New imagery has revealed the vision to transform the former Central Retail Park in Manchester city centre.
The huge site, just off Great Ancoats Street, was bought by the council back in 2017 and completely demolished a few years later.
In its heyday, it was home to stores including Toys R Us, Mothercare, Argos and JD Sports.
As the surrounding area has undergone a huge transformation, including the building of massive apartment blocks, the extension of Halle St Peters, and the addition of a booming restaurant scene, Central Retail Park has remained an eyesore.
But all that could be about to change, with grand plans for the area in the works – and a six-week public consultation is now open for residents and local businesses to give feedback.
ADVERTISEMENT
The former Central Retail Park. Credit: Google Maps
A refreshed Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) was heard by the Council’s Executive in December, with a commitment that the regeneration will create a ‘high-quality, sustainable office district with attractive public realm at its heart’.
The vision for the former Central Retail Park will include a home for around 8000 jobs, space for shops and cafes, and – crucially – a green space.
The space would be a public link through to Cotton Field Park, and would be the heart of the low-carbon commercial district.
There have been repeated calls for the whole area to be turned into a new public park, a ‘green lung’ for the city centre and the neighbourhoods to its immediate north.
The vision also includes new and improved links for pedestrians and cyclists in the area.
ADVERTISEMENT
You can comment on the draft SRF by completing Manchester City Council’s consultation questionnaire at manchester.gov.uk/consultations.
Featured image: Manchester City Council
Manchester
Team behind award-winning cocktail bar Stray to open second Manchester bar
Daisy Jackson
The team behind Manchester’s award-winning cocktail bar Stray have announced a second bar is on the way.
Bar Dos will be an all-new neighbourhood bar, promising to be the ‘tearaway younger sibling’ of Stray.
You can expect everything from pints of Stella to refined cocktails, plus DJs all weekend long.
Set to open very soon, with a September launch pencilled into our diaries already, Bar Dos will be joining a couple of other big names in a new building on Great Ancoats Street.
They’ll count Proloco and Osma as neighbours once all three ventures are up and running this year.
Stray first opened at Mackie Mayor back in 2023, and shot into the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars just over a year later.
Bar Dos will open in Manchester in SeptemberBar Dos is the second site for Stray
There, it occupies a beautiful corner unit with huge windows, and an outside terrace, perfect for sipping on their best-selling cocktails like their tomato vine margarita and their Fanta Limon (a boozy version of everyone’s favourite balcony tipple).
Now ready to launch a second site, the team will soon open Bar Dos, which will be a late-night, music-focused neighbourhood bar.
DJs already announced, along with renowned artists who have curated playlists, include Space Afrika, Chunky, Private Joy, Konnie Kon of Children of Zeus, and Stray residents Rhod Parry and Stu Richards.
Bar Dos will open on Great Ancoats Street this September.
Oasis release trailer for Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary – watch it here
Daisy Jackson
A new trailer for the upcoming Oasis documentary, ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’, has been released today.
The highly anticipated documentary follows the iconic Manchester rock band as they reunited for a series of epic comeback gigs last summer.
The Gallagher brothers broke up the band 15 years prior to the Live ’25 shows, then returned in spectacular fashion for gigs including five sold-out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester.
The band were followed throughout their triumphant comeback tour by film crews, for the documentary film ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Fans will see never-before-seen snippets of rehearsal, backstage, and onstage, as well as the first joint interview with Liam and Noel in more than 20 years.
It will also explores the profound impact that the reunion had on fans, and chart the global phenomenon that was Oasis Live ’25.
One of the people behind the new documentary is Steven Knight, of Peaky Blinders fame.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger will be released in the UK on Wednesday 9 September and you can book tickets HERE.
Watch the full trailer for Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger below:
Daisy Jackson -
4th January 2023 
