The beautiful villages of Saddleworth in Oldham are pulling out all the stops for Christmas this year, and making the sometimes-stressful process of doing the Big Shop a whole lot more magical.
The independent businesses that are based in villages including Greenfield, Uppermill and Delph will be selling everything from beer to veg to tea to trees.
Promising to tick off all those fiddly trimmings on your festive to-do list, the local shops, delis and breweries are poised and ready for Christmas.
Once you’ve ordered your main event from Meat in the Middle at Tommyfield Market, or from the award-winning butchers at Albion Farm Shop in Delph, it’s over to the likes of Weaver & Wilde’s Groceries and Provisions.
Here, Cal Rowson-Codd and his husband Thomas can finish off your Christmas Day dinner with the finest sides, including veg boxes starting at £20 which can be collected fresh during Christmas week.
Weaver & Wild in Oldham has loads of Christmas food and drink. Credit: Supplied
Cal says: “It has everything you need from a veg aspect then we have a massive range of really cool little bits that are special and make a difference to your dish and your party.
“We do pickled pears, wild garlic bulbs, we’ve got all your cured meats, cheeses and chutneys – everything you want so you can gorge and go over the top.”
Weaver & Wilde’s Groceries and Provisions opened in Greenfield in June after great success selling produce from their coffee shop in Uppermill during the pandemic.
Cal continues: “It kept the doors open and people needed it, plus they didn’t have to queue for an hour to get into Tesco – and the more we did it, the more we realised the demand in Greenfield was buoyant because people missed Stanford’s greengrocers.
“We had lost that commercial amenity in the village and [when that happens] it starts to lose its soul, so it was important for us to [preserve] that.”
As well as providing a local service, Cal and Thomas pride themselves on supporting homegrown brands, like Saddleworth Honey and loose-leaf teas from Oldham-based The Tea Keepers in Uppermill, and small suppliers from as far as way as Cheshire and North Yorkshire in Greenfield, all perfect for Christmas week.
Cal says: “We focus on quality products and ethics, we know our farmers are getting paid the right price to sustain their crop, we employ people that live in the area because it pays for their kids’ school uniforms.
“It’s part of what moulds community – if there weren’t small local producers, villages like ours would lose their identity and because we partner with a lot of local suppliers, it helps keep the small cottage industries alive.”
The Greenfield shop will also sell low needle-drop Christmas trees from mid-November. He hopes that after a tough couple of years, people will choose quality over convenience.
“People are returning to normal-ish life so it’s an online shop and a supermarket drop at your door – for smaller indies, it’s a big financial impact,” Cal says.
“We want to be here long-term and want people to have the quality and flavour of the Christmas dinner they grew up with, which you don’t get from the big commercials.”
Just a stone’s throw from the greengrocer’s is the Old Cobblers, a one-stop community shop selling award-winning coffee, natural wine, craft beer and locally produced gifts.
“We do as much as we can in terms of getting produce in from the area,” says owner Dave Bell, who opened the store two years ago.
“Our coffee is from six miles away, we have lots of beer from breweries in Manchester, our gifts are from very local makers – the more local the better.”
Dave’s shop is packed from floor to ceiling with stocking fillers and delicious eats from nearby suppliers, such as baked goods from Little Saddleworth Pie Company and Saddleworth Brownies, and chilli jam for the charcuterie board from Oldham maker Jam Hot.
Nearby Donkeystone brewery has a huge selection of artisan ales and IPAs, with a 26-strong line of products brewed at their Wellington Road unit, which is also home to a 200-capacity taproom and on-site shop, Palate.
They moved in last June after outgrowing a previous site in Greenfield when they diversified from supplying pubs with kegs to canning their own products.
“We jumped at the chance for the new site, and we’ve been building up the business,” says founder, Stephen James. “There’s a good tradition of decent beers being made in Oldham over the centuries, so we wanted to carry that on.
“It’s proper craft beer that’s been produced on a small scale, but we’ve got a massive range and we try to suit every taste. And in our shop, we don’t just sell beer, we have a range of artisan products that we try to keep as local as possible.”
As well as a taproom and shop open seven days a week, Stephen and his team hope to resurrect production at their gin distillery Grail, which they paused during the pandemic, and are soon to open a dedicated bakery on-site to produce the bread they’ve recently started making and selling.
These little independent businesses are what breathe life into local communities, but they rely heavily on regular custom from the communities they serve.
Cal from Weaver & Wilde said: “Probably the best reason to shop local this year is that if you really like anyone that is trading, go and help them because this winter they’re going to need it.
“It doesn’t matter if they’ve been there 30 years or three, any small purchase will make the difference.”
There’s a seriously exciting new neighbourhood taking shape right on the edge of Manchester city centre – and if you move fast, you could land a swanky new apartment and save thousands on rent.
This is Cortland at Colliers Yard, located just minutes from Deansgate and Spinningfields.
The impressive new rental community is dishing out some massive summer savings, including up to £2,500 off a 12-month lease or £3,420 off select three-bedroom apartments, if you move in before 31 July.
And residents at this new neighbourhood are promised a lifestyle that’s more akin to a private members’ club than a standard city apartment block.
For residents, that means terraces with skyline views; 25,000 sq ft of amenity space (yes, that does make it one of the biggest in the UK); and co-working lounges, boardrooms, private dining rooms and a Club Lounge – to name just a few.
