysis you’re going to spend a while in The Letter Arty Shop picking out a greetings card. Their Christmas collection sees these paper greetings in foil, letterpress, typography and even 3D form.
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The latest collection from this gift accompaniment shop is titled the ‘Obvious Cards’ range and it’s as simple as putting pen to paper (sorry).
These cards are in-your-face with writing like ‘Christmas Card’, ‘Valentine’s Card’ and ‘Thank You Card’, I think you get the gist of it…
Nusole Services
A wall full of trainers looking clean and fresh at Nusole – Pollard Yard.Stacked – Trainers galore at this footwear laundry retailer in Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
This next vendor is an absolute must for keeping your kicks shiny and new and with rain forecast pretty much 90% of the time inManchesteryou’re going to need to call them up.
Marketed as a premium footwear laundry brand, this company are giving your shoes some much needed TLC, while keeping your outfit game unmatched.
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They scrub up most shoes, especially their most requested clean LV Runaways, even providing services for Manchester City youth player Jaden Heskey.
Good Thing Coffee Co.
One of the finest focaccia creations at Good Thing Coffee Co. Pollard Yard. The barista and bar set up at Pollard Yard’s coffeehouse – Good Thing Coffee Co.Additional outdoor seating for Good Thing Coffee Co. guests at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
After some amazing deals like a focaccia sandwich for £8 or a coffee and a cake for £5.50, then this should be next on your cafe checklist.
You can fully immerse yourself in a selection of hot drinks, focaccia and sweet treats or get your order delivered to straight tp your car if you want your foodie fix on the go.
This coffee shop even hosts its own club nights at the yard! It’s a good thing this place is a coffee spot as these collaboration events can run until 12am.
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For Your Consideration…
Hoopin ‘N’ Lootin
While it seems like everyone is falling in love with american football at the moment, whether you’re watching it for the game or for the modern day Romeo and Juliet , Tight end player Travis Kelce and pop legend Taylor Swift, Hoopin ‘N’ Lootin are obsessing over another american sport, basketball.
Supplying Mancunians with all their sporting apparel needs, stocking basketball jerseys from greats such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Where better to buy your basketball essentials from than a dedicated fan, after all shop owner Elliot even has the NBA tattooed on his thigh to commemorate his recent trip to the game in Paris last January.
So whether it’s your first time discovering this fascinating shopping site or you’ve been before, make sure you’re not a stranger to Pollard Yard, after all there really is something for everyone.
Featured Image: The Manc Group
News
Major DJ forced to pull out of Parklife festival on doctor’s orders
Thomas Melia
A well-known techno and trance DJ will no longer be playing at Parklife this weekend, he’s announced, with just one day to go until his major set.
Anyone heading to Heaton Park over the weekend for Manchester-based festival, Parklife, may notice the lineup looks a little different after one distinctive DJ has pulled out due to doctor’s orders.
Marlon Hoffstadt, who also goes by the moniker ‘DJ Daddy Trance’, was expected to play out on the Matinée stage on Saturday 20 June from 6.30pm – 8pm.
The Germany-based act was taking to the decks right before Manchester’s own Morgan Seatree, who has become recognised for his material which is an ode to house music and is likely to be one of the busiest sets of the weekend.
Hoffstadt had two gigs this weekend; the first being Parklife in Manchester and the second Fête de la Musique in Paris, both of which he has since pulled out of in a newly-published social media announcement.
The Berlin-born music maker has reluctantly called off these upcoming appearances and justified his decision by saying: “As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first”.
To much dismay, Hoffstadt received doctor’s advice who deemed him ‘currently not fit to fly’ following surgery, urging him to rest and recover.
Marlon posted today: “I’m so sad to have to share this, but unfortunately I won’t be able to play Parklife in Manchester and Fête de la Musique in Paris this weekend.
“I recently had a surgery and, following my doctor’s advice, I’m currently not fit to fly and need rest and recover.
“I know many of you made plans and were looking forward to it, and I’m so sorry to let you down.
“As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first so I can get back to doing what I love as soon as possible.”
As much as the presence of this world-class performer will be missed, there’s still plenty of notable names set to make their mark on Parklife including Zara Larsson, Calvin Harris, Skepta and more.
The outdoor big music weekender has established itself as a rave haven with mainly dance artists and DJs making up its lineup through a variety of curated b2b sets and live performances.
If you’re after immersing yourself in some jungle music, Bradford-native Nia Archives will have you transfixed over at The Valley with her jungle-heavy tunes from 6.30pm – 7.30pm or there’s three more stages to take your pick from.
We’re sure that anyone eager to see the ‘Hands Up In The Sky’ producer live may be frustrated by this brand-new social media announcement however as Hoffstadt mentions it’s so he can “Get back to doing what I love as soon as possible”.
‘This could be the turning point’ – Andy Burnham’s speech in full as he wins the Makerfield by-election
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has clinched the victory in the crucial Makerfield by-election.
After the polls closed at 10pm last night (18 June), victory for Burnham was officially declared at just gone 3am – with the Greater Manchester Mayor, now Labour MP, winning 24,927 votes (54.8% vote share) and a majority of 9,231.
Burnham’s victory is a sizeable majority over second place, Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon – who, despite claims he might be able to seize the constituency, won just 15,696 votes (34.5%).
This is, however, Reform’s second-highest ever vote share at a by-election, just over 4% less than 2025’s Runcorn and Helsby.
Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd came third, with 3,111 votes (6.8%).
The turnout in Makerfield was 58.75%, which is higher than the turnout for the constituency at the General Election in 2024, and, even more surprisingly, the third-highest by-election turnout since World War II.
Andy Burnham’s victory speech in full
“Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.
“From here on, I will give everything I have got to make it so. To ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs, bringing back something we’ve lost – hope. Hope for the future.
“I am proud that this place has shone in the world’s spotlight for the last few weeks and the warmth, humour and hospitality of its people has been on show for all to see. It will never be a stepping stone to me, but instead will be my touchstone. A Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will make sure that the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness.
“I spoke in the campaign about the need to change politics. I promised to lead by example, from the front, as your Member of Parliament.
“I know people who traditionally vote for the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, and perhaps more recently for Reform UK, have given me their support in this election. I will always have respect to them for that. And out of respect for them, I will always take a place-first, rather than a party-first, approach and I will focus on problem-solving rather than point-scoring.
“And I will work hard after this by-election to heal the divisions of this campaign. And let it be really understood that I will be your MP, however you voted.
“When this borough went to the polls in May, it made a loud cry for change. In this campaign we have begun to answer that. But I do say to my own party – this is a final chance to change. This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I stood on. We must hear it, we must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance.
“But there is a chance now from this result tonight to build a new politics based on unity and hope.
“Turning away from the path that takes us to a divided, dark politics of the kind we see in the United States. We must now take this path and put this country back on the right path, and bring people back together and get things working properly again.
“It is with some sadness that this result brings an end to my wonderful nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester.
“This city region has given so much to me. And it is a wrench to leave the job I love. But I am not leaving the service of Greater Manchester. I’ve always been clear that it can’t achieve everything it should be and we can’t close the north-south divide, and we can’t make all the great English cities be what they should be without big change at the national level.
“I always knew one day I would seek to go back to Westminster to complete that unfinished business so that Makerfield and Greater Manchester, and the north of England, can fulfil their potential.
“This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody.
“People here have voted for change. They have voted for more power for the North and everywhere forgotten by Westminster. They have voted for hope. Now, let’s give that back to them.”
Thomas Melia -
29th October 2024 
