An empty retail unit in a popular Oldham shopping centre has been transformed into a pop-up shop full of all things handmade.
With Oldham Council keen to make March “a month of celebration” of the eclectic mix of independents right across the bustling borough, an empty retail unit in Spindles Town Square shopping centre is to begin a new life as a pop-up shop from tomorrow in an exciting collaboration between the local business community and the Council.
The pop-up shop is called ‘Oldham Made’, and will be open all throughout March.
The new store is selling everything from crafts, clothes, and handmade gifts, to locally-brewed beers, and candles sourced from a range of independent businesses across Oldham.
Oldham Council says the idea for the shop was born out of public consultations with residents at the recently-held ‘Big Oldham Conversation’ events, where plans for the Town Centre redevelopments were discussed, and at those meetings, locals said that empty units in the town should be made available for small businesses.
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“Now we’ve delivered on that promise,” Oldham Council said.
🎉 Oldham Made opens tomorrow at 9am 🎉
A one stop shop for gifts, crafts, arts and clothing (for humans and dogs 🐕).
Speaking ahead of the launch of the new shop tomorrow, Cllr Arooj Shah – Leader of Oldham Council – said: “Oldham Made will showcase the amazing range of talent we have in Oldham, while giving our local entrepreneurs and makers a helping hand.
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“By providing a space where small businesses can come together to show off their fantastic range of products, we hope to create a buzz about shopping small and shopping local – but what’s really exciting, is that Oldham Made is just one small part of our plans for Spindles and the regeneration of our town centre.
“It’s just one of the many ways we’re supporting the small and independent businesses doing awesome things in our borough.”
‘Oldham Made’ will be open all throughout March / Credit: The Manc GroupOldham Council keen to make March “a month of celebration” of all the borough’s independent businesses / Credit: The Manc Group
As well as celebrating independents and being full of handmade gifts, Oldham Council says the shop – which has been made possible thanks to funding from the Welcome Back Fund, set up by the European Regional Development Fund and the government – will also feature larger-than-life installations, Instagram-worthy elements, and plenty of exciting product demos for shoppers to get involved with.
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From 5 March, visitors to the store will also be able to collect four specially-designed bags for life, and all they’ll need to do is spend £5 in one of the independents, then bring their receipt to the Oldham Made store and exchange this for their exclusive bag.
The Oldham Made shop will be open Monday to Saturday from 9am until 5pm, and you can find more information here.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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The massively underrated rooftop terrace in Manchester with great views and top cocktails
Daisy Jackson
Manchester city centre is generally STARVED of outdoor space, but we’ve found the perfect sun-soaked oasis where you can enjoy a bit of fresh air and a whole lot of great food and drinks.
Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline.
As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.
This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in the know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon.
And although it’s in a prime city centre location, just a stone’s throw from Deansgate, St Peter’s Square and Market Street, it’s a luxurious escape from it all – as is the entire boutique hotel it’s part of.
Whether it’s a post-work social, a relaxed date night, or a cheeky afternoon cocktail, the King Street Townhouse Terrace is open to the public and available for walk-ins or bookings when it isn’t privately hired.
On the menu you can expect locally-sourced dishes like Pollen sourdough served with whipped butter, a meat or cheese grazing board loaded with British produce, and larger plates like a beef and bone marrow burger or a fried fish roll topped with crisps.
British charcuterie grazing boardSpritzes on the King Street Townhouse terrace
Pairing perfectly with a spritz or a beer are snacks like deep-fried Gordal olives, stuffed with fennel sausage, and a brioche garlic bread packed with cream cheese.
The hotel has a cocktail list that celebrates classic drinks and a few of their own signature concoctions, and it doesn’t feel much more luxurious than when you treat yourself to a glass of sky-high champagne with views like this.
The South Terrace can also be hired privately for leisure or corporate events, with tailored catering options including summer BBQs.
And you can ramp up your trip to this oasis by staying overnight in one of the boutique hotels’ rooms, or visiting the King Street Townhouse ESPA spa for a treatment.
Find out more about the terrace at King Street Townhouse HERE.
The terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelThe terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelDeep-fried olivesGarlic bread with creamed cheeseKing Street Townhouse hotel
A massive Manchester United fan zone is being set up for the Europa League final
Danny Jones
With Man United officially booking their spot in the Europa League final, a massive fan zone is being set up in Manchester for fans to watch it.
The Reds are going to Bilbao, but flights and tickets aren’t cheap, so a huge fan park will have to do.
Supporter park specialists 4 The Fans – the same team behind the huge sites at the likes of Manchester’s Secret City, Love Factory and the Progress Centre for Euro 2024 – are putting one of the biggest fan zones yet for the game on Wednesday, 21 May.
4 The Fans are committed to putting on a huge fan zone over in Stretford, and with well over 50,000 fans attending their events over the last three years, it’s sure to be a mega atmosphere.
A massive Man United fan zone is on the cards for this year’s Europa League final. (Credit: 4 The Fans)
Having seen the atmosphere at some of their previous events first hand, this latest fan zone plan is giving us real Euros vibes.
Set to take over the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, a.k.a. the BEC Arena over in Stretford, the enormous events space will be transformed into one of their biggest fan zones to date, with the biggest screen in Manchester.
VIP seated tickets are also available, and parents are welcome to bring their kids along to the family-friendly event.
Tickets are already available and, in fact, they were so confident in the result against Athletic Club that supporters were guaranteed their money back if Ruben Amorim’s side managed to capitulate.
No harm, no foul and, turns out, no need to worry anyway.
Past scenes from international tournaments. (Credit: Supplied)
If the idea of being surrounded by fellow Reds for the game isn’t an attractive enough prospect on its own for you, United fans, the event is also set to be hosted by a club legend (still yet to be announced), with DJs and music, as well as special effects throughout.
Of course, there’ll be plenty of pints and scran to fuel the promoter’s famous fan energy on offer too, so you really will be sorted from start to finish.
Doors to the BEC open at 5:30pm, with last entry at 7:30pm ahead of the 8pm kick-off; tickets start from just £8. Until then, you can watch back the highlights from the previous match down below. You can grab yours HERE.
How are you feeling for the final – are Ruben’s Reds going to lift the Europa League trophy?
Emily Sergeant -
28th February 2022 
