After fleeing Kyiv to land a fittingly named vintage football shirt store here in Manchester, Stunner has now sadly confirmed that they have closed their city-centre site.
Sweethearts Polins Vynohradova and Serge Shcherbyna formed Stunner back in 2017, eventually opening their Manchester site in February 2022 following the breakout of the Ukraine War.
The Stunner brand ignited their passion for film photography, football and 90s aesthetics, by providing hundreds of authentic football kits from the era and into the 2000s, creating a hub of creativity and culture. They’ve been a great addition to our sport-loving city.
But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom; this isn’t goodbye forever and the couple is staying positive, insisting that they’re excited about “getting back on the road”, and we can assure you that their incredible journey isn’t ending here.
Credit: Instagram/The Manc Group
In a statement via Instagram, the Stunner duo said: “First of all, don’t panic, we’re only closing the physical store. You can still place your orders online and we’ll ship them to you worldwide.
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“The original idea of [the] Stunner store in Manchester was always to have it for one year, regardless of how it goes, and we’re glad that we managed to pull it off.”
So yes, Manchester natives can breathe a sigh of relief. Stunner confirmed the continuation of the online store that provides worldwide shipping, even hinting towards the re-opening of a new store elsewhere.
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Their story is a truly fascinating one; a couple dozen shirts and an Instagram page ended up expanding into Kyiv’s largest flea market before a journey across Europe to eventually land right here in rainy Manchester.
Explaining the hardships behind running Stunner between and what led to the closing of their store on Friday, 23 August, the pair went on to add: “Running a football store when there’s just the two of you means that other things have to be put aside.
“Though it’s lots of fun and the best way to meet like-minded people, it’s also time-consuming and very demanding. We knew that it would mean sacrificing football travels and now the time has come for Stunner to get back on the road.
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“We want to take you to more football grounds and cities around the world, and who knows, maybe one of them will be a perfect fit for the third Stunner store.” As big fans of these guys, we can only hope they come back stronger in the second half.
From escaping the grasp of a devastating conflict in Ukraine to closing their store later this week, the couple ended their beautiful statement by saying: “Come have a beer with us this Friday, August 23rd and grab a bargain on our final day at 9 South King Street.”
The disappointed but hopeful announcement on socials was only met with equally heartwarming reactions in turn, with customers showing a lot of love for Stunner.
One commenter wrote, “Super happy to have visited this space. Excited to see what you have to share coming up”, while another said: “So excited to see what’s next for you guys & so grateful to have met you through the store.”
We’re so relieved that this won’t be last we’ll hear from the folks over at Stunner, even if their flagship Manchester city centre shop and first-ever brick-and-mortar space has closed.
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We have every faith they’ll be back bigger and better than ever and, in the meantime, you can still order from their incredible online catalogue HERE. до скорої зустрічі.
‘We couldn’t see f**k all’ – Bizarre Altrincham FC FA Cup clash played in thick fog leaves fans baffled
Daisy Jackson
Altrincham FC’s FA Cup clash with Notts County descended into extraordinary scenes on Saturday night as thick fog engulfed the stadium, leaving supporters struggling to see the players and even broadcasters questioning what was happening.
The bizarre first-round encounter at the J Davidson Stadium saw visibility deteriorate so badly that fans resorted to holding their mobile phone torches aloft in an attempt to follow the action.
What should have been a memorable FA Cup occasion turned into something resembling a scene from a horror film, with the players increasingly disappearing into the mist.
Altrincham Today captured the surreal atmosphere, posting: “Extraordinary scenes here at the J Davidson Stadium. Visibility down to a few yards. No-one has any idea what is going on. Supporters holding mobile torches aloft, like it’s an Elton John concert. It is still 2-2, we think.”
Even television coverage struggled to make sense of the conditions.
Broadcaster Jason Mohammad joked: “Bear with us at the end of the game. We’ve not seen much of extra time where we are. We don’t have the foggiest what’s going on down the away end. Fair play – cracking game and atmosphere!”
One social media user summed up the extraordinary conditions simply, writing: “Altrincham v Notts County is currently being played in a cloud.”
Others were equally bewildered, with one supporter asking: “Spot the ball anyone? #FACup @altrinchamfc on the verge of another league scalp – although who knows what’s going on?!”
Another fan was less than impressed, posting: “Shame we couldn’t see f**k all for most of it”.
Even the stadium’s advertising boards were struggling to make an impression. James Timpson joked: “It was hard to see the investment we have made in to our pitch side advertising boards last night at Altrincham V Notts County!”
It was hard to see the investment we have made in to our pitch side advertising boards last night at Altrincham V Notts County! https://t.co/trW9imo7Xu
The unusual conditions also prompted questions over whether the match should have continued.
One Notts County supporter reflected after the game: “Unlucky guys you gave us a great game and the conditions didn’t help still say it should have been abandoned even though we scraped through!!!! Good luck for the rest of the season lads”.
And it was certainly a dramatic contest before the fog took centre stage.
Notts County initially took the lead through Jacob Bedeau in the 28th minute, but Altrincham responded through Lucas Weaver just before half-time.
Lewis Banks then put the hosts ahead in the 59th minute, raising hopes of another famous FA Cup upset against higher-league opposition.
@altrinchamfc If you say so https://t.co/6ub5YiIogD
However, Callum Roberts equalised for County in the 84th minute, sending the tie into extra time.
With neither side able to find a winner, the match went to penalties, where Notts County eventually prevailed 3-2 to book their place in the second round.
While the result was heartbreaking for Altrincham, the extraordinary conditions ensured the match would be remembered for more than just the football.
For supporters at the J Davidson Stadium, it was certainly one FA Cup tie where seeing wasn’t necessarily believing.
Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Blake Keeble -
21st August 2024 