There’s also a fitness centre that rivals actual gyms, kitted out with squat racks, ski ergs, full calisthenics rigs, a pilates and yoga studio, a spin room – you name it, you can work out in it.
Then there’s the games room, where you can play pool or shuffleboard, take on retro arcade games, or practice your swing in a golf simulator room.
Residents also benefit from a 24/7 concierge and an onsite maintenance team, so whether you need a parcel collected or something fixed, there’s always someone there.
The gymAmenities at Cortland by Colliers YardOne of the apartmentsPrivate dining roomCortland at Colliers Yard is offering a month’s free rent if you move in by 31 July
And it’s not just the facilities turning heads – Cortland recently won the 2025 Kingsley Excellence Award for Resident Satisfaction, so you know you’re getting more than just good looks.
The apartments at Cortland by Colliers Yard themselves are design-led and absolutely gorgeous, packed with natural light and high-spec finishes. AND they’re even pet-friendly, so your four-legged mate is welcome too.
In total, there are 559 new apartments, penthouses and exclusive townhouses to choose from of varying sizes, including one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom duplex penthouses, and two and three-bedroom high-level apartments.
And it’s in a prime location. Cortland sits in the heart of Colliers Yard, a growing community on the Manchester/Salford border with half-acre public park (Greengate Park) and a line-up of food and drink spots.
First up: Kallos, a Greek-inspired all-day restaurant with wine and flatbreads.
With the city expanding ever upwards and outwards, developments like Cortland at Colliers Yard are keeping residents and locals at the forefront, building vital new green spaces and factoring in space for local businesses too.
If you’re looking for more than just a place to live – something with real lifestyle built in – this could be the move.
Move in by 31 July to get up to one month’s rent free. Find out more HERE.
Rock ‘n’ roll giants Oasis have officially partnered with adidas to launch an exclusive Oasis Live ‘25 collection as part of a new Original Forever campaign.
The legendary Manchester band and the pioneering sportswear brand have dropped a full collection of 90s-inspired adidas Originals x Oasis Live ‘25 apparel.
The 26-piece collection lands just in time for the massive Oasis reunion shows this summer, which includes five homecoming gigs at Heaton Park.
And it’s launching in Manchester in a big way – with a brand-new adidas store that will host the exclusive Oasis collaboration collection.
The new adidas store is set to open on Thursday 3 July on Market Street, in the heart of Manchester’s busiest shopping district, and will have a packed programme of events to celebrate the city that shaped this iconic band.
Those events include a free after-hours opening party (you can sign up for the exclusive event through Eventbrite HERE), with free food and beer, plus a tote bag full of limited edition gifts for the first 150 in the queue – first come, first served.
Bada Bing will be in store serving up a specially curated menu of signature sandwiches, alongside beers from local craft brewery Track Brewing.
The adidas Originals x Oasis Live ‘25 apparelThe adidas Originals x Oasis Live ‘25 apparel
Manc icons Mani from the Stone Roses and DJ Paulette will be DJing the event, along with giveaways, raffles, gifts with purchase, and a free photobooth.
The opening party is set to be a celebration of adidas within the city, of Oasis’s return to Manchester, and the city’s loud and proud legacy.
Later in the month, on Thursday 10 July, there’ll be a live podcast recording in-store – The Band With The 3 Stripes Podcast with The Face will take fans behind the scenes of Oasis, with photographer Lawrence Watson who’s known for capturing iconic images of the band’s raw energy and style.
His work with the band over the years helped to define the visual identity of the era and adidas’s influence on British youth culture.
The event will include complimentary drinks throughout the evening, with a personally signed A6 postcard print by Lawrence Watson as a gift with purchase if attendees purchase any one item from the range.
Between 18 and 21 July, from 10am to 6pm, adidas will collaborate with Vinyl Exchange on a record store takeover, featuring listening stations and a free branded slip mat with any purchase from the collection.
Exclusive to the adidas x Vinyl Exchange pop-up, select records will also be available at a set price for the special event.
A new adidas store opens on Market Street next week, with a huge launch eventA new adidas store opens on Market Street next week, with a huge launch event
Back to that collaboration though – Oasis and adidas have announced their official partnership to celebrate 30 years of shared history and culture-defining style.
The Original Forever campaign film shows euphoric crowd-surfers as they journey through each historic era that Oasis has touched, including iconic moments like Knebworth, Wembley and Rio – set to the soundtrack of Live Forever.
The adidas Originals x Oasis Live ‘25 apparel collection consists of looks from the 90s that have been reimagined for modern day, with quintessentially British style.
At their heyday, Oasis were deeply entrenched in UK terrace culture and lifelong football fans, leading to this new football-casual collection of Firebird tracksuits (Noel’s favourite), raglan sleeve jerseys, coach jackets and bucket hats.
Chris Walsh, VP Brand at adidas, said: “adidas and Oasis share a story defined by originality and cultural impact, with roots that run deep and have long been entwined in the fabric of music and style.
“This official partnership represents more than just two icons coming together; it reignites a timeless piece of cultural music history.
“‘Original Forever’ continues to build on adidas’ lasting legacy in music and celebrates the powerful role music and style play in shaping culture across generations,”
The adidas Originals x Oasis Live ‘25 collection is available now within adidas retail stores including the brand-new adidas store in Manchester, and adidas.co.uk.
The new adidas Manchester store opens on Market Street on Thursday 3 July, with the exclusive Oasis collection in store.
Daisy Jackson -
21st November 2022 
