A corner of Failsworth is quietly ticking away as one of the best shopping locations in Greater Manchester – and now its status as the city’s Antique Quarter has been cemented with an official brown tourist sign.
While many hear ‘second-hand shopping’ and immediately think of the Northern Quarter’s trendy vintage shops, when it comes to homeware, nowhere comes close.
Out here on the edges of Manchester and Oldham, there are enormous warehouses filled to the brim with antique furniture and second-hand decor.
This cluster of specialists sell just about everything you can think of – sofas, paintings, crockery, clothing, chairs, vinyls, lighting, art, ornaments, trinkets, merry-go-round horses and giant Santas driving miniature cars.
Whatever you’re shopping for, you’re almost guaranteed to find it – even if you do have to navigate teetering towers of furniture and crooked aisles of cabinets to get to it.
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There are several antiques shops to explore here, just a few tram stops out of Manchester city centre.
Each one is an Aladdin’s cave for pre-loved and collectible items, whether you’re after props for a one-off event or a keepsake to carry with you for the rest of your life.
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The largest of all these treasure troves is Empire House Antiques, a building so big and so full of delights that we genuinely got lost in the labyrinth and couldn’t get out.
Empire House Antiques in Failsworth, Greater ManchesterThe stacks of Chesterfield sofas in Greater Manchester’s antiques quarterYou can browse furniture and even cars inside
After you cross the small work yard and pass the wall of safes at the entrance (this sounds like the start of a really crap fairy tale) you’ll find yourself in an enormous room packed to the ceiling with wonders.
There are leather Chesterfield sofas carefully mounted one on top of the other, towers of beautiful wooden cabinets, and even cars – yes, cars – on display to buy.
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Upstairs is a clumsy person’s nightmare, with aisle after aisle of delicate glassware and ornaments.
There’s a secret corridor lined with books that takes you through to a second set of staircases, and a few small workshops specialising in everything from vintage fashion to grandfather clocks.
The giant Carex soap bottleHow many treasures can you spot in the Failsworth Antiques Quarter in Greater Manchester?
You can even find an eight-foot-tall Carex soap prop…
We stayed for ages and still kept finding new rooms – clear the afternoon before you come browsing here.
Immediately across the road is Antique World Manchester, which looks fairly innocuous from street level – just a navy blue sign above a warehouse door.
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Go past the vending machine and the field of Santas (some so old their suits have faded to pink), head up the stairs, and brace yourself for a tardis full of antiques.
There are several traders operating out of here with loads of stands to explore, and you’ll usually find plenty of characters who can assist you with your rummaging.
Casual vinyl record spotted at Antique World ManchesterStacks of antique trunks in Greater Manchester’s antique quarterA retro tomato soup mug
What are you after? Is it a Rugby Songs vinyl where the men are totally naked on the cover? A traditional copper kettle? A vintage pink trunk? A set of crystal jars? A fur coat? A framed football shirt? They’ve got it!
All that along with beautiful wooden furniture, delicate glassware, and taxidermy animals of varying quality…
Next door is Cornerhouse Antiques, a smaller but significantly less jumbled shop, which also rents items out as props for film and TV.
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A sign officially marks the Failsworth Antiques Quarter. Credit: The Manc GroupChairs on chairsAn Aladdin’s cave of treasures just outside Manchester city centreWhat an eclectic mix
And just down the road is Second Time Around Antiques, a showroom so full its items spill out onto the street outside.
These businesses attract all sorts of shoppers – collectors rummaging through cabinets looking for coins, young couples buying a matching set of Ercol chairs for their new home, set dressers trying to create a scene from yesteryear.
Just recently, a brown road sign – used to direct people to tourist attractions in the UK – has been placed on Oldham Road.
So that’s it, it’s official… Failsworth Antiques Quarter is on the map as Greater Manchester’s second-hand heaven.
The viral factory in Oldham that sells £2 Colin the Caterpillar cakes
Thomas Melia
A factory in Oldham has gone viral online after sweet fiends discover they sell ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cakes for less than half price.
There are some things that just go hand in hand: a brew and a biscuit, peanut butter and jelly and Brits and their crazy obsession with a character chocolate cake from M&S called Colin the Caterpillar.
Since hitting the shelves in 1990, more than 15 million Colin the Caterpillars have made their way from supermarket shop floor to our sweet-treat-awaiting plates.
Who would’ve ever guessed that the home to this cheeky chappy, who M&S have made their unofficial mascot (after Percy Pig, of course), has been crafted and created right here in Oldham?
