Stockport

Stockport Food and Drink Festival set for September

The 3-day event will take place across Stockport town centre from September 3-5.

The Manc The Manc - 12th August 2021

30 food and drink stalls will be popping up across Stockport during the first weekend of September as the town hosts a sprawling Food & Drink Festival featuring cuisine from around the world.

Running over three days from Friday to Sunday (3-5 September), the event will feature dozens of vendors and a variety of entertainment.

Two outdoor kitchens are being set up on stage in Mersey Square and Market Place for the occasion – with chefs Aldo Zilli and Jean Christophe Novelli performing cooking demos, with a food and science demonstration led by the BBC’s Stefan Gates.

Entertainer Mr Bloom will be performing at Stockport Plaza, with pop-up entertainment at the Peel Centre and activities including a beach and a Fruit Trail in Merseyway.

Alongside the eateries, bars, market traders and independent business in Market Place, a variety of independent businesses specialising in local food, drinks, arts and crafts will also be starring at the festival.

Robinsons Shire Horses will also be making an appearance at The Baker’s Vaults and the Red Bull.

Councillor David Meller, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “I’m delighted that we can welcome the Food and Drink Festival back to the town centre to showcase our flourishing food and drink offer, which clearly shows real confidence in Stockport and our ambitious plans for the future.

“Events like this are key in attracting more visitors to Stockport and give a real boost to the local economy. So whether you’re a seasoned foodie or want to bring the family along for a free day out, there’s loads going on to tickle your taste buds.

“Our local businesses have really struggled due to the impact of COVID, so what better way to show your support!”

Visit the Totally Stockport website to find out more and read the festival schedule.  

Featured image: Stockport Food & Drink Festival

Stockport

Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe has left Stockport County to join a Championship club

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tanto leaves Stockport County for Charlton

Star Stockport County striker, Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe, has officially left the Greater Manchester club for a move up the English pyramid.

Affectionately referred to as Tanto by players, coaches and supporters alike, the County forward has been one of the League One side’s most regular goal threats in the last couple of years, but now the London-born footballer is heading back down south.

The 25-year-old, who joined the Hatters back in January of 2023, finished his debut season at Edgeley Park as their top scorer in the third tier with 20 goals to his name, the most of any player in an EFL season since club legend Luke Beckett in 2002/03.

More than two decades on – and besides former marksman Paddy Madden’s offensive contributions – he’s become one of the biggest and firmest fan favourites for obvious reasons. However, Tanto has now left Stockport for pastures new, joining recently promoted Championship club, Charlton Athletic FC.

Joining the second division returnees from the south-east side of the capital on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee, Olaofe leaves Stockport County having scored 37 times and registered a handful in 121 appearances.

Signing a three-year contract with the Addicks following his 24/25 campaign, which saw him register a total of 16 goal contributions, he described the switch as “a great feeling”.

Writing a message simply titled, ‘Stockport County – Thank you for everything’, on his own social media, Tanto said: “I want to thank everyone at Stockport, from the management, coaches/backroom and my teammates for the great memories, experiences, and friendships we’ve shared over the years!

“A massive shout out to the ‘heart of County’ – the supporters – for the love and support. This experience has helped to mature me and has helped in shaping me in making me the player I am today, so once again, thank you all! Up the Hatters! It’s been an amazing journey.

Meanwhile, the majority of the County faithful are understandably gutted, with one fan posting, “My kids will be absolutely gutted” (along with a picture of them together), and another adding: “First of many heartbreaks for my boys! They were thrilled to meet you, and thank you for being so good with them.”

Others have brushed past their gratitude more quickly and are simply ‘baffled’ by the decision to let him go, with one person commenting, “Why on earth have we sold him? Shocking”; most have simply put something along the lines of, ‘Cheers, now I’m crying.’

Speaking via a lengthy club statement, County CEO Simon Wilson bid a fond farewell to Olaofe: “It is with both a heavy but also proud heart that we say goodbye to Tanto, a player who has added so much to our club in the two-and-a-half years he has been here.

“I remember in his first interview, Liam asked ‘how would you describe yourself?’, to which Tanto replied ‘I like to be a nuisance for defenders’! He has been that for sure, but so much more, too.

“We will remember the special goals, like the header to equalise in the League Two Play-Off semi-final against Salford, the hat-trick vs Wrexham in the title-winning campaign, and the mazy run against Bolton last season. But more importantly, we will remember so much more of his personality and positivity, which brought so much to our environment.

“But we’ve been open in saying that the future of the Club is smart player trading, and so on presentation of this offer – which represents over 10x the original fee paid and gives a player who has given everything to the club, the opportunity to play at a higher level – we felt it was something we had to do.

To those questioning the thinking behind the move, he reiterated that the Championship hopefuls will now challenge themselves to recruit just as smartly once again. It looks like the overarching plan is to do shrewd, mindful business wherever possible.

‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract
Tying down ‘Chally’ was arguably the important deal of this summer.

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Featured Images — Stockport County (via website/YouTube screenshot)/Charlton Athletic (via X)

Stockport

Stockport paedophile jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in early 2000s

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Christopher Oates

A prolific paedophile has been sentenced after admitting to ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s.

Christopher Oates, from Stockport, has been brought to justice this week after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.

The court heard how the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.

When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.

It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.

From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.

The two victims recall Oates taking them to a designated spot in central Manchester at least once a week to carry out sex acts in cars for money.

Oates would supply both victims with cocaine and alcohol, and even pressured them to take crack cocaine and heroin, aiming to build an addiction and increase their dependency on him.

In April 2024, Oates pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, taking indecent images of children, and attempting to engage a child in sexual communication, as well as pleading to the production of cannabis and two counts of possessing an identity document with improper intent.

After being remanded into custody, on 5 September 2024, Oates was postal charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.

A paedophile from Stockport has been jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s / Credit: GMP

In March earlier this year on the fourth day of his trial, Oates admitted to the offences, and this week (25 June 2025), he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.

“I would like to commend the two women at the centre of this case for the strength they demonstrated throughout our investigation and subsequent legal proceedings,” commented Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Eleanor Humphreys, from GMP’s CSE Major Investigations Team, as Oates was sentenced this week.

“It has been an arduous process for them to relieve the horrific abuse, and I am so grateful they placed their trust and confidence in our team to pursue justice.

“Their resilience and determination were the driving force behind reaching today’s outcome, where a dangerous man begins serving a lengthy sentence behind bars, far away from causing any more harm or misery.

Read more:

“Despite Oates’s cowardly attempts to evade facing justice, the evidence we uncovered was overwhelming, and his crimes finally caught up with him.

“I hope this brings these survivors a sense of closure after all these years.”

Featured Image – GMP

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