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
Greater Manchester cleans up at first-ever Festival of Women’s Football Awards
Danny Jones
This week marked the inaugural Festival of Women’s Football Awards (FWFA), which not only saw a whole host of female talent from up and down the English pyramid celebrated, but Greater Manchester in particular picked up a number of accolades.
Of course, we all know that 0161 is the true home of football, with Manchester’s rich sporting heritage known worldwide, but it’s always nice to see our region recognised for its continued contribution to the beautiful game.
That reputation goes double for the women’s game too, as the 2025 FWFA saw a trio of local clubs and a trio of different players winning across multiple categories.
Starting with the blue side of Manchester, Manchester City Women star Yui Hasegawa picked up Player of the Year from a strong shortlist of midfielders.
Joining the club back in the summer of 2022, Hasegawa famously scored on her debut and was named in the PFA Team of the Year that season.
Playing in 92 of the 96 games since her arrival, she is widely considered not just one of the best midfielders in the Women’s Super League (WSL) but the world.
As for the red half of the city, not only did Phallon Tullis-Joyce – who has shone since filling the very big boots of Mary Earps – pick up the award for the best shotstopper, but centre-back Maya Le Tissier was named both Defender and Young Player of the Year.
Latics Women only launched their squad this season but have already amassed a passionate following, hence the award, and also won the Lancashire Women’s County League Championship at the first time of asking.
Congratulations to all the Greater Mancunian footballing organisations and sports personalities recognised at this year’s Festival of Women’s Football Awards – here’s hoping for even more in 2026!
🏆 We were delighted to attend this evening’s Festival of Women’s Football Awards in London…
It was an honour to be shortlisted for eight national awards, and take home the ‘Best Fan Experience’ prize! 💙#wafc 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/OoeN92Vxwv
Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
Georgina Pellant -
4th July 2023 
