Retail shops across Manchester are preparing to open for the first time since March this morning (15 June).
Non-essential stores have been gathering dust for the best part of three months due to the ongoing pandemic, but the government has given owners the green light to welcome back customers from today – provided they make premises “COVID-ready.”
Shoppers heading out to the likes of the Trafford Centre and Market Street today will need to prepare for a rather different experience.
A wide variety of social distancing measures will be intact across all stores, including floor markings, one-way systems, till screens and contactless payments.
Large queues are expected.
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Those travelling to shops today via train, tram or bus must also wear a mask – with face coverings mandatory on public transport from 15 June.
Masks are not compulsory in stores.
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Many big brand names are back in action from this morning, and whilst a large number of stores have confirmed they’ll be operating as early as 9am, opening times do vary depending on branch, so be sure to visit their website to confirm.
Here’s a list of the major stores reopening in Manchester from 15 June.
Wikipedia
Stores currently open in The Trafford Centre include:
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Abercrombie & Fitch
Beaverbrooks
Bodyshop
Clarks
Ernest Jones
F Hinds
Foot Asylum
Footlocker
Game
Goldsmiths
H&M
Hollister
Hugo Boss
Indulge Fragrances
Jack and Jones
Kids Cavern
Lovisa
Lush
Marks & Spencer
Michael Kors
Miss Selfridge
Nespresso
Next
North Face
Pandora
Primark
River Island
Samsung
Scotts
Selfridges
Skechers
Sunglass Hut
Superdry
Ted Baker
Tessuti
Timberland
Timepiece Watch Repairs
Topman
Topshop
Vans
WHSmith
Zara
According to the Trafford Centre website, KFC, McDonald’s and Spud U Like will also be open for click & collect and takeaway services.
Steven Haslington / Geograph
In the Arndale Centre, the current list of stores set to open as as follows:
Archies
Auntie Anne’s
Beaverbrooks
Bobo Tea
Body Shop
Boost Juice Bar
Boots
Build-A-Bear
Burton
Card Factory
Chisholm Hunter
Deichmann
Dorothy Perkins
Dune
EE
EE – Market Street
Eurochange
Evans
Five Guys
Footasylum
Footlocker
Fuel Juice
G Star
Game
Gap
H&M
Holland & Barrett
HMV
Home Sense
Hollister
Hotel Chocolat
Imzi
In Time Watch Services
iSmash
Jack & Jones
JD Sports
Kenji
KFC
Over the Rainbow
Lego
Lindt
Luke
Lush
MCR Souvenir (Post Office)
Metrobank
Miss Selfridge
Mobile Technicians
Natwest
Newspoint
Next
O2
Pandora
Pastiche Couture
Paul’s Hair World
Pret a Manger
Rituals
River Island
Ryman
Samsung – Market St
Scotts
Shoezone
Sock Shop
Subway (Winter Garden)
Superdrug
Specsavers
Starbucks
Swatch
Tablites
Tessuti
The Fragrance Shop
The Perfume Shop
Timberland
Timpsons
TK Maxx
Topshop/Topman
Trespass
TSB
Vans
Vision Express
Waterstones
WH Smith
Wilko
Yankee Candle
Yours
Zamblya Wellness
New Cathedral Street Stores:
Burberry
Hugo Boss
Michael Kors
Paul Smith
Ralph Lauren
Ted Baker
Zara
Reiss
Anthony O’Neil / Geograph
Several stores in The Royal Exchange are also reopening, including:
Scribbler
Jenny Jones Jewellery
Swiss Watch Shop
Nigel Rayment boutique
Designer Exchange
Amaranth natural health & beauty
The Body Shop
The Whisky Store
Fjallraven
Michael’s coffeehouse in the Arcade is offering drinks to go, whilst Vertigo plant-based eatery and TGI Fridays are currently working with delivery partners. The Remedy Kitchen is already open for collection and Meal Plans.
News
Manchester councillor Bev Craig has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List
Danny Jones
The leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, has officially been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List for 2026.
Councillor Craig, who has held her leadership position since October 2021, received the OBE for her services to local government.
She joins several other regional councillors to be named by King Charles III.
First elected by Burnage residents back in 2011, she has spent more than a decade and a half devoting her professional life to the community, as well as nearly a whole five years of that time at the highest level within the Council.
The University of Manchester graduate has played several key roles throughout her career, including giving back to higher education, helping trade unions, as well as serving as an executive member for adult social care and health during the pandemic, before serving as Deputy and eventually Leader.
Speaking in an official statement, Craig said: “To receive an OBE is a huge privilege, and to get awarded it for what I’ve been able to give back to our city is all the more special.
“Manchester is an incredible city, made special by its people and a place I’m proud to call home.
“Leading our city is a privilege I don’t take for granted, so to get awarded an OBE for what we’ve been doing to make Manchester an even better place to live and improve the lives of Manchester people, while creating a city that is fairer and more inclusive for generations to come, is the real honour.”
With the Council having also confirmed two special NYE events on either side of the Town Hall this year, it feels like a fitting celebration.
Congratulations to Bev Craig on the well-deserved accolade and title; we have no doubt she’ll continue to excel in her post.
You can find the King’s 2026 New Year Honours List HERE.
As for the discussion around knighthoods, many Brits are currently calling for a change in the rules in hopes of making OBE, CBE and MBE, Kevin Sinfield a Sir.
Featured Images — Publicity picture (via Manchester City Council)
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VAR audio requested as Nottingham Forest prepare complaint after Man City defeat
Danny Jones
Nottingham Forest have requested that the VAR audio from their game against Manchester City be released, as they are considering launching a formal complaint following the defeat.
Forest hosted Man City at home this past weekend and went on to lose 2-1.
However, Sean Dyche’s side are said to be ‘extremely unhappy’ with some of the refereeing decisions made by first official, Rob Jones, on the day.
As a result, they are now asking the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to share some of the conversations between on-pitch officials and the VAR team at Stockley Park in West London.
"I'm scratching my head and I can't believe it!" 😳
Sean Dyche wasn't happy with the officiating in their loss to Man City 😬
As you can see, Dyche initially said that “there’s no point” in pushing the refs on their performance, as he feels they usually only “get in trouble”, but it looks as though his employers have advocated for him.
Nottingham Forest had a problem with the final call in a number of instances during the festive fixture on Saturday, 27 December, but none more so than in one key moment.
The manager and his coaching team felt that Rayan Cherki’s 83rd-minute winner should have been cancelled out following a foul by Nico O’Reilly on Morgan Gibbs-White in the preceding corner, which may have prevented Cherki from scoring another decisive finish.
Dyche also argued that another City defender, Ruben Dias, was due a second yellow card and therefore dismissal from the pitch for a challenge after the break, but there was ultimately nothing doing.
You can see the collision here:
"I do have sympathy for Sean Dyche… it is a second yellow card!"
Ref Watch discuss whether Ruben Dias should have been sent off against Nottingham Forest. pic.twitter.com/dxTYmGsEqZ
According to Sky Sports News, Nottingham have already requested more information from the refereeing body, with this not being the first time they’ve felt hard done by.
As they put it, the hope/belief is that raising the issue could help “start a broader discussion around officiating this season.”
What do you make of Forest’s concerns against Manchester City, and do you think they’re worthy of launching an official complaint against the PGMOL and Premier League?
You can see the highlights from the game and perhaps decide for yourself down below.
The Manc -
15th June 2020 
