It might look like a shipping yard dropped into a car park in north Manchester, but Pollard Yard is in fact a community shopping space where you can get a birthday card, a vinyl record and a tattoo all in one spot. I’m in!
This community retail location sees vendors selling their products and services directly from industrial-style shipping containers, making for a quirky and eccentric shopping experience.
Nestled betweenAncoatsand New Islington while being only a couple of minutes’ walk from Holt Town tram stop, it’s a lively hub of retail therapy which everyone can easily access.
There are a wide range of shops and small businesses perched in this small and innovative retail village and unfortunately we can’t list them all.
So here are a few highlights of the independent businesses you can visit at Pollard Yard.
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Pollard Yard – The Guide
Vinyl Fetishes
Vinyl Fetishes – Pollard Yard’s LGBTQIA+ owned music shop with its many pop offerings.The selection at Vinyl Fetishes specialises in pop releases.The vinyl racks stacked with some of the greatest musical releases on vinyl at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
In September, Pollard Yard welcomed Vinyl Fetishes, a record shop catering towards pop and R&B records that may not be as readily available in other suppliers.
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It comes as no surprise that they’re also home to various editions of Charli XCX’s iconic ‘Brat’ album, including its extended edition and remix variants, that is until savvy shoppers like yourselves snap them up.
The owners are keen to interest more people in pop music that’s pressed onto vinyl even recently running a competition for Kylie’s new album ‘Tension II’, promising the first six customers a bottle of her very own ‘Kylie prosecco’.
The Lucky Pig Tattoo
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The Lucky Pig Tattoo shop where you can get tatted from an industrial shipping container.The cozy setup awaiting the next tattoo lover and their newest design at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
Ever wanted a tattoo but needed reassurance from a friendly face? Well fear not, because over at The Lucky Pig Tattoo, they don’t have one friendly face but four to assist you with your next piece of body art.
Megan, Zena, T.A.K and AJ make up this tattoo parlour family and although the containers may be on the small side, they’ll always have room for some more creative visitors welcoming artists to host guest spots for a few days throughout the year.
This time last year, The Lucky Pig Tattoo gave customers the opportunity to get some spooky Snoopy designs tatted at their Halloween flash day.
The Letter Arty Shop
The seemingly never-ending card selection at The Letter Arty Shop.Pollard Yard’s answer to a celebratory occassion – The Letter Arty ShopA wide range of printed designs made right here in Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
If you suffer from decision paralysis you’re going to spend a while in The Letter Arty Shop picking out a greetings card. Their Christmas collection sees these paper greetings in foil, letterpress, typography and even 3D form.
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The latest collection from this gift accompaniment shop is titled the ‘Obvious Cards’ range and it’s as simple as putting pen to paper (sorry).
These cards are in-your-face with writing like ‘Christmas Card’, ‘Valentine’s Card’ and ‘Thank You Card’, I think you get the gist of it…
Nusole Services
A wall full of trainers looking clean and fresh at Nusole – Pollard Yard.Stacked – Trainers galore at this footwear laundry retailer in Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
This next vendor is an absolute must for keeping your kicks shiny and new and with rain forecast pretty much 90% of the time inManchesteryou’re going to need to call them up.
Marketed as a premium footwear laundry brand, this company are giving your shoes some much needed TLC, while keeping your outfit game unmatched.
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They scrub up most shoes, especially their most requested clean LV Runaways, even providing services for Manchester City youth player Jaden Heskey.
Good Thing Coffee Co.
One of the finest focaccia creations at Good Thing Coffee Co. Pollard Yard. The barista and bar set up at Pollard Yard’s coffeehouse – Good Thing Coffee Co.Additional outdoor seating for Good Thing Coffee Co. guests at Pollard Yard.Credit: The Manc Group
After some amazing deals like a focaccia sandwich for £8 or a coffee and a cake for £5.50, then this should be next on your cafe checklist.
