A brand new ’21st-century library’, learning centre, café and events space is coming to Stockport town centre later this year and we thought we’d take a quick look at the exciting project.Let’s start with what and where it is exactly, shall we?
Being sold to the public as not just a new modern library but a learning hub and ‘discovery’ centre, StockRoom is the upcoming government-backed community development inspired by similar multi-use spaces like the Storyroom over in Chester.
Set to open up along the busy strip of Merseyway Shopping Centre right in central Stockport and spanning across a 47,000 sq ft space with several floors just next to the H. Samuel jewellers and other vacant units where the likes of Next used to be.
The concept is to deliver an “innovative space for creativity, discovery and inspiration” but boiled down to the basics, it will serve as a new home and sister site for many of the activities and resources currently housed within the Central Library, as well as a place for people to meet, study, hone skills, relax etc.
How this little stretch of the high street looks now.How it’s set to look in the coming months.A surface look at Stockport’s new library, learning centre and free public space. (Credit: Stockport Council/AEW Architects)
How much is costing?
With kid’s play areas and a dedicated children’s library, a “high-quality” bistro offering and IT facilities; a multi-faith prayer room, arts and crafts zones as well as spaces for live music, entertainment and special events, this place isn’t coming cheap.
ADVERTISEMENT
Using funding predominantly for the UK’s nationwide Future High Streets Fund, which totals over £1 billion, the StockRoom was initially priced up at approximately £14.5 million when it first signed off back in December 2021, but has since seen costs shoot up as a result of inflation.
While projections rose to nearly £22m last year, after negotiations with contractors and an injection of some more funding from Stockport Council, the figure is now thought to be closer to £16.5m. Still a big and pricey project, nonetheless.
ADVERTISEMENT
The build is being designed by Manc architecture firm AEW. The new Stockport library will also offer food and drink.Credit: Stockport Council/AEW Architects
When is it opening?
Now, although there is no firm opening date for StockRoom yet, it has now been slated for an autumn opening date, with adjacent units like the old Next and the former 64,000 sq ft M&S site across the road set to be redeveloped by Greater Manchester property firm, Glenbrook, later this year too.
There are suggestions that the Council could permanently move the town’s main library to the new learning-based location if it proves popular with SK locals when it launches and were residents willing to back such a proposal.
With the vacant BHS department store also set to be redeveloped in the near future, the face of Merseyway is set to look very different very soon.
ADVERTISEMENT
The current Merseyway tunnel area will become the entrance.The latest CGIs of how the main space could look.Credit: Stockport Council
With Stockport being named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture in 2023 and having once again been named one of the best places to live in the North West this year, the regeneration of the old Cheshire town and now thriving business, foodie and creative hub is making an exciting time to be in SK.
If you take into account all of the other new developments from apartments and hospitality venues to public spaces like StockRoom, the town is already looking very different than it did a few short years ago.
On the sporting side of things, the latest plans to upgrade and expand Stockport County‘s home ground will no doubt prove massive for the local community and surrounding Edgeley area, in particular.
A local Manchester run club is holding two special running routes to see the total eclipse
Danny Jones
With the highly anticipated total eclipse fast approaching, people not just here in Greater Manchester but all over the UK, Europe and the rest of the world are gearing up to try and watch it – but this native running club are doing it a bit differently.
Eclipses occur once every 12-18 months, but this is set to be the biggest since 1999.
The moon is set to cover approximately 96-98% of the sun this coming Wednesday, 12 August, 2026, and rather than try to watch it from a window at home or drive to somewhere with supposedly ‘the best view’, local sports club Manchester Road Runners are turning it into their latest one-off event.
Sharing details online, the free-to-join local organisation, which boasts thousands of members on Facebook and various other platforms, will be timing things to make sure they catch the phenomenon.
Writing in the accompanying caption, the Road Runners say: “We’ve pulled some strings and have a very special event taking place on August 12th, a solar eclipse! Come run with us under a darkened sun next Wednesday from The Wharf at 18:30, with peak moon coverage expected at around 19:10.”
Better still, they’re also teaming up with their trail running spin-off club for an even more scenic twist on the evening excursion.
“If you prefer to experience your solar phenomena under the wide open skies”, they go on to write, “our friends over at Trail Division will be holding a hike/run off road, meet at Piccadilly Station at 18:00 to get shady in the great outdoors.”
Fortunately, they have issued an important disclaimer, going on to remind runners that “while beautiful and majestic, the sun should NEVER be directly looked at in the face unprotected”, signing off by adding, “Respect the sun, respect your peepers, stay ocularly safe out there.”
If you’ve never come across MRR before, they’re probably the biggest run club in the entire Greater Manchester region and their social-first jogs, intervals, track sessions and more revolve around meeting back up with your mates for a wholesome pint and a chat.
For many, it’s the biggest and the best in the city.
As for the eclipse run, it’s set to be a very magical variation on their usual Wednesday evening meets.
Quite rightly, they also point out in the post that you can actually buy certain glasses to view eclipses on these rare occasions, with search traffic often ramping up in and around these events.
Meanwhile, the Trail Division branch is yet to confirm the route for their run/hike, but it will most likely remain in the nearby North West vicinity; keep your eyes peeled on their social media pages (linked above) for more information and other upcoming trail events.
Speaking of trail runs, there’s a pretty beautiful albeit challenging one coming up next month…
Stunning vistas, walkers welcome, and multiple distances available.🏃♂️🥾
And the best part? It's less than 90 minutes away from Manchester. 🏞️
Oasis promoters drop biggest Knebworth hint yet after securing license around key date
Danny Jones
Not that we’re the type to get carried away, but we’ll confess that our curiosity, interest and general levels of anticipation have been piqued, as Oasis’ main promoters have recently renewed the license to host events at the infamous Knebworth.
My word, is this it? Like the reunion, is it ACTUALLY going to happen?…
We’re sure the raw, uncontrollable excitement will come should it be fully confirmed, but for now, all we know is that our colleagues in music media, SJM Concerts, have renewed the land in and around Knebworth Park and House for live entertainment once again.
Moreover, the company have also done so on a rather fitting date decades on from the original and legendary outdoor gigs.
As can be found on the planning application section of the North Hertfordshire Council website – the county in which the storied Britpop gigs took place – a fresh license to hold new events.
If/when the announcement happens, the already granted permission will allow for a capacity of up to 125,000 and a curfew of 3am.
We know the original Knebworth shows were beyond iconic, but let’s say this would be nailed on to be nothing short of absolutely box office.
Besides having also helped promote Oasis’ colossal Live ’25 reunion tour last summer, it’s also worth noting that they secured said license just over a week before the 30th anniversary of the pair of nights back in 1996: 10-11 August, to be specific.
The licence is said to have come into effect this past Saturday (1 Aug) and is believed to be indefinite.
What added even more fuel to the fire of these well-established rumours over the past year was when Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage told the House of Lords the band would be playing FIVE whole nights at Knebworth in the future, before later clarifying that she was speaking in “hypothetical terms.”
All that being said, it’s fair to say we’ll be keeping a very keen eye on socials over the next few days, in particular, just in case.
The Manc has reached out to SJM for an official comment (surprise, surprise), but we are yet to receive a response regarding the matter.
Your silence speaks volumes, just saying.
This coming Monday, 10 August 2026, will mark the official 30th anniversary of Oasis at Knebworth 1996, and with the likes of ‘Wonderwall’ seeing a chart resurgence as the go-to England anthem at this year’s World Cup, we’re choosing to be optimistic. What about you?
Danny Jones -
14th March 2024 
