Popular variety store Flying Tiger is set to open a new Manchester location, and it’s arriving later this month.
The genius of Scandinavian couple and entrepreneurs, Lennart and Suzanne Lajboschitz, Flying Tiger opened its flagship store in Copenhagen back in 1995, and nowadays, this shop has everything you could possibly need – and some things you never knew you did.
Flying Tiger has become a staple on Manchester’s high street, thanks to its ability to keep up with the trends and constantly reinvent its products.
You can always trust the Danes to come up with an innovative concept, and ironically, this Danish brand is opening up right next to another new site, LEGO.
Flying Tiger is opening a new Greater Manchester store next week / Credit: The Manc Group
This impressive 1,500 sq ft shop will open in the Upper Peel Avenue area of the Trafford Centre, and its big launch couldn’t be happening on a more fitting day.
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Opening on 14 February, more widely-known as Valentine’s Day, anyone who’s left their present shopping until the last minute is now in luck, as they can nip in and pick up a selection of bits and bobs for their special someone.
Anyone thinking of popping down on its grand launch day definitely should, as the first 200 customers to visit the shop will receive an exclusive goody bag filled with items from the latest collection.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Shopping
UK supermarket ‘bans’ Manchester City players following Pep Guardiola press conference
Danny Jones
In a somewhat surprising but nevertheless amusing headline, Manchester City players have seemingly been banned from UK supermarket Iceland this Christmas.
No, as daft as it might sound, we’ve got a quote from the frozen food chain and everything.
With the Man City squad being given an added little reprieve when it comes to training this year, since their rivals over in the red half of the city are the only Premier League side playing on Boxing Day, they have an extra day off before getting back on the pitch this Saturday, 27 December.
Set to face Nottingham Forest on the road at the City Ground, it could be a potentially tricky away game, so they need every advantage possible to come away with the points and possibly claim that top spot before the end of the year, which includes fitness – and, more specifically in this case, weight.
“Come back three kilos heavier and you stay in Manchester!” 🍔👀
Pep Guardiola lays down the law on weight checks after Christmas, warning Man City players they will not travel for Nottingham Forest 💬🔵 pic.twitter.com/zES8ZRkWzG
Yes, following manager Pep Guardiola’s press conference after their 3-0 win over West Ham, in which he warned his players against packing on the pounds over Christmas, Iceland have confirmed that City stars won’t be allowed through the door.
We’re not sure how much frozen festive food is allowed on the diet sheet around the Etihad Campus to begin with, but still.
Sharing an official press release, an Iceland spokesperson said: “With Pep keeping such a close eye on his players’ Christmas calories, we thought it was only right to do our bit to help support him and get the best result for local fans.
“Our festive desserts are designed to be indulgent, over-the-top and impossible to resist […] They’re perfect for seasonal celebrations, but probably not ideal if you’ve got a post-Christmas weigh-in and an important away trip on the line.”
To be fair, we’ve cracked into that Bailey’s crème brûlée early before, and you don’t want to do anything other than lie down after it…
In case you missed Pep’s post-match presser this past weekend, the scrupulous Catalan coach acknowledged that while all of his players made weight on the Friday, he “will be there controlling how many kilos come up” this Christmas.
Urging them to show some restraint and avoid coming back “fatty”, he said they can obviously eat some of the holiday favourites around the dinner table, but that he still has to “make a selection [of] 27 against Nottingham Forest.”
Put simply, Guardiola said: “Imagine one player, and now he’s perfect, but he will arrive with three kilos more. He will [stay] in Manchester; he will not travel to Nottingham Forest, that’s for sure.”
You can watch his press conference in full down below.
Plans to transform Chorlton’s old shopping centre have been green-lit
Danny Jones
Yes, after a prolonged period of uncertainty, the plans put together for redeveloping Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre are now moving forward.
Following an extensive consultation period back in 2023 and planning permission having now been approved by Manchester City Council, the transformation of the long-neglected retail complex has been green-lit, and the project will be moving forward even sooner than you think.
As confirmed earlier this week, Stretford-based construction company PJ Livesey will be working in tandem with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to deliver the major regeneration, which will see even more living spaces and leisure facilities arrive in the already thriving suburb.
Following an official press release on Thursday, 18 December, we’ve now been given a latest glimpse at what the developers are hoping the new Chorlton Cross district will look like.
Credit: Font Communications (supplied)
Plans for the transformation of both the high street and the old Leisure Centre date back to 2023 and even further when taking into account the Council asking the public for their thoughts on what should happen with the area, but Chorlton Cross, specifically, has been the subject of debate for some time.
The bulk of units in and around the largely forgotten shopping centre are now empty, with just a few hold-outs still clinging on to their space.
Now, following extensive feedback from native Mancs and those who have flooded into the South Manchester town over the past decade, the approved plans have now been revealed.
They include:
A mix of 262 one, two and three-bed apartments, all with access to outdoor space through balconies and gardens
20% affordable homes available through a mix of tenures, with 18.5% of these being available for social rent
Around 3,500 sq metres of public open space, including a fully walkable route through Manchester Rd and outdoor seating areas to encourage people to stop and dwell
A mix of flexible retail spaces, such as a new ‘Makers Yard’ suitable for smaller, start-up businesses
Up to 60 new trees across the site with maximised retention of existing trees
Manc filmmaker, Bernard Leach – who has been making videos about the region since 2007 – shared a longer look at how the vision for this next chapter in Chorlton‘s residential and retail history is currently shaping up earlier this month.
As you can see, some sections of the old Lancashire village and ‘cum-Hardy’ parish could look rather unrecognisable sooner than you think.
Should everything go ahead as scheduled, those involved are hoping to get work underway in the New Year, with the ‘decommissioning’ of all existing buildings, including Graeme House, undergoing demolition by early 2026.
With the majority vacating their premises in recent years, it’s fair to say that it’s been vastly underutilised for far too long.
Posting on social media back in September last year, nearby resident Nigel Woodcock wrote: “Serious question, not just councillor-baiting, but can anyone explain why the retail businesses in Chorlton Precinct were booted out before any decisions were made about what’s going to happen to it?
“It makes no sense to me. No plans have even been submitted, so far as I’m aware, so why kick out those businesses and leave it derelict for so long? The land and buildings are actually owned by the combined GM Local Authorities, so one might expect a modicum of political and business nous to be applied.”
Similar to the new plans being put together for the stretch of land between Castlefield and Salford, most are just glad something is finally happening with the space.
Commenting on the plans progressing, PJ Livesey’s Managing Director, Georgina Lynch, said in an official statement: “This is a landmark moment for Chorlton, marking the transformation of the former shopping centre into a vibrant new hub for the community.
“Working closely with Manchester City Council, we’ve carefully balanced the delivery of much-needed new homes – including 20% affordable – with the creation of lively, welcoming spaces to shop, relax, and spend time.
“This site is at the heart of Chorlton, and we’re bringing it back to life, cementing the area’s reputation as a truly great place to live.”
What do you make of the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre regeneration plans?
Thomas Melia -
3rd February 2025 
