Sostrene Grene, the much-loved affordable homeware brand, has opened a brand-new store in Manchester city centre.
The Danish business has opened inside the Manchester Arndale today, in a whopping 4,952 sq ft store (opposite the Body Shop, if you’re looking for it).
As always, the new retail space showcases Sostrene Grene’s contemporary – yet surprisingly affordable – home decor, furniture, and stylish lifestyle products.
And shopping here is arguably unlike any other experience on the high street, thanks to its unique layout and winding aisles making it feel like you’re discovering something new around every corner.
The new space shows off a brand-new, full Easter range, with items like pretty pastel bud vases, bunny-shaped candles, tulip mugs, and even Easter-patterned gift wrap.
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As with all Sostrene Grene stores, you’ll find a small kitchen section selling cooking and baking essentials for incredible prices, alongside ingredients like cake mixes, jams, and olives.
Then there’s a full tea selection, including a self-serve loose lead tea station.
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The new Sostrene Grene at Manchester Arndale offers a vast range of wrapping paper, gift bags and cards, as well as a full wall of candles in every colour of the rainbow (and priced from 40p).
Head around again and you’ll find yourself in the brand’s crafting section, where you can pick up everything from stickers and stamps to beads and thread, plus loads of painting and art supplies.
On top of that, there’s stationery (and where else are you picking up a notepad for £1.76?), plant pots and garden decor, storage baskets, picture frames, rugs, bathroom bits, more candles, hair accessories,
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You can even shop for the little ones, picking up soft toys, wooden toys, and kids craft supplies.
And before you leave, you’ll pass through loads of nostalgic sweets like liquorice, sticks of rock, and jelly sweets – and even miniature Easter eggs in their own egg carton.
Sostrene Grene is open now inside Manchester Arndale.
Manchester Storm’s ‘own and loan’ scheme returns for 2026/27
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have relaunched their much-loved ‘own and loan’ programme once again ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Having gone from a cult favourite option for die-hards to an increasingly popular choice among their growing number of supporters, it’s a great way for fans to get their hands on what could go on to be priceless collectables.
Set up over a decade and a half ago, the initiative has gone on to be replicated by multiple clubs in the Elite Ice Hockey League, across the country, and indeed beyond.
For anyone unclear on what exactly this scheme means for them, here’s all you need to know.
The own and loan sponsorship is essentially an opportunity not only to support the club and your favourite player, but to essentially reserve a valuable piece of match-worn memorabilia.
Put simply, fans can buy a squad member’s jersey and then loan it back to them for the season.
The shirt – be it home, away, created for cup tournaments or a special limited-edition sweater (of which MCR Storm have designed many over the years) – will then be worn throughout the course of the campaign before being given back to the owner, i.e. you.
Not just simply buying the shirt, but helping back the team’s talent, it’s one of the most direct ways people can contribute to the club.
The Greater Manchester side pioneered the push for this initiative here in the UK in the early 2010s, and with the local side now set to return to the AO Arena, where their journey began way back in 1995, you can expect plenty to mark the comeback with a special sponsored jersey.
Anyone who purchases an away strip will have their name featured throughout home games for the duration of the season – not a bad gift or way to secure a potential future collectors’ item.
You can see every player available to sponsor and find out all the information you need right HERE.
For regular matchgoers at the ‘Storm Shelter’, we’re sure it’ll be bittersweet to say goodbye to Planet Ice Altrincham, but just how excited are you about heading home to the AO Arena later this year?
Daisy Jackson -
26th March 2026 