You can fully immerse yourself in a selection of hot drinks, focaccia and sweet treats or get your order delivered to straight tp your car if you want your foodie fix on the go.
This coffee shop even hosts its own club nights at the yard! It’s a good thing this place is a coffee spot as these collaboration events can run until 12am.
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For Your Consideration…
Hoopin ‘N’ Lootin
While it seems like everyone is falling in love with american football at the moment, whether you’re watching it for the game or for the modern day Romeo and Juliet , Tight end player Travis Kelce and pop legend Taylor Swift, Hoopin ‘N’ Lootin are obsessing over another american sport, basketball.
Supplying Mancunians with all their sporting apparel needs, stocking basketball jerseys from greats such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Where better to buy your basketball essentials from than a dedicated fan, after all shop owner Elliot even has the NBA tattooed on his thigh to commemorate his recent trip to the game in Paris last January.
So whether it’s your first time discovering this fascinating shopping site or you’ve been before, make sure you’re not a stranger to Pollard Yard, after all there really is something for everyone.
Featured Image: The Manc Group
News
Six teenage boys arrested following stabbing of 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre
Emily Sergeant
Six teenage boys have been arrested following the stabbing of a 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to reports of a ‘serious assault’ near the Riverside Shopping Centre in central Rochdale on Saturday (29 August), and when they arrived on the scene, they found that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed.
The young boy currently remains in hospital receiving treatment, while a police investigation into the incident is open and ongoing.
Two teenage boys were first arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article on the same day the incident occurred (29 August), but have since been released on bail.
Officers then made four further arrests yesterday (31 August), again all teenage boys who were arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article, with enquires ongoing.
A Section 60 and 60AA ‘stop and search’ authority was introduced in Rochdale town centre following the recent incidents in area and following reports of youths carrying weapons in the locality, and this has now been extended to 3pm today (Tuesday 1 September).
“This was a serious and sustained attack that could have had far more tragic consequences,” explained Detective Superintendent, Richard Hunt .”Our team of experienced detectives is working around the clock to understand exactly what happened, identify all those involved, and secure the strongest possible evidence.
“We will relentlessly pursue every lead available to us and will leave no stone unturned in bringing all those responsible before the courts.
“Community safety remains our absolute priority, and we are committed to ensuring those who seek to bring violence onto our streets are held fully accountable for their actions.”
Can you help? Anyone who witnessed the incident, was in the town centre at the time, or has any mobile phone, CCTV, or dashcam footage, is urged to come forward and speak to police on 101, quoting log 2750 of 29/08/2026, or using the LiveChat function on the GMP website.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
High School Musical at Lowry, Salford – a night spent reliving our childhood | Review
Amy Williams
What a night spent reliving our childhood.
Now, I don’t want to exaggerate or seem biased, considering this is one of my favourite film trilogies of all time, but this could be the best stage show I’ve seen in a long while.
We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.
The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending.
High School Musical is currently on stage at Lowry, Salford / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
From the costumes and the characters, to the memorable songs (there’s actually 52 songs in this production, including a mega mix at the end), they’ve kept right to the script of the films – and that’s exactly what we wanted to see.
Of course, the biggest throwback of them all is Kaycee Stroh – who originally featured as Martha Cox in the film trilogy – taking the role as Ms Darbus, and she was just as incredible as we expected her to be. And to see her do the iconic dance in the finale was unbelievable, 13-year-old Amy was screaming.
Also featuring Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, Tobias Turley as Troy, Leonor Correia as Gabriella, Caitlin Tipping Sharpay, and Luke Bayer as Ryan, it was a proper impressive cast all round.
It’s a night to properly relive your mid-00s childhood / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
There was crowd interaction right from the off, as they taught the crowd a cheerleading routine to be included later in the show, plus for the finale, they had the lyrics on the big screen too so everyone could sing-along.
If we could go and see this show every single night, we would – it is absolutely brilliant.
Thomas Melia -
29th October 2024 
