Shopping

HIP – New shop swoops in to former Oi Polloi site in the Northern Quarter

Good news for lovers of Carhartt tbh.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 4th June 2023

A new retailer has already taken over the old Oi Polloi unit in the Northern Quarter, after the beloved streetwear shop closed after more than 20 years.

In its place now is HIP, a lifestyle store founded in Leeds back in 1987.

Brands stocked by HIP include Carhartt WIP, Fred Perry, Adidas Originals, Converse and The North Face.

The shop has opened its doors this week on Thomas Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter – good news for everyone who called for a high-quality retail offering to stay in this part of town.

This is HIP’s first shop outside of Leeds and promises a roster of sought-after and exclusive products, ranging from clothing and footwear to accessories.

ADVERTISEMENT
Inside HIP in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Supplied
Inside HIP in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Supplied
Inside HIP in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Supplied
Inside HIP in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Supplied

It spans 1405sq ft, in the beautiful brick corner unit that was home to Oi Polloi for more than two decades.

HIP promises to cater to discerning shoppers who appreciate good design and high quality.

ADVERTISEMENT

As well as the items up for sale, HIP will also offer in-store experiences and in-depth product knowledge from specialists in the streetwear industry.

And customers will be able to order from their extensive stock and collect in store for just £1.

HIP officially opened its doors in the Northern Quarter on Friday 2 June.

Read more

Featured image: supplied

Shopping

A massive home and furniture store just outside of Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale

Danny Jones Danny Jones Big Macclesfield furniture shop winter sale Christmas 2025

You heard: a huge home, furniture and accessories store just outside Greater Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale, making the festive period and the New Year the perfect time to pop in.

Rather annoyed we got mum those nice cushions for Christmas before we saw this, now, but ah well – there’s always her birthday…

Anyone who’s been to Macclesfield or on a train heading in or out of the North West will have most likely been past this place on the train, but the multi-storey emporium that is Arighi Bianchi really is a must-visit for anyone looking to upgrade their interior on a budget.

The Macclesfield home furnishings store has something for everyone, from high-end luxuries to decorative accessories, with pretty much every price range taken into account – which is why landing some seasonal discounts is such a big win for the region.

A fairly iconic sight as you pass through the Cheshire town, Macclesfield‘s Arighi Bianchi was founded way back in 1854 by two Italian immigrants – both called Antonio – whose surnames give the long-standing retail destination its title.

Well over 170 years later, and it’s more popular than ever, so the bonus of them bringing never-before-seen in-store deductions and special seasonal promotions across all departments is an even bigger win.

It doesn’t matter whether you want to shop online or visit in-store (though we would highly recommend the latter), you can get up to 30% off items in what is their biggest event of 2025.

As well as discounts on everything from sofas, sideboards and dining tables to floors, mattresses and much more, they’re doing cut-price offers on top designer brands from around Europe, including Cattelan Italia, Calligaris, Ercol, Hypnos, Tempur, Vispring and Stressless, just to name a few.

Subject to the usual terms and conditions, customers can even get early flexible finance deals (24 months 0% APR*) on their purchases; after all, they know as well as we do how tight money can be around this time of year.

Better still, their early bird offers, which are on top of the standard winter sale, will see even more cost cuttings on the likes of the Britannia Sofa, Freja Dining Bundle, the Heritage Bed Collection and other premium accessories from 27 December until 18 January.

big furniture store macclesfield near greater manchester
So much to see – it really is a full day out.
Caffe AB Macclesfield
Their award-winning cafe.
Credit: Arighi Bianchi

And the savings don’t stop there…

For instance, if you spend £1,200 in-store, you will receive an extra £50 voucher for the CASA Accessories Lounge; or, beyond that, spend £2.5k and earn yourself a £100 voucher.

So, if you’re looking to get a fresh living room suite for 2026, make the most of 10% off wallpaper and fabrics or 20% off mirrors, or even get four new dining chairs for the price of three, there’s a cheeky deal to suit just about everyone.

You can see the full extent of what’s on offer during the Arighi Bianchi winter sale right HERE, or go and peruse the four floors for yourself in the flesh on the famous Silk Road.

Happy holiday season shopping, folks – maybe bump into you around Caffè AB.

Trafford Centre announces opening hours for 2025/26 festive season – including Boxing Day

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Arighi Bianchi (supplied)

Shopping

UK supermarket ‘bans’ Manchester City players following Pep Guardiola press conference

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pep warns of players coming back fatty after Christmas dinner

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.

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.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Royalty-free (via PickPic)/Beanyman Sports (screenshot via YouTube)

More Shopping

Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre being redeveloped

Business

Plans to transform Chorlton’s old shopping centre have been green-lit

Shopping

Wigan Warriors finally reveal next season’s kits following update on delayed release

Erling Haaland dresses up as Santa and gives out presents in Manchester

Cheshire

Erling Haaland dresses up as Santa and hands out Christmas presents in Greater Manchester

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches