It’s official, Christmas shopping season has arrived. The mad dash is very much on to get all your presents purchased, wrapped and safely under the tree in time for Christmas Day – and we’ve got just the place for you to go, Affleck’s.
Whilst we know some will already be well ahead of the game we expect that most, like us, have still got a few bits to go – so we wanted to champion the benefits of shopping independently whilst there’s still time.
So this Christmas, we decided we’d check out one of the longest-standing hubs for independents in Manchester – indoor NQ market Affleck’s (formerly Affleck’s Palace) – and try and get all of our Christmas presents in one go.
Spoiler alert, we were quite overwhelmed by choice – there are over 50 traders to discover here, plus a tattoo parlour, piercing studio, nail salon, and a host of cute, quirky cafes.
A veritable treasure trove for any gift-giver, but especially the last-minute shopper, if you need to find a present in a hurry we find it hard to believe that Affleck’s could let you down.
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A fixture in the city for over 40 years, it’s got it all. From an array of quirky mugs and cards to vintage clothing items, local artwork, figurines, jewellery and more, no matter who you’re buying for there’s definitely something here to be discovered. All you have to do is look.
Keep reading to discover some of our top picks for independent Christmas shopping at Affleck’s in Manchester this December.
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Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group
Vinyl Resting Place
The home of all things vinyl at Affleck’s, whether you’re looking for rare 7″, old LPs or some bootleg remixes of your favourite track, this is the place to hunt for it. Everything in the store is pre-loved and has been hand-picked by its owners over the course of 15 years.
We spent quite a decent amount of time scouring the folk section, which is extensive, but all genres are covered here – from rock and pop, to hip-hop, house, techno, americana, low-fi, gospel, soul, funk and everything in between. There’s also a big rack of CDs to get stuck into.
Image: The Manc Group
The LGBTQ+ Book Store
From autobiographies and biographies of famous LGBTQ+ people, to feminist literature, contemporary fiction, children’s booksw and so much more, there’s a section for everything at the LGBTQ+ book store.
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A relatively new addition to Affleck’s, it’s definitely a welcome one – and standing in it makes you realise just how many amazing queer authors we have to celebrate. From fictional romance and thrilllers, to true real life stories of queer experience told to you straight by the people that’ve lived them, we could easily lose a few hours in here.
Image: The Manc Group
Earth Friendly Rocker
The heart of sustainability, Earth Friendly Rock has everything you need to make your lifestyle a little bit greener. Stocking everything from bamboo toothbrushes and eco-friendly soaps, to sustainable candles, shampoo bars, bath bombs, fudge and more, if you want it chances are they’ve got it.
Present-wise, we spotted some pretty-looking slabs of vegan fudge (called Slab, conveniently), huge glass jars filled with cookie mix, bars of oat milk chocolate, self-help books to inspire your new sustainable lifestyle and more.
Mad for Art
First begun as a hobby by its Middleton-based owners back in 2017, today Mad for Art can be found on the first floor of Affleck’s selling a whole host of vintage prints ranging from vintage films and pin-ups to iconic old Vogue covers, adverts for Martini, Campari and luxury perfumes, plus images of music legends, classic cars, food, travel and more.
Honestly, we could’ve spent hours digging in here – there are so many brilliant pieces to uncover.
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Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group
Inspired Life CBD
CBD seems like it’s everywhere now, but if you’re looking for the best quality products on the market Inspired Life CBD on the first floor of Affleck’s is a shout.
Selling 100% organic, natural products, you can find everything from tea and chocolate to CBD-infused massage oil here – with a friendly owner on hand to explain all the nuances of each product in detail. Great for easing stress, anxiety and better sleep, it’s an all-natural remedy (and yes, it’s made from Cannabis but it’s won’t get you high).
Image: The Manc Group
Sour Cherry
Head to the top floor of Affleck’s to find Sour Cherry – the prettiest, quirkiest little jewellery shop. Whilst there are so many jewellery-makers in the market to discover, each with their own niche, we were particularly taken with Sour Cherry, which sells quirky earrings, necklaces and more in fun shapes like gingerbread men, fruit and animals.
Image: The Manc Group
Luna
One of the first shops you’ll enter on your way in, Luna has it all for the last-minute Christmas shopping dash. Mugs, beanies, jewellery, patches, accessories, you name it – it’s here.
We picked up a brilliant mug, but the team here is really known for their pin badges, all of which are made by the team in-house.
