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.
Mancs start crowdfunder for Mani mural in honour of late, great, local music legend
Danny Jones
A group of Manchester artists, audiophiles and residents have started a fundraiser to create a new mural in memory of the late, great local music legend, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.
Following The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player’s passing last year, the city and Greater Manchester as a whole have been finding ways to honour the Manc musician ever since.
Be it lining his funeral cortege from his home in Heaton Moor, Stockport, or peers like The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess penning heartfelt tributes, anyone and everyone has found their own way of paying their respects in the months since.
Taking the sustained sentiment even further, local art collective GRIT Studios is now planning to erect a massive mural in his memory.
We’re doing a massive mural for Manchester’s most loved son – Mani. All profits to @maggiesmanc a charity that was close to his heart.
Writing on the fundraising page’s description, GRIT say: “Inspired by Ian Brown’s eulogy to Mani at Manchester Cathedral, a major community crowdfunder is being launched to create a large-scale mural honouring the beloved bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream and to raise funds for Maggie’s Manchester.
“The mural, which will be created in Failsworth, where young Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield grew up, has been initiated by the team at GRIT Studios following an overwhelming outpouring of love from fans across Greater Manchester and beyond.
“Mani’s brother, Greg Mounfield, is supporting this campaign and has facilitated a prominent, large wall space for the mural and chosen the design.
They go on to to explan that the piece “will be painted by the renowned artist Pic.One.Art, whose recent portrait of Noel and Liam Gallagher outside the iconic Sifters Records in Burnage became an instant landmark and received widespread attention.”
Speaking of Brown’s now viral speech, it still remains one of the most touching bits of public observance and shared mourning this city has ever seen – with a healthy little dose of Northern levity, of course.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
“Since Mani passed away in November, countless fans have expressed a desire to see a tribute in the place that shaped him in North Manchester”, they continue.
“GRIT Studios, the not-for-profit art studios organisation, has stepped forward to organise a community-led, crowdfunded project that celebrates Mani’s life, music and spirit.
“It will not only fund the creation of the mural, but all profits will go to Maggie’s Manchester, which was close to Mani and his wife Imelda’s hearts during her cancer treatment and for whom they fundraised.
With a target of £10,000 set and more than £6k already raised in just a matter of days, it looks to be a matter of when, not if, we’ll see Mani immortalised in paint, on brick and with typical Manc grit over in the borough of Oldham.
For anyone who wishes to contribute to the fast-growing Mani mural crowdfunder, you can do so HERE.
Oldham man given life sentence after attacking nurse with scissors at hospital
Emily Sergeant
A man from Oldham has been sentenced to life in prison after attacking a nurse with scissors when he was in hospital.
Romon Haque, of Yasmin Gardens in Oldham, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, before being additionally later found guilty of attempted murder, and he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday (11 February 2026) to receive his sentence.
The court heard how the attack took place at Royal Oldham Hospital on Saturday 12 January 2025, where at around 11:30pm, Haque asked a nurse for medication, who advised that she would come and see him shortly.
Haque then got out of his bed, walked over to where the nurse was stood, and pulled out a pair of scissors from his pocket. He subsequently stabbed her three times, resulting in serious injuries to her face, neck, and hands.
He was pulled away from his victim by staff members who intervened.
The victim was immediately given urgent medical treatment, and subsequently taken to intensive care following the attack.
Following his initial court appearance, Haque was deemed fit to stand trial, appearing at court in June and July last year, before his official sentencing took place this week.
In total, Haque was sentenced to 28 years – 22 of those being in prison, with an extra six years following on licence.
Speaking following Haque’s sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jennifer O’Brien, from the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Oldham district, said: “This was a horrific, unprovoked attack on a woman who was simply doing her job for those in need in a hospital. I want to commend the bravery of those who intervened, and who prevented the situation from potentially being much more serious.
“Emergency workers should never face violence from the very people they are trying to help, and I am glad Haque is now behind bars following this vile incident.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd March 2024 
