One of the most famous names in independent menswear is independent no more – having been quietly snapped up by retail giant JD Sports earlier this year.
The news was not released formally, rather the purchase was first spotted by The Business Desk, who noticed updates on the Manchester retailer’s Companies House profile last month.
The sale went ahead in January of this year, with it being reported that founders Steve Sanderson and Nigel Lawson – who first established the iconic Thomas Street retailer in 2002 – have now stepped away from the business.
Long considered a vanguard of Mancunian style, over the years Oi Polloi has counted the likes of Ian Brown, Bernard Sumner and Liam Gallagher amongst its regular customers.
Oi Polloi
The brand also launched a second, smaller, outlet in London’s Soho back in 2015, Heralded at the time, it was heralded as a home for Mancunian fashion in the south, it later closed in 2019.
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Over the past near-two decades, the Northern Quarter site has become a cultural institution – perfectly typifying the relationship of exchange between Manchester’s music and fashion scenes and namechecking the likes of The Fall, Oasis, The Smiths, Happy Mondays, New Order, Joy Division and Buzzcocks along the way.
But back when they founded the store in 2002, Sanderson and Lawson were simply looking to build the sort of store they themselves wanted to shop in.
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Derived from the Ancient Greek, Oi Polloi loosely translates to the many or, in the stricter sense, the people. Here in Manchester, it’s come to stand for the working-class (albeit not working-class prices).
Growing up, there was nowhere you could go that would have Lacoste, Levi’s, Adidas, Nike and Barbour all under one roof. So they decided to build it.
As a result, their shop quickly became a hit with stylish gents in the know – highly rated for its mixture of leading and emerging labels, classic pieces, sportswear, hunting gear and sixties bombers.
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Having championed the likes of Patagonia, Fjällräven, The North Face and Champion well before the hype beast buyers at JD brand Size? clocked on, we suppose it’s no surprise that JD had their sights set on the original independent menswear retailer.
JD Sports
The sale comes as part of a bigger acquisition move by JD. The firm raised £460 million through a share placing earlier this year, which it is now using as a ‘war chest’ to fund its global expansion.
The retail magnate also recently took on Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green brand after it went into administration, and is currently in the process of confirming a merger with Rochdale-based company FootAsylum.
When compared to its takeover of US firms Finish Line, DTLR and Shoe Palace, Oi Polloi is a relatively small purchase – but the change of hands is likely to hit locals hard here in Manchester.
After all, whilst it doesn’t seem like anything has changed from the outside – we’re not sure that it’s ever going to be quite the same there again.
Forever an institution, Oi Polloi is officially in the big boys club now.
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Arrests made following Piccadilly Gardens fight that left several men with stab wounds
Emily Sergeant
A number of arrests have been made following reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens one night earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that officers from the City Centre policing team responded to reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens at around 9:54pm on Tuesday (19 May 2026), and when they arrived at the scene, they discovered multiple people with stab wounds.
A man in his 20s was found at the scene by police with stab wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment.
A second man, in his 50s, was located nearby with a stab wound to his arm and was also taken to hospital, and a third man, also in his 20s, later attended Manchester Royal Infirmary with a stab wound to his back.
All three men have been arrested on suspicion of affray, GMP stated.
Officers do not believe there to be a wider threat to the public at this time, however the public is being told there will be an ‘increased police presence’ in the area as a precaution.
As enquiries continue at pace, detectives from the City of Manchester CID team are now appealing for information and witnesses.
“The use of knives or violence in our communities is completely unacceptable,” commented Detective Superintendent Ian McNabb, of GMP’s City of Manchester Central District. “Incidents like this are incredibly serious and can have devastating consequences.
“Our officers are working tirelessly in the city centre and across Greater Manchester to tackle this kind of offending and keep people safe.
“We will be relentless in our efforts to remove knives from our streets and to bring those who carry or use them to justice to prevent incidents like this happening.”
Can you help? Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, or via LiveChat online, quoting log 3667 of 19/05/2026.
Featured Image – GMP
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Teams and fixture date confirmed for first-ever regular season NBA game in Manchester
Danny Jones
In another major coup for Manchester, the NBA is coming to our shores for just the second time in our history, and now the teams set to take part have finally been announced.
Having only been played in the UK on a relative handful of occasions, this is nothing short of a massive milestone for the city.
Last crossing the pond back in 2019, the NBA has only visited 0161 once before over a decade ago at the old AO Arena, and there’s only been a total of 19 transatlantic meetings up until now.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, being confirmed as part of the NBA’s new European slate, Manchester is also set to be one of the first venues in the UK to ever host a regular-season game outside of the United States. Massive. Here’s who’s playing and when:
NBA Europe managed to secure a three-year programme of fixtures that will feature as part of the league’s normal competitive season in late 2025.
As you can see, kicking off next year and running until 2028 at the very least, the current deal will see the much-loved sport watched worldwide first land on the continent for a pair of games next year in Berlin and London, before heading to Paris and our very own Manchester in Q1.
Florida’s Orlando Magic and Tennessee’s Memphis Grizzlies had already been announced for the first two games last July, and now the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans are set to face off for the Manc meeting.
With Basketball England being officially headquartered within the wider Etihad Campus, there was no question that the Manchester NBA fixture was going to be held at Co-op Live.
As well as being not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in England but all of Europe, the arena has also recently welcomed the likes of the UFC, WWE and multiple boxing bouts, proving it can serve as the perfect host for premier live sporting action on a global scale.
In addition to the matches themselves, the Spurs and Pelicans will also be holding various fan activities and events within the region as part of the NBA Cares social impact programming initiative, with a focus on health, wellness, sustainability and coaching, as well as both player and even referee development.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AND SAN ANTONIO SPURS TO PLAY REGULAR-SEASON GAMES IN PARIS AND MANCHESTER IN 2027
Spurs and Pelicans to Face Off on Jan. 14 in Paris and Jan. 17 in Manchester
The NBA today announced that the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs will play… pic.twitter.com/S80Yl102Fg
Speaking on the seismic news last summer, the leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, could only echo how big a deal this is for the region.
“Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city”, she said. “This city is known for big names, big games and a reputation for showcasing world-class events on the biggest stage possible.
“With a growing basketball scene in Manchester, this event feels like the perfect fit and will give so many people in our city the chance to see what the best athletes in the sport can do on our home turf.
“When it comes to delivering world-class events, we know that Manchester is now firmly on the map. Now, working with our partners, we want to continue driving investment towards our city, creating new jobs, increasing growth and providing new opportunities and experiences for all of our residents.”
You can register your interest for tickets to see Spurs vs Pelicans in a proper competitive NBA regular season round right at the Co-op Live in Manchester, right HERE; remember, you can always spring for the discounted posh seats, as well.
Georgina Pellant -
10th May 2021 
