Oldham Street these days is one of the Northern Quarter’s most famous spots, home to vintage shops like Pop Boutique, Blue Rinse and Vinyl Exchange, as well as countless little bars and cafes.
Perching itself right in the middle of Northern Quarter and spanning all the way from Piccadilly Gardens to Great Ancoats Street, Oldham Street has been keeping up with the trends since day one.
If you’ve ever wondered how to boost your status in the indie circles or want to show off your individuality, this road has is one of Manchester’s biggest culture hotspots.
After all, there’s not many streets that can say they’re home to Afflecks Palace.Well it’s on a crossroads so there’s four which have that claim to fame but my point still stands!
But it hasn’t always been the shabbily cool little street of today, so we’ve been diving back through the archives to bring you photos of Oldham Street how it used to look.
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Oldham Street – Over the years
Oldham Street facing Piccadilly Corner, 1894
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
This particular photo shows the main gateway to bohemian paradise, also known as Oldham Street.
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The shops standing tall in these buildings may have changed owners a fair few times but the original architectural design has stayed the same.
Just like the photo from 1894, it’s hard to take a picture of this area without crowds of people, we can’t help being so popular, that’s just Manchester!
Oldham Street facing Piccadilly Corner, 1903
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Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
What was once a tea supplier that went onto become PG Tips, is now an American fast-food chain Five Guys.
The first picture denotes a shop front with the title ‘Brooke Bond & co.’, launching PG Tips in the 1930’s under ‘Pre-Gestee’ which relates to its original name ‘Digestive Tea’.
The second half of this notable brand is due to the fact that only the top two leaves and bud are used in their blend, the tips, and that’s what makes the company what we know and love today, PG Tips.
Oldham Street merging into Great Ancoats Street, 1920
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Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
The times have definitely changed since the first photo, swapping horseback travel for cars and a pedestrian crossing.
The end building which joins together Oldham Street with Great Ancoats Street is none other than Wayfarer.
After trekking all the way from Five Guys and making it to the other end of this bustling row of shops, there’s nothing better than a stop off for a cheeky pint.
Oldham Street, 1940
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
There she is in all her glory, no not Afflecks Palace, Blue Rinse, where you can find some trendy and snazzy items that feel like they’ve been pulled right out of a time capsule straight from the 80’s.
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However, you can’t visit this retail road and not show some love to the city centre emporium as it’s stacked with four floors of independent shops ready to welcome you with open arms.
No matter what time of day you go, expect to walk past some incredibly dressed shoppers from emos to hippies, this place brings everyone together.
Oldham Street and Great Ancoats Street, 1959
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
It’s now one of those pubs that toes the line between traditional boozer and hip Ancoats hangout, and still bears the scars of the huge fire that tore through it in 1989.
Looking back to the late 1950s though you can see how well this building has been preserved, even if the pint prices have crept ever-higher.
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Oldham Street and Warwick Street, 1967
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Manchester is constantly changing its skyline and it gained another mini skyscraper in 2022 thanks to The Quarters.
Tied between Oldham Street and Warwick Street, this building is a residential complex with 100 apartments.
The two buildings in the middle of the first photo were torn down in 2013 after a fire.
Oldham Street, 1967
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Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Two fashion retailers and a Beaverbrooks jewellers have traded in their stay on Oldham Street and in their spot is none other than a retro-themed bar and… an empty building.
The Mean Eyed Cat bar has taken over what was previously District, a futuristic sushi bar. You’d never have found that in 1960s Manchester.
Oldham Street and Hilton Street, 1967
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Underneath all that bright green scaffolding is a hostel, bar and pub, who, as with a lot of things in Manchester, are getting a make over.
It’s hard to tell but underneath all the building work are some gorgeous windows like in the photo from the 70’s that are still shining brightly today.
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The record shop may have been traded in for a Turtle Bay but there’s still some cracking places to dig through the crates: Vinyl Exchange, Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Resting Place and Vinyl Revival.
Oldham Street, 1970
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
This picture is a national treasure in itself and we’re sure some readers will be very familiar with this piano-inspired shop front.
Swan’s Pianos and Organs were a music lover’s heaven with instruments galore and although it might not be standing today, in its place is another shop with a very important legacy, Koffee Pot.
This Manchester institution and slap up caff has been famed for its brekkie and brunch delights which warm the soul just like a musical melody.
