Business

A brand-new shipping container village is opening in Manchester, with 250 new studios for local business

A new home for our city's amazing creative scene

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 1st May 2026

A new shipping container village that will be home to 250 affordable studio spaces is coming to Manchester.

The concept may be familiar to you if you already know Pollard Yard, a maze of local business over in New Islington.

And now the team behind that, Meanwhile Creative, have announced plans for a major new site just north of the city centre.

When it opens, Bromley Yard will provide a whopping 250 studio spaces that can be transformed into studios, workshops, retail units, dark kitchens, salons, gyms, and just about anything else you can fit inside their walls.

Set to be one of the largest container communities in Europe, this is going to really foster all those amazing independent makers and creators that Manchester is so proud to be home to.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pollard Yard itself won’t be going anywhere – it’s a vibrant home to more than 160 independent studios and a network of creatives spanning art, music, food, fashion and more, with a waiting list that can stretch for years.

Bromley Yard will just be building on that, unlocking even more space for the city’s creative sector and building on a clear demand for low-cost studio spaces – and building on underused urban space.

ADVERTISEMENT
Palms Coffee at Pollard Yard
Palms Coffee at Pollard Yard
Bromley Yard will build on the success of Pollard Yard
Bromley Yard will build on the success of Pollard Yard
Bromley Yard comes from the same team as Pollard Yard
Bromley Yard comes from the same team as Pollard Yard
How Bromley Yard will look. Credit: Meanwhile Creative
How Bromley Yard will look. Credit: Meanwhile Creative

Phase One of the new shipping container village will open this year, with more phases to follow.

There’ll also be dedicated music units, food and beverage spaces, and customer facing studios, much like there is over at Pollard Yard.

Bromley Yard is set to be within walking distance of the city centre, just off Rochdale Road.

ADVERTISEMENT

Expressions of interest are now open, with early access opportunities, open days, and previews set to be announced in the coming months.

Read more

Featured image: Meanwhile Creative

Business

Stockport County CEO to step down at the end of the season

Danny Jones Danny Jones Stockport County CEO leaving this summer

Stockport County Football Club’s chief executive officer, Simon Wilson, has revealed that he will be leaving his post as CEO and the club at the end of the season.

Having joined the organisation around the time of the first Covid-19 lockdown, Simon Wilson has already spent more than half a decade as part of the Greater Manchester team.

Now, though, having just surpassed his sixth year with Stockport, the County CEO has announced he will step down from his role and depart at the conclusion of the 2025/26 campaign.

Confirming the decision online and across multiple social media posts, he has just a few weeks left before bidding farewell to the Hatters.

Sharing a lengthy statement to the supporters, Wilson wrote: “When I joined, we set out on a clear long-term plan, and I’m proud that we’ve delivered on what we said we would and put the club in a strong position.

“This has been the best thing I’ve ever done in my career. The last 18 months, stepping into both CEO and Director of Football roles, have been particularly intense but hugely rewarding as I’ve seen the club mature further and sit on the cusp of the Championship.

“We always said we’d take stock around this point, and I feel now is the right moment for me to step back and allow the club to move into its next phase.” As mentioned, before being appointed as CEO, Wilson previously served as County‘s Sporting Director and was Director of Football at Sunderland prior to that.

He goes on to say: “The most important thing is that the club is now in a position of real strength. The structures are in place, there’s a clear way of working, and there are talented people throughout the organisation who will drive things forward.

“This isn’t the end of my connection—I’ll continue to support Mark through Stott Capital’s sports investments and by working with some of the emerging leaders within the group.

“There are so many people to thank for their support over my journey here at County. It’s been a truly special ride. To all the players, staff and supporters – from me and my family – thank you for the last six years; you have been a huge part of our lives, and we will never forget how you have made us feel”

It’s fair to say that during Wilson’s tenure, he and the wider board of executives have helped draw more eyes to the aspiring League One side and promotion hopefuls – even the best of the best.

Being one of the main figures responsible for having appointed a fan favourite club face and increasingly successful manager, Dave Challinor, as long-term head coach, it’s fair to say he’ll leave a legacy.

The club’s owner, Mark Stott, added: “It’s on record that I would not have bought the club if I hadn’t met Simon, and it’s clear how much progress has been made over the past six years. When we wrote the plan, we said we would see where we are after the sixth season.

“We both feel the major work has been done in setting the club up, and the next decade will be about capitalising on that. Simon felt that it might be the right time to step back from his day-to-day role to allow others to step up, and while I did ask him to consider staying, I’m happy with where we have got to.

“He’s played a huge role in getting the club to where it is today, and I’m pleased he will continue to support me through Stott Capital and by mentoring key people within my investments.”

As for who will take his place ahead of next term, the club are yet to make any decisions (at least not publicly) but has assured that they will update fans accordingly.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Stockport County FC/The Manc Group

Business

‘Stunning’ Old Rectory pub in Stockport suffers permanent closure

Danny Jones Danny Jones Old Rectory pub closed down permanently Stockport

One of Stockport town centre’s most beautiful pub venues, The Old Rectory, has officially closed down permanently following notices about its “final stages”.

Built circa 1740, the historic space itself has been there since before the Regency period.

Stockport‘s Old Rectory pub on Churchgate has been a number of different things over the decades, and has changed hands multiple times in more recent years, but now the Greene King site has shut down, what seems like, for good.

In fact, if you look online, it is already listed as ‘permanently closed’ on Google, as does a temporary sign now stuck to the gates of their entrance, with the most recent service last week being their final one.

when did the old rectory pub in stockport close down?
Credit: The Manc Eats

With the news having since been shared on the Stockport Tourism notice board on Facebook, a post from the ‘Old Rec’ team reads: “We are sad to announce that The Old Rectory will be closing its doors at the end of this month. Thank you to everyone who has visited and supported the venue over the years.”

An update has also now been shared on the official CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) website.

Issuing a statement directly to The Manc, a spokesperson for Greene King said: “Following a period of team member consultation, we can confirm that the Old Rectory has now closed.

“We are grateful to everyone who has supported the Old Rectory over the years, and we look forward to welcoming them into our other pubs in the local area soon.”

They also go on to assure that they have worked with the team members who have sadly been put out of work to try and find new positions at other locations, with the operators urging Stopfordians to try other nearby pubs such as Gardeners Arms in Offerton and the recently refurbished Carousel in Reddish.

is the old rectory hotel in stockport still open
old rectory premier inn stockport
Credit: The Manc

Described by CAMRA as a “multi-roomed pub-restaurant that still maintains a country house feel with plenty of dark wood and plush décor”, not to mention praising the all-day food service and “top notch” beer selection, its heyday may have been long ago, but it’ll still be missed by regulars and natives.

It’s also worth noting that the former Hungry Horse public house also long-served as an accommodation spot, too, with Premier Inn’s ‘Stockport Central Hotel’ attached to the back of the building.

There are no updates on this front at present, and they could easily repurpose what natives have hailed as a “stunning” Georgian structure – not to mention the expansive garden grounds – but the company is also currently cutting more than 3,800 jobs as part of a wider savings strategy.

Elsewhere, as SK residents bid goodbye to one veteran pub, they’re also gearing up to welcome back another former favourite…

Bask is BACK – bosses confirm return to ‘golden era’ of popular Stockport spot

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

More Business

Sacha Lord putting £2,500k behind one Manchester pub bar

Boroughs

Sacha Lord set to back local hospitality again with money behind the bar of Manchester pub

Claire's closing down permanently

Business

Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost

Business

Manchester’s newest hotel launches massive recruitment drive with 100+ jobs available

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches