A brewery which has been an icon in Stockport town centre for the last 182 years is to move its operations in a £12 million project.
Robinsons Brewery has announced plans to relocate its brewing and head office operations from its well-known central site on Lower Hillgate – also known as the Unicorn Brewery – to its packaging centre in the Stockport suburban area of Bredbury.
The £12 million project – which expected to be completed by 2025 – includes the installation of a new brewhouse, together purpose-built office accommodation.
This move means that everything the company does, from brewing, cask racking, and kegging, to bottling lines, logistics, and more will soon be housed all one site for the first time since 1949, which is said to be fulfilling a long-held ambition of the Robinson family.
The brewery’s directors said it had been a “difficult decision” to relocate all operations, but assured there would be no job losses.
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We can today announce our plans to relocate our Lower Hillgate brewing & head office operations to our packaging centre in Bredbury. This will see the installation of a new brewhouse, together with up-to-date, purpose-built office accommodation. More info: https://t.co/spIxqPQMAopic.twitter.com/r8E9hJGEb1
In a joint statement issued on the move’s announcement, Directors William and Oliver Robinson said: “It will be a wrench [as] the business has a long history in the town centre and we are very respectful of the company’s role in the Lower Hillgate area.
“But the economic and logistical limitations of the site were impossible to ignore.
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“Moving everything under one roof gives us the ability to provide a more modern, flexible and greener brewing and packaging operation, while reflecting the company’s heritage.”
An artist’s impression image of the new Robinsons Brewery site in Bredbury due to open in 2025 / Credit: Robinson’s Brewery
Around 50 employees will make the move from Lower Hillgate to Bredbury, and Robinsons’ famous shire horses will also be moving to a new home.
As previously mentioned, there will be no compulsory job losses and Robinsons says the move will support its wider recruitment plans, which are linked to the acquisition of new pubs, and it also plans further investment in its “230-strong tenanted pub estate”.
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“This announcement demonstrates our commitment to writing a new chapter in our history in Stockport, continuing to brew, deliver and package award-winning cask, keg and bottled beer under 100pc family ownership,” the directors added.
The brewery is currently working on proposals to reopen The Bull’s Head in Stockport’s Market Square later this year.
It is currently liaising with Stockport Council over possible uses for the present brewery site.
Stockport Council leader Elise Wilson said the relocation of Robinsons was “good news for jobs” in Stockport, adding: “We look forward to seeing their future plans for the town centre site as they are developed over the coming months.”
Featured Image – Robinsons Brewery
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Police appeal for information after pedestrian killed on Mancunian Way followed earlier welfare concern reports
Emily Sergeant
Police are continuing to appeal for information after a pedestrian was killed on Mancunian Way during the early hours.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that the shocking incident occurred at approximately 12:50am on Friday 31 October when it was reported that a Volkswagen Passat had collided with a man in his 20s.
Sadly, the collision was fatal and the pedestrian died at the scene.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a man in his 40s, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Following the incident, subsequent police enquiries have established that a call was made to the force shortly after midnight which reported concern for a man walking on the carriageway, and GMP says it believes the man in that report was the man who was involved in the fatal collision.
Officers were sent out as ‘high priority’ to carry out an extensive search of the surrounding area after the report was made, but it was said that they couldn’t locate him.
#UPDATE | Officers are continuing to appeal for information following the fatal collision on Mancunian Way this morning.
We have referred ourselves to the IPOC after reports that the victim was possibly spotted on the carriageway earlier that morning.
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) October 31, 2025
Due to this earlier report, GMP has confirmed that it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to look into its response to the search.
The victim’s family is aware, have been updated, and they are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is still appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward, and are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have CCTV footage, dashcam, or mobile phone footage from the area in the moments leading up to the incident.
“This is a tragic incident for all involved and we express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who has lost his life, and whom we are doing our utmost to support at this time,” commented Sergeant Andrew Page.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of the 31/10/25, or by using the ‘report tool’ or LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Geograph
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Stockport paedophile who abused teen girls in early 2000s handed five extra years in prison
Emily Sergeant
A prolific paedophile who ‘groomed, exploited, and coerced’ teenage girls in the early 2000s has had his sentenced extended.
It was reported on back in June that Christopher Oates, from Stockport, was brought to justice after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.
Oates was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.
He was originally sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.
But now, following a successful appeal by GMP, working with the survivors and the Crown Prosecution Service, to take the ‘unduly lenient’ sentence to the Court of Appeal, Oates has now been handed an extra five years in prison.
Paedophile who abused teenage girls twenty years ago has sentenced extended by five years after successful appeal
We’ve worked with the survivors and the CPS to take Christopher Oates’ unduly lenient sentence to the Court of Appeal. pic.twitter.com/4yfgjpWxCN
His sentencing increase comes after the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.
When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.
It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.
From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.
Speaking on Oates’ sentencing increase, DI Eleanor Humphreys, who was a senior investigating officer for this case, said: “We join both victims in expressing our relief and delight that the Court of Appeal has reviewed Oates’ lenient sentence and increased it by five years.
“Oates will now rightly serve consecutive sentences for both victims, meaning that his time behind bars reflects the totality of his offending against both women – whose lives he has so badly impacted.
“We will not relent in ensuring child sex offenders are brought to justice and face the full consequences for their horrific crimes.”
Emily Sergeant -
21st January 2022 
