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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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:
ADVERTISEMENT
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
Police appeal after teenage girl reports being sexually assaulted in a Stretford park
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal for information has been issued after a teenage girl reported being sexually assaulted in a park in Stretford.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers attended Victoria Park, in the Stretford area, earlier this week on Tuesday night (21 July) following reports that a teenage girl had been sexually assaulted.
The incident is reported to have happened between 5:30pm and 5:44pm, and the offender is described to be an older white male of a large build who was wearing a black t-shirt.
No arrests have been made at this time, GMP confirmed, and enquiries are ongoing.
As police continue their investigation at pace, a public appeal for information has been issued in the hopes that someone can come forward and provide the details needed to track down the offender.
“Detectives are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and the victim is being fully supported by specially trained officers,” explained Detective Superintendent Suzanne Keenaghan, from GMP’s Trafford district.
“There will be an increased police presence in and around Victoria Park while officers continue their investigation and provide reassurance to the local community.”
Police say they are ‘particularly keen’ to hear from anyone who was in the park at the time, or who may have CCTV, doorbell, mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area.
Anyone with information can speak to police officers at the scene, call 101, or contact GMP via LiveChat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 3029 of 21/07/26.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues to be slashed by 20% next year
Emily Sergeant
Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues across England are set to be slashed by 20% next year.
Continuing on with his week of, seemingly, introducing a new measure a day amid the cost of living crisis, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has now announced that he has taken action to cut business rates for pubs, social clubs, and live music venues across England from April next year.
It’s expected that these new business rate cuts will benefit nearly 32,000 pubs, clubs and live music venues, saving the typical pub an estimated £1,100 in the next financial year.
“For too long, the pubs, social clubs, and live music venues that form the backbone of local high streets have been replaced by boarded up windows and for sale signs,” the Government said in a statement as the cuts were announced today.
Andy Burnham is slashing business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues by 20% next year / Credit: John Arano (via Unsplash) | Wikimedia Commons
These changes are set to be fully funded by the Government – including through reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops for example.
The Government says it also plans to crack down on businesses that sell through online marketplaces but do not comply with their tax obligations, which therefore puts them at an unfair advantage over businesses that do play by the rules.
I’m giving thousands of pubs, clubs and music venues a 20% cut in business rates.
I won’t stand by while these cherished local spaces disappear, replaced by boarded-up windows and ‘For Sale’ signs.
They’re the heart of our communities and it’s time we backed them.
“Pubs, clubs and live music venues are at the heart of communities across the UK,” explained Chancellor John Healey. “They help make a place what we love. They bring people together, support local jobs and help keep high streets, and town centres busy, which is why we will back them all the way.
“We are determined to bring hope back, give businesses the support they need and generate growth in every postcode.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham added: “For too long, Governments have stood by while cherished venues have disappeared from our local high streets. So today I am changing that.
“This Government will back the businesses that people want to see in their communities. I said I would protect pubs and local high streets, and that’s what we will do. What we’re announcing today is just the start as we work to bring back hope across the country.”
The Manc -
15th June 2020 