Feature image – The Manc Group
News
Remarkable Lake District rescue of dog missing for THREE WEEKS
Daisy Jackson
A dog who was missing for almost three WEEEKS in the Lake District has, miraculously, been rescued.
Little Teddy went missing on 2 August, disappearing from his owner on Helvellyn.
Volunteers from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team spent the following weeks searching for the scrappy dog, with one eventually hearing him barking from Dry Gill.
The poor dog had got stuck in the gill in a dangerous location that required a full team of seven to bring him to safety.
Remarkably, Teddy appeared to be uninjured, though he had lost quite a bit of weight after three weeks living wild on the fell.
His rescuers gave him a small amount of food before securing him in a rucksack and carrying him back to Swirls car park.
The whole rescue took around three and a half hours, when Teddy was reunited with his very relieved owner and taken to the vets.
Teddy making his way down from HelvellynTeddy the dog was part of a rescue mission in the Lake DistrictTeddy was rescued after three weeks missingCredit: Keswick Mountain Rescue
Keswick Mountain Rescue said: “The team are absolutely delighted to share this update, as the news of this missing dog had deeply affected so many people across our local community.
“A remarkable outcome after nearly three weeks on Helvellyn, and a huge well done to everyone who kept searching and never gave up on Teddy.”
The mountain rescue team is funded entirely through donations – you can use ‘Buy me a coffee’ to make a small donation HERE, or donate the normal way HERE.
Full list of road closures for Manchester Village Pride 2026
Emily Sergeant
The full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Village Pride this weekend have been released.
Manchester Village Pride is a beloved celebration of LGBTQ+ life in Manchester, known for bringing thousands of people into city centre every August bank holiday weekend for four fun-filled, glitter-covered, disco-driven days… and although 2026 may look a little different to usual, you can always count on the city to welcome everyone in.
Every year, the lineup offers a wide range of activities for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to join together and celebrate, as well as provide opportunities to advocate for equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture.
This year’s event is set to kick off this Friday 28 August and round out on bank holiday Monday (31 August).
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
And of course, for the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a number of road closures and restrictions will need to be put in place, and Manchester City Council has now published a list of everything you need to know.
It’s advised that anyone making their way into and around the city centre this weekend use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains.
But for those who need to drive, you’ll want to pay attention to this list before setting out on any journeys.
The full list of road closures for Manchester Village Pride 2026 has been released / Credit: The Manc Group | Supplied
Saturday 29 August
All roads in this list will be closed from 6am to 7pm:
Liverpool Road (Water Street to Deansgate)
Wollam Place (30m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road)
Potato Wharf (Castlefield Hotel entrance to Liverpool Road)
Old Medlock Street
Lower Byrom Street (40m north of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road)
Duke Street (Rice Street to Liverpool Road)
Stone Street (Liverpool Road to Bridgewater Street)
Barton Street (Bridgewater Street to Tonman Street)
Southern Street (Bridgewater Street to Liverpool Road)
Bridgewater Street (Collier Street to Deansgate)
Tonman Street (Liverpool Road to Longworth Street)
Saturday 29 August
All roads in this list will be closed from 9am to 7pm:
Deansgate (Trafford Street to Peter Street)
Quay Street (Little Quay Street to Deansgate)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street)
Camp Street (Deansgate to Longworth Street)
St James Street (Deansgate to Longworth Street)
Jerusalem Place (Jacksons Row to Deansgate)
Marron Place (Jacksons Row to Deansgate)
Watson Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Bootle Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Bootle Street)
Lower Mosley Street (Windmill Street to Oxford Street)
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Whitworth Street)
Chepstow Street (Great Bridgewater Street to Oxford Street)
Portland Street (Oxford Street to Abingdon Street)
Princess Street (Faulkner Street to Whitworth Street)
Whitworth Street (Beaver Street to Fairfield Street)
Samuel Ogden Street (Bombay Street to Whitworth Street)
Sackville Street (Bombay Street to Whitworth Street)
Fairfield Street (Whitworth Street to London Road)
Minshull Street (Fairfield Street to Aytoun Street)
Back Acton Street (Fairfield Street to Ebden Street)
Minshull Street (Fairfield Street to Ebden Street)
Bus lanes will also be suspended on Bridge Street from Gartside to New Bailey Street, Whitworth Street West from Deansgate to Albion Street, and Portland Street from Princess Street to Newton Street, on the Saturday (29 August) too – running from 6am to 7pm.
Georgina Pellant -
10th December 2021 
