Pre-millennium Manchester is unrecognisable to the city that exists today.
Back then, there was no Beetham Tower, no Spinningfields, no flats bumping their heads on the clouds hanging above New Islington.
Everything has changed in the past twenty years – and various architects, developers and politicians have rightly enjoyed credit for turning our region into one of the world’s most exciting places to live.
But LOFT is something of an unsung hero in the assembly of the Manchester skyline.
As Manchester began to blossom with brand new flats, apartment, blocks, offices and student accommodation in the early noughties, a man named Benjamin Hall created LOFT – which became the place to go to furnish interiors.
Two decades on, Benjamin and his hundred-strong team are continuing to add style to Mancunia with their brand new store in Northern Quarter.
Beginning as Buy-To-Let Furnishings with a single van in 2003, LOFT has kept pace with Manchester and grown almost in parallel – expanding into a nationwide provider for high quality furnishings and interiors.
The company now employs 135 people full-time – with dedicated departments that cater for landlords, agents, student accommodation providers and BTR developers.
The LOFT Shop on High Street, which opened in February, is an exciting addition to Manchester city centre – with different deals available almost every day of the week.
These include ‘Sofa Sunday’ where customers can receive 10% off all sofas, ‘Accessories Tuesday’ (buy two cushions get one half price). We love this one; ‘Dine With Us Wednesday’ – offering 15% discounts on dining sets. ‘My Favourite Chair Thursday’ includes 10% discount on all armchairs, and at the end of the week there’s ‘That Friday Feeling’ – with discounts on bed frames and mattresses.
Shoppers can benefit from free delivery, assembly and installation with purchases (along with next day delivery available).
High-end furnishings come at affordable prices – with expert team members on hand in-store to offer insightful design advice.
LOFT has thrived by staying in tune with market trends – which have changed rapidly and dramatically during Manchester’s revival, whilst also remaining rigidly committed to its original core values.
Their promise is simple: All new furnishings come delivered, assembled and installed; and any old items are removed, replaced and recycled.
The LOFT Shop on High Street has been designed with the community in mind; offering trendy, characterful furnishings for the everyday home.
LOFT is continuing to play a huge part in the rejuvenation of Manchester, which it has done for over 17 years.
Now, the team is all set for another chapter.
You can check out LOFT’s new shop at 26-28 High Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1QB.
Beloved Stockport burger joint The Last Stop is closing its doors this month
Danny Jones
Much-loved burger joint and bar The Last Stop has announced it will be closing the doors of its original Stockport restaurant later this month.
The popular burger, gyros and Heaton Chapel hangout spot only just opened back in April 2024, but following the growing pressures throughout the hospitality sector, the team have made the decision to shut down their flagship brick-and-mortar site.
Confirming the news on Tuesday, The Last Stop informed their followers that this weekend will mark the venue’s very last round of service, “firing up the grills for the final time” and hosting one more big blowout on Saturday, 26 July.
They shared a lengthy statement explaining the reasoning behind their decision on Instagram, and fans of their food, drink and atmosphere are understandably gutted.
The post reads: “Despite a fantastic first year for The Last Stop, we’ve decided that the time is right to make a change in the Chapel.
“Over the last year, we’ve been fortunate enough to grow The Last Stop from scratch rapidly: collaborating with The Salmon of Knowledge bars (with a 3rd opening lined up for August), entering into the Egyptian Rooms [Oldham] Produce Hall [Stockport] food halls and having the pleasure of serving you thousands of burgers and gyros in the Heatons!”
“Nonetheless, whilst these ventures prove successful, well-documented cost increases and changes in consumer spending habits, since April in particular, have meant simply that our Heaton Chapel site in its current format is no longer economically viable.”
Bosses Dominic Ingleby and Niall Peters have gone on to assure that existing staff have secured positions at alternative branches, all suppliers have been fully paid up, and that their other locations are thankfully set to remain.
In fact, although one venue will be bidding a bittersweet goodbye, as hinted above, they will be moving into the old Dockyard bar over at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays, which is set to become another Salmon of Knowledge location.
The Last Stop Stockport might be closing but their NQ residence is staying put.As is their neighbouring Produce Hall pop-up stall.Credit: The Manc/The Last Stop (via IG)
We’re relieved to hear that The Last Stop name will be sticking around and it’s going for good, but Stopfordian residents are nevertheless gutted that the Heaton Chapel favourite, which became a regular quiz night, ‘sip and paint’ and late-night stop among locals, will soon be no more.
They sign off by adding: “We’d love to see you all this week for one last smashed cheese in the four walls where it all started, & to toast a pint or 7 on the Saturday!
“Thank you all for being a part of the journey and a pleasure to get to know. We’ll see you soon; maybe sooner than you think… Dom, Dom [Swarbrick] and Niall.”
We’ll leave you guys to try and figure out what that last bit means, but for now, thanks for the memories and the bloody good buns.
Featured Images – The Manc Group/The Last Stop (via Facebook/IG)
Business
Manchester City sign record-breaking deal to extend Puma kit partnership for another DECADE
Danny Jones
Manchester City have officially signed a long-term extension with global sports brand Puma to continue making their kits for at least another decade in what has been reported as a record-breaking sponsorship deal.
The eight-time Premier League champions brought on Puma as their primary kit manufacturers six years ago, and the pair have been together during the most successful period in the club’s history.
Boasting a Treble, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and four consecutive league titles to their name throughout this time, it’s pretty much been a perfect marriage, so neither City nor Puma were likely to part ways anytime soon.
With that in mind, the collaboration has been extended by another decade in a deal reported to be worth a potential £1 billion – the same figure that made up the total prize pot for this year’s Club World Cup.
Not that we’re assuming you’re terrible at maths, but to put this into context further, this extension is worth a whopping £100 million a year, making it comfortably the most lucrative kit partnership in Premier League history.
The initial contract between Man City and the sportswear giants was worth £65 million (also spanning 10 years) back in 2019, but the prolific and highly profitable spell that has followed has led to this extension being welcomed by both parties.
Writing in a press release, the club said: “Commercially, Manchester City and PUMA have set new club sales global records, in addition to co-creating iconic, best-selling kits such as the 2022/23 Colin Bell-inspired home shirt worn during the Treble-winning season.
“PUMA and Manchester City have introduced industry-leading innovations both in terms of product and marketing campaigns over the past seasons.”
Citing crossovers with Puma subsidiary, stitchd, and brand activations such as the AI kit design competition for the 26/27 campaign, they insisted that their work together thus far has “delivered breakthrough innovation, cultural moments and commercial success, both on and off the pitch.”
#ManCity’s kit deal extension with Puma could eventually be worth £1 BILLION, with the agreement now running until at least 2034/35 and valued at £100M a season – making it the highest in Premier League history.
The club went on to add that, “This is a partnership built on shared values: performance, creativity, innovation, community and sustainability.”
Meanwhile, CFG (City Football Group) CEO Ferran Soriano, said of the fresh announcement: “We joined forces with PUMA with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations. We have achieved this and more over the last six seasons.
“PUMA have seamlessly integrated into our organisation, and we’ve enjoyed many historic moments together, engaging fans globally. Today’s renewal and extension solidifies our relationship and projects it to an even brighter future.”
How would you rate Man City’s Puma shirt designs up till now out of 10, Blues?
The Manc -
1st January 2020 
