Popular indie gift shop Utility is opening up its second Manchester site over in Altrincham where it will take up the old Paperchase space in the Stamford Quarter.
Since opening up on the University Green complex along Oxford Road back in 2018, the independent lifestyle, homeware and gift shop has become a bit of a cult favourite, especially among the students who walk past it most days — and now they’re expanding even further into Greater Manchester.
While Utility only has three locations in the UK (the two others being in Liverpool) their knack for all things quirky, unique and fun, as well as personalised when it comes to gifts, has seen their reputation continue to grow across the North West and now Alty locals will be able to enjoy it too.
Set to fill the unit which once housed Paperchase over on George Street which has been vacant since April, the fourth Utility store is due to open sometime in August although a firm date is still unknown.
Paperchase (via Facebook)Utility on University Green (via Facebook)The Trafford market town’s old stationery staple is soon to be the fourth Utility store in the UK.
As confirmed in an exclusive with Altrincham Today, this will be the first-ever town centre Utility shop since the company began in 1999, with the three others all situated within city centres.
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Explaining why they chose the Trafford market town of all places to roll out their new site, co-founder and director Dick Mawdsley said Altrincham has “one of the best high streets in the UK” and since they already have “a big customer base here… it just made a lot of sense”.
Insisting that Utility will not only fit in with some of the best parts this beautiful part of the borough has to offer but also provide something different, he explained how they are “a design-led gift store, and everything has to have either a purpose or be amusing or well designed.”
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Still the only independent shop in the Liverpool One shopping centre, he detailed how “around 40% of [their] greeting cards and art prints are our own in-house design products”, and you know much we love a good indie success story.
Speaking on the opening, Bruntwood’s Head of Retail James Tootle said: “Utility will be a fantastic addition to our Stamford Quarter community and it’s wonderful to see the brand expanding with its second store in Greater Manchester here in Altrincham.
“As we continue to see shoppers enjoying everything the town’s high street has to offer, it’s great to be adding exciting, independent brands like this and we’re looking forward to welcoming the Utility team.”
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The old Paperchase site they will be taking over sadly shut down earlier this year as the stationery chain announced it was going into administration, seeing the Manchester city centre location close and replaced with a branch of END. Clothing.
The closure also saw the brand selling off its stock for 50% off on the final day of brick-and-mortar trading before it was fully taken over by Tesco, who will continue to sell items online.
In other Alty news, the bustling Greater Manchester suburb is also set to once again play host to this year’s Tour of Britain — a huge coup for the area.
Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
Danny Jones -
14th August 2023 