The utterly delicious Colin the Caterpillar cake which you can get for £2 at Park Cakes.The shelves at Park Cakes are stacked with Colins and Connies.Credit: The Manc Eats
Established in 1937, The Park Cake Bakeries – or just Park Cakes, colloquially – has been serving up this critter-inspired cake for over 30 years, and savvy shoppers have flocked to their factory shop to get their hands on some very sweet savings.
There’s a whole range of cakes on offer at this Oldham dessert factory shop, including slabs, sponges, loaves and even sweet pies too.
Whether you’re a firm believer that the birthday person deserves all of Colin’s white-choc face or you precisely cut it up so everyone gets some, Park Cakes has the solution, selling bags of the character’s chocolatey face so you can have one all to yourself.
The cake isn’t the only thing that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as the prices will too. Colin the Caterpillar, who normally retails for just under a tenner, is sold for around £2 at this Oldham factory shop.
It’s always the ones that look unassuming, isn’t it?
Alongside producing one of the most adored cakes in the UK, they’re also responsible for lots more of your favourite supermarket sweet treats, and we’re definitely not complaining.
You can let your sweet tooth go wild in this factory shop as they sell everything from rainbow birthday cakes to sticky toffee puddings.
There’s so much on offer too, how about a giant bag packed to the brim with misshapen golden flapjacks that’ll last you over a week and cost you less than a fiver? Sounds like a plan to me.
If you haven’t had enough of your Easter chocolate fix, why not trek over to Oldham and stock up on even more chocolate and sweet treats? Trust us, there’s plenty to choose from.
Park Cakes factory shop can be found on Ashton Road in Oldham and is open from 10am-4pm, so go and grab yourself a seriously sweet deal before everyone else beats you to it.
Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.Credit: The Manc
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Adam Higgin (via Facebook)
Oldham
Bury FC legend Nicky Adams confirms retirement after more than two decades
Danny Jones
Bury FC is saying goodbye to a veteran of Greater Manchester football as local legend Nicky Adams has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season.
The Bolton-born midfielder has enjoyed a 22-year career, playing for 10 different clubs in that time, most notably Bury, where he began as an academy product and earned his first senior minutes back in 2005.
Having been with the club across four different stints and by far the largest chunk of his playing days, making more than 200 appearances for the North West Counties side, he’s practically part of the furniture at this point.
But the time has finally come, as Adams revealed he will be retiring from professional football at the age of 38 – his longevity being an incredible achievement in itself.
⚪🔵 Nicky Adams has announced his retirement from football.
Adams has had a 22-year football career and will hang up his boots at the end of the season to take up a full-time coaching role.
Confirmed via a club statement on Tuesday, 15 April, the Shakers informed fans that Adams, who returned to his home club back in December, will be able to toast hanging up his boots with a promotion party if they avoid defeat against Burscough.
Adams has represented several other Greater Manchester teams in the past too, playing 85 games for Rochdale and 59 for Oldham Athletic, as well as 88 for Radcliffe FC.
Having scored 14 goals during his time with Bury, as well as serving as club captain, he told the club: “I think it’s perfect timing for me, I’m learning the coaching side of it. I’ve been doing that for the last few years, and I’ve got a big opportunity to go and do that full-time now.
“I came here at 16 years old; I’ve come back a few times now, I’ve played over 200 games for the football club, I don’t need to tell anyone what it means to me.
“I’ve had some unbelievable times here, and I’ll be forever grateful to this football club, which gave me the opportunity to go and be a professional footballer and go on the journey that I’ve been on. I’m forever grateful for that.”
Speaking on his return late last year, it’s plain to see how big an impression Gigg Lane has left on him.
He may be calling time on his playing days, but he’s not going anywhere.
Manager Dave McNabb went on to say: “I’m not really sure how to put into words the impact that Nicky has had on me and this group since he walked back through the door in December.
“His legendary status at this football club is well-known and documented. I had heard a lot of good things about his character and his personality through mutual friends and people within the game, so I knew he was going to be a good lad and have a positive impact in the dressing room.
Even with this knowledge, never did I expect to meet such an honest and caring man with enormous levels of integrity and with such high standards and principles. He’s a leader amongst men. When he talks, people listen. He gets the best out of others.
He is trusted and respected by everyone. He drives positive relationships within the group. He is the glue that holds things together. I’m proud to have brought him back to HIS football club, I’m proud to have played a very small part in his illustrious career but most of all, I’m proud to be able to call him a friend.
Signing off with a sentiment, McNabb added: “Good luck Nicky, you’re a legend.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd March 2024 
