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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Science and Industry Museum’s adults-only ‘after hours’ event returns with a Halloween twist this month
Emily Sergeant
A popular adults-only ‘after hours’ event is returning to Manchester later this month… and there’s some spooky surprises in store.
If you need an excuse to leave the little Mancs at home, or you just fancy releasing your inner child, then one of Manchester’s most visited museums might have just what you’re looking for, as the Science and Industry Museum has announced that its popular After Hours event especially for adults is returning for one night only at the end of the month.
The museum will become your playground once it’s closed for the day as you settle in for a unique evening of live music, giant interactive games, and spooky surprises for Halloween.
Science and Industry Museum’s adults-only ‘after hours’ event returns with a Halloween twist this month / Credit: Science Museum Group
The Museum’s permanent galleries and displays will be open after hours, so you can get hands-on with science in Experiment, meet mighty machines in the Textiles Gallery, and discover Manchester‘s rich legacy of industrial innovations, creativity, and world-changing ideas in Revolution Manchester.
You’ll also get free access to the popular Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition, which just opened earlier this year, and get to indulge your playful side in Power Up – with more than 150 consoles to choose from in the ultimate gaming extravaganza.
Especially for spooky season, you can look forward to some very special one-off events too, like stellar performances from Manchester drag royalty, Anna Phylactic, a cosmic cabaret with live vocals, and a monster mash-up soundtrack guaranteed to get you into the Halloween spirit.
There’ll also be a chance to meet Albert Slime-stein – a larger-than-life monster popping up the museum as part of Halloween in the City’s iconic Manchester Monsters trail.
And as this is an adults-only event, the museum’s events bar will be open on the night, serving up a wide range of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic drinks to wet your whistle while you’re looking around, with some delicious food to accompany too.
Museum After Hours is happening on Thursday 29 October from 7pm-10pm, with tickets setting you back £12 each or £6 for concessions.
The Good Clothes Show returns to Manchester next month for a weekend of ‘fashion, shopping, and creativity’
Emily Sergeant
A weekend of ‘fashion, shopping, and creativity’ is returning to Manchester next month.
Taking over Manchester Central in early November, The Good Clothes Show is set to make a return to our city for one of the most fashionable weekends of the year, and will bring together dozens of brilliant independent brands, vintage and pre-loved treasures, hands-on workshops, catwalks, expert talks, and more all under one roof.
Visitors can expect an extensive shopping lineup of independent fashion brands, local artisans, contemporary labels, vintage specialists and pre-loved sellers.
At the heart of the weekend is a huge programme of opportunities to ‘learn, make, mend, and transform.’
The Good Clothes Show returns to Manchester next month / Credit: Supplied
You’ll get to try everything from darning, sashiko, and crochet, to creating makeup bags, transforming shirts, and upcycling football tops. Or if you fancy something completely different, there’ll be a chance to make a fascinator from scrap materials, create a statement necklace, or give tired old shoes a spectacular new lease of life.
No matter whether you’re a complete beginner or already quite handy with a sewing needle, organisers say The Good Clothes Show it’s all about learning new skills and leaving inspired.
And this year, TV star Leigh Francis is joining the fun as the show’s special guest for the weekend too.
Get ready for a weekend of ‘fashion, shopping, and creativity’ / Credit: Supplied
There’s plenty happening beyond the shopping and workshops, as you can take a seat beside The Good Catwalk, get ideas and advice at The Style Stop, hear from fashion voices and changemakers, or simply stop for a glass of sparkling and compare shopping finds.
And it’s not just about the grown-ups either, as The Kids Club will encourage the next generation to discover design, textiles, and creativity through hands-on activities of their own.
Emily Sergeant -
28th February 2022 
