Property

Plans submitted for ‘substantial’ refurbishment of historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub

Big plans for one of Manchester's 'most treasured pubs'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th March 2026

Plans have been submitted for an extensive refurb of the legendary Sir Ralph Abercromby pub in the heart of Manchester.

Gary Neville’s Relentless Developments has applied to restore the pub in a way that ‘honours the building’s heritage’.

It will be integrated into the wider £400m St Michael’s development, which now towers above the 19th century bar.

The proposals include a substantial refurbishment of window frames, brickwork, and external doors (or replacements where necessary), as well as a glassed walkway that will link the pub with the 43-storey tower next door.

That huge new tower will soon be home to the W Hotel and W Residences, with other names within the development including Chotto Matte, Grind, and Circolo Poppolare.

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The Bootle Street boozer has long-been one of Manchester’s most iconic pubs, and was the subject of a local petition during the early stages of the St Michael’s development planning.

After locals rallied around to save the pub, the Sir Ralph Abercromby was factored into the Relentless Developments plans.

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And now it’s time for its new chapter, with works commencing in the coming months, subject to planning approval.

It’s hoped the work on the pub will complete by summer 2027.

Gary Neville, Director at Relentless Developments, commented: “The Sir Ralph Abercromby is one of Manchester’s most treasured pubs and an important part of the city’s social fabric.

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“A big part of our ambition for St Michael’s has been to celebrate Manchester’s heritage and restoring this iconic building is central to that vision.

“Our proposals carefully retain and enhance the features that give the pub its character while sensitively integrating it into the wider St Michael’s scheme.

“We’re proud the pub has been able to remain open throughout construction and this next phase will secure its future for generations to come – ensuring it continues to serve the community while sitting confidently alongside a truly world-class development.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Property

Nearly 300 new ‘social rent’ homes given go-ahead as part of £500m Wythenshawe regeneration

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly 300 new homes are set to be built in Wythenshawe as part of a wider £500 million regeneration scheme.

In case you didn’t know, Placemaker Muse and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group submitted three separate planning applications for 422 new affordable homes back in December 2025, following a public consultation with locals.

Now, works on two of the three new communities can begin, with the third expected to get the green light in the coming weeks.

Brotherton House – which is a former office building – will be transformed into 216 new homes, including an extra care apartment building with 109 homes for people in later life and those living with dementia, while C2 The Birtles, also currently retail and office space, is situated next to the former market square and will be replaced with 81 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Alpha House, which is currently awaiting a planning decision, has now been demolished and will be rebuilt to provide 125 one and two-bedroom apartments – including 16 wheelchair accessible homes.

According to developers, all the homes will be ‘affordable, high-quality, and energy-efficient’, with additional outdoor and communal spaces to promote health and wellbeing.

The approval given to build these new homes forms part of the wider ‘ambitious’ plan to transform Wythenshawe over the next decade.

The wider masterplan for Wythenshawe will see up to 2,000 new homes created over the next 10 to 15 years, which will complement the wider investment currently underway in Civic – supported by £20 million of Government funding, and £11.9 million from Manchester City Council.

Nearly 300 new homes have been given the go-ahead as part of a £500m Wythenshawe regeneration scheme / Credit: Muse (Supplied)

New community facilities in the town include the Culture Hub – which is now underway – the Food Hall, currently awaiting a planning decision, new workspaces, and improvements to the outdoor spaces in Civic, all designed to create a ‘greener and more welcoming’ town centre.

“For us, this is about delivering the truly affordable homes local people have told us they need,” explained Andrea Lowman, who is the Executive Director of Development at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.

“Every one of these homes will be for social rent, giving more families, older residents and people with additional needs the opportunity to live well in the heart of Wythenshawe.

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“As the local social housing provider, we are focused not just on building new homes but on creating sustainable communities and making sure this investment strengthens the town centre for existing and future residents alike.”

Featured Image – Muse (Supplied)

Property

A new social ‘osteria’ and Italian restaurant is opening in Stockport town centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones New Italian restaurant by Social Trattoria in Poynton opening in Weir Mill Stockport

You may not have come across the phrase ‘osteria’ before, but all you really need to know is that it’s Italian, involves food and drink, and the concept is coming to one of the most exciting new developments in Stockport.

Put simply, an osteria is somewhere that typically serves up wine and simple, rustic food in a more laid-back setting; they’re even more chill and perhaps extra focused on gathering friends and the communal side of the culinary world than a traditional trattoria.

However, the lines have been blurred over time, and in fact, it’s The Social Trattoria over in Poynton, just on the Cheshire border, that is bringing this concept to the flourishing Greater Manchester town.

Being headed up their team and property firm, Capital and Centric, who will be providing the space for the new social-first foodie spot, it will form a popular hospitality hub in the middle of a new mini-district.

social italian trattoria opening in stockport
The first CGI of the soon-to-open space. (Credit: Supplied)

That epicentre is the soon-to-be fully reborn Weir Mill: a new housing, business and leisure neighbourhood revolving around the old Grade II-listed cotton factory of the same name.

Scheduled to open later this year and deliver more than 250 new homes, a slate of cafes and bars (as well as Social Osteria), not to mention lots of new jobs, the aim is to make it one of the most vibrant places with an SK postcode.

While the Social Osteria doesn’t quite have a specific opening date just yet, it’s set to be one of the big focal points of the new and improved Weir Mill.

Promising all of the favourites from pasta, pizzas, antipasti, Aperol, other aperitivos and plenty more, they’re hoping it’ll be a place to meet throughout the day rather than just evening dining.

Clocking in at 2000 square feet – not including the 65,000 sq ft of surrounding outdoor space, paired riverside terrace and another exciting new opening in Stockport, Weaver’s Square – they’re looking to make a big impression on the locals, as well as bring even more tourists to the up-and-coming area.

You can read more about how Weaver fits into the Weir works down here:

Developers share new look at Stockport’s newest indie neighbourhood at Weir Mill

The Social Trattoria – the Poynton go-to founded by Will Okill, Jeremy Alexander, and Daniel
Barron – was named best Trattoria at the Italian Awards UK 2025 and is up for four more this
year.

Co-Founder Will Okill said of the plans: “You can’t help falling in love with this building, and that’s what happened when I walked into Weir Mill.

“It was stripped back to its bare bones, but the atmosphere was already there, you could feel the character – and then the outdoor space overlooking the river sealed it; as soon as I saw it, I could picture what we’d create here.

“We’re all about taking traditional Italian cooking and making it fresh for today – everything from scratch and using locally-sourced ingredients wherever we can. Stockport’s indie food scene is booming, and we can’t wait to be part of it.” Exciting times ahead indeed.

Take a closer look at the kind of dishes and drinks you can expect Trattoria to carry over to the new Social Osteria site down below.

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Font Comms)

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