A Victorian landmark in Manchester city centre has been placed on a ‘most at risk’ list by a national heritage group SAVE.
Surrounded by chicken shops, bargain booze outlets, and the sticky-floored entertainment behemoth that is The Printworks complex, with its peeling paint and empty windows Withy Grove Stores Ltd. certainly gives the impression of being abandoned.
The landmark site has just been added to a list by the campaign group SAVE Britain’s Heritage, naming it as one of the country’s most at risk buildings.
SAVE has previously campaigned to rescue the Old Trafford Bowling Club pavilion, which dates from 1877 and was granted listed status last month.
Speaking on the campaign to rescue Withy Grove Stores from redevelopment, SAVE says: “You would be forgiven for thinking the building is abandoned and derelict. It sits just behind the Printworks and is known for its old metal sign “WITHY GROVE STORES” on its east elevation.
“Today, the ground floor is currently occupied by Withy Grove Office Interiors, which specialises in safes and reconditioned office furniture but the rest of the building appears empty and in poor condition.
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“The original Withy Grove Company was officially established in 1850. This was after starting life as the Richmond Safe Company (set up by John R Solomon in 1799), which supplied iron-branded and ironclad strongboxes for ships.
“The company moved to the offices seen today, in 1840, and renamed themselves Withy Grove Stores. From here the company expanded to have 3 sites in the North West – Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. It is thought that the building and business were passed down in the same family since the Victorian era.
“The building is a lone reminder of similar industrial buildings in the street that have all since been lost. It boasts its original sash windows, a slate roof, decorative quoins and has examples of fine modillion eaves cornicing and a rare fanlight window pediment on the corner elevation. The internal condition of the building is unknown, but externally it is in a poor state of repair.
“There appears to be salt damage to the brickwork on the upper floors, as well as foliage growing out of the shopfront on the Dantzic Street frontage. As a survivor of Manchester’s Victorian industrial heritage, the warehouse deserves to be protected and restored to a more secure condition.”
Withy Grove Stores is one of 70 new venues listed on the SAVE register, which is now in its 34th year.
Other venues to feature on the list this year include West Yorkshire’s The Mechanics Institute in Otley, Leeds, described as “a cultured and refined palazzo standing with a back-drop of Yorkshire hills.”
Featured image – The Manc Group
Manchester
Manchester Day is back with a ‘mammoth day’ of music-themed FREE fun next month
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is making a grand return for 2025 this summer, and you can expect a day filled with loads of music-themed fun.
Oh, and it’s free fun at that… doesn’t get much better.
With a whopping 1.3 million music tourists expected in Manchester this summer – apparently a little band called Oasis is performing or something? First we’ve heard of it – and a massive lineup of live music legends set to take over venues and parks across the city these next couple of months, this year’s Manchester Day is aiming to get everyone ‘in the groove’.
Manchester City Council is working with outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank on a programme that promises something for music fans of all ages and all musical abilities.
From the English National Opera teaming up with Manchester’s football fans, to community choirs, West End show tunes, juggling drummers, hip-hop wrestling, and loads more, this year’s Manchester Day has got all musical tastes covered.
Manchester Day is back on Saturday 26 July. 🎉
Inspired by music, expect pop-up performances, spontaneous sing-a-longs and have-a-go activities. 🎶
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 2, 2025
As always, activities will be taking place right across the city centre – from St Ann’s Square to Cathedral Gardens, and everywhere in between.
Organisers say there will be plenty of chances throughout the day for visitors, both young and old, to get stuck in, try their hand at making music and maybe even uncover a hidden musical talent they didn’t know they had.
You can expect strum-along ukulele sessions, spontaneous sing-alongs, dancing to a steel pan band or some surprising Ska, and the stand-out music parade event travelling from St Peter’s Square to the Cathedral, with families invited to take a ‘musical meander’ through the city streets.
Manchester Day is back with a ‘mammoth day’ of music-themed free fun next month / Credit: Manchester City Council
“We’ve got a mammoth summer of live music coming up in the city this year, which means it’s only right that we max out on the music for Manchester Day,” commented Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Chair of Manchester Day, as this year’s theme was announced.
“Everyone in Manchester loves music, Mancs have music in their bones, there’s so much talent here – we’re either making it or playing it, and that’s why everyone’s on the guest list for this year’s Manchester Day to help us celebrate the music that Mancunians make best.
“We’ve got a fantastic day lined up, so loosen up those vocal chords, grab a guitar, grab your granny, all the family, and don’t miss it.”
Manchester Day is taking over the city centre on Saturday 15 July, and will be kicking off at midday right through to 5pm that same evening.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Manchester
Manchester United tease new collaboration with Manc streetwear brand Drama Call
Danny Jones
Manchester United have revealed their latest fashion collaboration with popular homegrown streetwear designers Drama Call, sharing a new teaser on social media.
The football club may be faltering on the pitch, but commercially it’s still one of the best-known and most successful brands on the planet.
More specifically, they’ve made some big splashes when it comes to merchandising and fashion spin-offs in particular, with reproducing retro kits and other collabs like the Adidas x Stone Roses line, which dropped in February last year.
These releases quickly go on to become collector’s items, and that will almost certainly be the case with Man United’s upcoming Drama Call crossover, which they announced in fine fashion – pardon the pun.
Plenty of Drama Call die-hards will be scrambling for this one.
For those unaware of Drama Call, the local fashion label is hugely popular across the region, regularly worn by the likes of Aitch, Headie One and several other celebrities.
It’s actually not even the first time Drama Call and United have worked either, previously colliding to create a limited edition version of the classic blue 1988 away kit back in 2023.
As for this latest United x Drama Call collab, we have very few details on when the release can be expected; all fans can do is try and glean whatever clues possible from the teaser video above.
We always enjoy footballers trying their hands at acting, no matter the result, to be fair. Who can forget Wayne Rooney meeting Deadpool?…
So, if you’re a fan of the viral streetwear brand, watch this space.
Georgina Pellant -
4th July 2023 