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Oldham Street, 1986
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Sunset Strip was ahead of its time, if only it would’ve known that in today’s day and age a brand new pool hall would open up not too far away in Kampus.
Although this ball game establishment might not have been pairing rounds of pool with frozen margs and birria tacos, they were brightening the high street with their vibrant shopfront.
Nowadays rests ‘Northstar’ a creative workspace set to inspire forward thinking and inspirational ideas, they’ve even continued the colourful legacy of the pool hall prior.
Oldham Street you’ve always been at the epicentre of all things culture and we’re sure it’s set to stay that way forevermore, keep thriving R’kid!
The best Christmas party food and picky bits from M&S this year
Daisy Jackson
Clear the tables, pop the oven on to pre-heat, and set the paper plates – it’s Christmas, and that can only mean it’s party food season again.
No one does silly little festive nibbles quite like M&S, with their Christmas party food range getting more and more extravagant every single winter.
2025 is absolutely no exception – expect the likes of cubed rice, snowman-shaped bao, tiny Yorkie puds and plenty more delicious madness besides.
We’ve been down in the aisles of everyone’s favourite posh supermarket to see exactly what concoctions they’ve conjured up this year, and did not leave disappointed.
This is not just party food, this is M&S Christmas party food.
A very Marbella Christmas
Have you ever seen a square paella before? No? You haven’t lived mate.
These angular rice bites are one of three Spanish-influenced picky bits in M&S this Christmas, alongside tiny tortillas and patatas bravas stacks (tiny potato rostis topped with tomato sauce and chorizo then served with a garlic sauce on the side).
Don’t be put off by the hot pink prawn curled up on the rice bed like a dog that’s been bought a bed two sizes too small…
A little fishy on a little dishy
Everyone knows that the M&S salmon and potato salad is one of their most elite items, so those hot smoked salmon rosti bites are going STRAIGHT in my basket.
If you like your fish dishes really bite-sized, there’s also the smoked salmon appetisers that look like they’ve been lifted right out of a 1960s cookbook.
And of course, tiger prawns wrapped in various shapes and sizes of pastry, too.
Jingle baos
If you’d told me three years ago that bao would become a staple on every posh Christmas buffet, I’d have sent you to the hospital.
But they’re back for a third year in a new novelty festive shape, and this time, M&S has gone to new heights.
Presenting – double decker bao in the shape of a snowman, complete with cosy green scarf and a veggie pad Thai filling.
Some of them look like they’ve been through the wars, don’t they?
Pam Shipman would buy these
If you’re not a Gavin & Stacey fan, just imagine the following section being read aloud by a flapping (ideally Essex) mother with a fresh blowdry and a waft of YSL Libra about her.
“Those, Bryn, are M&S mushroom vol-oh-vohnts.”
“A little goat cheese tart for you, Smithy?” (“Who you calling a tart Pamelarrr you minx!”)
Basically, these are the posh little nibbles your mums will gravitate towards to show off their hosting gravitas.
Merry Texmexmas
M&S always seems to lean over to the States for inspiration for its party food and this year is no different.
They’ve got a real Tex-Mex flavour going on in 2025, with Christmas party food including mini vegetable tacos filled with peppers and sweetcorn.
There are also those impossible-to-eat-why-are-you-sliding-everywhere miniature beef burgers, back to piss me off for another year.
Ee by gum it must be Christmas
‘Ey up! Has M&S recruited an actual Northerner to help put together the party food for Christmas this year?!
We all know the deal with British pub food – a little bit stodgy, very comforting, and incredibly filling. Okay, now picture that, but not remotely filling.
M&S has brought back a couple of its miniature bites inspired by classic British fare – pies that fit in the palm of your hand (beef and ale, or chicken and leek), and Yorkshire puddings so small they must’ve been baked in a cupcake tin. Cute.
The most important picky bit of the day
Whether or not to bother with breakfast on Christmas morning seems to be a bit of a hot topic – what’s the point in a bowl of cornflakes when you’re readying to slam the biggest meal of the year in a matter of hours?
Well, M&S is making sure the most important meal of the day infiltrates all the way through to party time with these two.
A stack of miniature pancakes and slivers of bacon, plus pint-sized ham and cheese croissants. Has anyone ever handed you a croissant on a dancefloor before? This might be the year.
Better than your mum’s turkey curry
Oh now we’re cooking with tandoor! Not one, but two picky bits inspired by Britain’s national dish – curry. And the most British curry of all, a chicken tikka masala.
