Lancashire Cricket has announced that Emirates has signed a new seven-year extension of the Club’s headline partnership until 2029.
This makes it the longest and biggest sponsorship in English domestic cricket.
The extended partnership with the world’s largest international airline includes naming rights of the Emirates Old Trafford stadium, as well as shirt sponsorship for Lancashire Lightning’s Vitality Blast shirt, and the Club also says it strengthens “one of the most recognisable and respected” sponsorships in sport.
The partnership began in April 2013, and this extension means that not only will Emirates remain as principal headline sponsor at Lancashire Cricket and Emirates Old Trafford, but it’ll also be on the front of the Club’s T20 shirt for at least 17 years.
That’s not all either, as on top of the partnership extension, a new dedicated hospitality, conference, and events space named the Emirates Business Class Lounge will be branded up in the historic Pavilion at Emirates Old Trafford too.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking on the partnership extension, Daniel Gidney – Chief Executive at Lancashire Cricket – said: “This is an historic day for the Club and we’re delighted to announce the Emirates partnership renewal, which positions the sponsorship at Lancashire Cricket as one of the biggest and most recognisable in the game.
“We are hugely proud of our relationship with Emirates, a world class brand with a truly global reach, and this is another very positive step as part of the Club’s continued commercial growth and development.”
He continued: “We are incredibly grateful for [Emirates’] support of the Club and we look forward to working with their team over the next seven years and beyond.”
The new partnership extension also comes as Emirates Old Trafford “continues to transform”, even after the £65 million redevelopment work over the past decade, when plans were approved from Trafford Council for work at the ground.
The new project includes plans for a 100-bed hotel extension, 1,025-seater stand, a heritage centre, a guest services hub, and a new retail store facing directly on to Brian Statham Way, and the Club says this continued redevelopment will play a key role in its long-term financial strategy and sustainability moving forward.
ADVERTISEMENT
It will also “increase and improve” the facilities that can be used by members and supporters.
Lancashire Cricket has announced that Emirates has signed a new seven-year partnership extension / Credit: Lancashire Cricket
“We are very pleased to be extending our partnership with Lancashire Cricket Club until 2029,” added Boutros Boutros of Emirates on the partnership extension.
“Lancashire is a legendary name in English cricket, and as the world’s largest international airline, we are proud to be playing such a big role in the Club’s growth and success, with the new agreement will make this the longest, and biggest sponsorship in English domestic cricket
“We very much look forward to the next seven years of our mutually beneficial relationship.”
Featured Image – Lancashire Cricket
News
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
News
11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Emily Sergeant -
23rd May 2022 