For Christmas this year M&S has created the world’s smallest naan breads, which are topped with tikka chicken and pickled pink onions.
And in the other hand, there are spiced potato and spinach dosa rolls, which we have literally never seen on any buffet spread before ever, but sure.
Get it before it’s scone
If your hand impulsively twitches towards a Christmas sandwich every time you’re shopping for a meal deal, get a load of this – tiny mini turkey feast toasties. Yay!
These tiny square sarnies have got pulled turkey, stuffing, ham hock, Emmental cheese, cranberry sauce AND gravy in them, somehow. When did M&S unlock a cheat code to overcome sandwich physics?
There are also miniature mature Barber’s cheddar scones, with honey and mustard pulled ham inside. They sound like a sheer winner.
That’s not a hambush, it’s a charcutertree!
Oh, look who’s back to make a mockery of your flat cheese board again. It’s the Christmas Charcuter-tree. Sigh.
Real fancy people present their cured meat and cheese selection in the shape of a Christmas tree (obviously) and M&S have got a build-you-own kit available for £23 (that’s actually two quid cheaper than last year).
I can only begin to imagine the meltdown I’d have as another piece of salami refused to act like tinsel and unravelled onto the table.
Review | The Lion, The Witch and The Beaver* – sorry, Wardrobe
The Manc
What an enchanting evening at The Lowry as we were transported to Narnia to review the live stage adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in Media City as the production began its festive run in Greater Manchester.
As we entered the playing space, the atmosphere was set with a pianist on stage, slowly drowning out the noise of the outside world and settling the audience in for a night of magic.
Launching ‘Act One’ with a touching rendition of the British wartime classic, ‘We’ll Meet Again’ by Vera Lynne, we meet the large ensemble, multi-instrumentalist cast.
This talented ensemble pivots around multiple roles throughout the performance, creating a shape-shifting atmosphere with some impressive seamless transitions, allowing us to “open our minds” and be absorbed into the mythical world of Narnia alongside The Pevensies.
Sweetly played by Joanna Adaran, Jesse Dunbar, Kudzai Mangombe and Bunmi Osadolor, they excel in exploring sibling dynamics such as rivalry, trust, but most of all, loyalty and love.
The most mind-blowing element of this performance, however, was the production; it truly is the unsung hero of the entire show, so we’ll so the singing on their behalf.
Set and costume (designed by Tom Paris), lighting (done by Jack Knowles), puppetry design and direction (by Max Humphries and Toby Olie), sound design (credit to Tom Marshall) and hair, make-up and wig designer (Susanna Perez).
All this carefully curated talent helped create a world where we had no choice but to believe in magic.
For us as an audience, it made things so much easier to immerse and delight in the world of C.S. Lewis’ imagination, as it is so wonderfully presented in front of us.
This was elevated once again by levitation and disappearing acts – the scene was set on the boards and in the air.
Huge credit goes to Gwen Hales (aerial director) and Chris Fisher (magic and illusions); it felt as if anything was possible, and we needed no convincing that we were in the presence of pure enchantment.
However, arguably the most magnificent moment of the show was the reveal of Aslan himself. As this grand puppet prowled onto the stage, you could hear gasps echo throughout the theatre.
Manoeuvred by three puppeteers, this skilful spectacle was a credit to bringing the story to life in live theatre. The seamless, lifelike movements of breath and king-like presence were both majestic and a credit to the production.
Accompanied by Stanton Wright, we had no doubt that this was the true hero of Narnia.
If you want us to sum up our review of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at The Lowry, quite simply, this show is nothing short of a marvel.
Make sure to take home a cuddly lion toy, of course. (Credit: The Manc)
With constant playfulness and wit throughout – mainly brought to you from the broad Northern and oh-so lovable Mr Beaver (Ed Thorpe), and fellow believer in magic, ‘The Professor’ (Kraig Thornber).
It’s the lattermost that left us with a lasting thought, as he warmly reminds the audience that even when times feel dark, “the sun is always up there, we just have to look.”
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is running from The Lowry in Salford Quays all the way up until Sunday, 11 January 2026. Don’t miss the magic and grab your tickets HERE.
If you’re interested in finding out what else we’ve enjoyed at the theatre in Manchester recently, then look no further…
Thomas Melia -
16th March 2025 
