Stockport

Stockport institution Yu & Me announces closure after 30+ years

'What will I do without Yu?'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 30th December 2024

Stockport is preparing to say goodbye to one of its shopping veterans as the once-popular hardware store and discount retailer Yu & Me is closing after more than three decades.

The beloved bits and bobs shop catered to virtually everyone’s needs, selling everything from homeware and DIY to garden furniture and toys, as well countless other essentials and random nicknacks, serving generations of Stopfordian families to earn a legendary local reputation.

However, the “handyman’s paradise” – which has also been described as everything from “Aladdin’s Cave” and a “gold mine”, to the place you go for “everything you didn’t know you needed” – is now set to shut down for good at the start of the new year.

Announcing the closure on social media, owner Warner Yu confirmed that 5 January will be their final day of business.

Credit: Warner Yu (via Facebook)
Credit: AEW Architects via SMBC planning

The shop, located on Buxton Road in Great Moor, is set to be part of the expansion plans laid out for the Co-op situated next door, with the building set to be demolished and redeveloped from the ground up following a recent planning application.

Writing in the post shared on Boxing Day, Yu said: “Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a great new year, All the best to all our wonderful Customers.

“Sorry but we will be closing down on the 5th of January 2025 as our lease has finally run out. ‘The Great Yu and Me Sale’ is now on until then. Wish you all the best and thank you for everything.”

The comments were flooded with love, support and sadness, with one person writing. “Oh no this isn’t what I wanted to read. What will I do without you guys? My heart is broken, at least your dad will be able to relax, he is a wonderful man – end of a special era.”

Another said in a lengthy response: Really awful to do this to Yu & Me honestly. Big companies like Co-op shouldn’t have [the] power to get rid of someone else’s business like this. If anything, they should at least build them their own space since… You know, it’s been there around 30/40 years. Pretty awful thing for them to do to Yu & Me, I hope they can find somewhere nearby to continue on honestly…”

One person even shared a somewhat tongue-in-cheek but still heartfelt tribute song, bidding farewell to the no-nonsense odds-and-ends institution.

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Although it is obviously sad news, the number of people sharing memories of going in with their parents, grandparents, or even taking their own children in there over the years is touching to read.

Warner’s father who ran the shop before him remains a popular figure even though he hasn’t been out on the shop floor these days; he famously raised thousands as part of the 2005 tsunami appeal.

Pulling funds from three different Yu & Me shops across Greater Manchester at the time, he said: “Money is no good to us when we die and we are lucky that we are not born in such places. Some customers may have only donated pennies but all together it’s raised a lot of money. One day these people may help us.”

As a Stopfordian born and bred myself, I can only thank the Yu family for their years of service and for being the only place nearby to find last-minute spray paint for my year 11 art project. Yu will be missed.

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

Featured Images — Google Maps/Warner Yu (via Facebook)/Peter Barr (via Geograph)

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.

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“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

Stockport

Heartbreaking tributes are being paid after 23-year-old hit by car in Stockport dies from injuries

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joel Sheldon death Bredbury Stockport death tributes

Tributes are pouring in on social media following the death of a local young man from Bredbury, Stockport, who was tragically hit by a car last weekend.

Joel Corey Sheldon, who was just 23, sadly died on Saturday, 21 June, after being struck by a vehicle on the previous Friday night at around 10:20pm.

The Stopfordian was rushed to the hospital immediately, but was later pronounced dead from his injuries despite the best efforts of the paramedics and emergency services. He is survived by his parents, Gaz and Cheryl, as well as two brothers, Leo and Harvey.

Following the news of his passing, family members, friends and countless others throughout the Bredbury community and beyond have been paying their respects to what was, by all accounts, a “fun-loving popular young man.”

In a heartfelt tribute issued on Tuesday afternoon (24 Jun), Joel’s family wrote: “Our beautiful son Joel was caring, kind, and loved by everyone who knew him.

“He smiled constantly and loved life. His energy was infectious, and the outpouring of love for him has made us so immensely proud. We will love him and miss him for the rest of our lives.”

Writing on Facebook, the youngster’s godfather, Martin Smith, added: “RIP Joel Sheldon, I was so proud to be your godfather and part of your life. I’ll miss our chats.

“Even when you were gaming back in the day, you always were so polite to me. I love you, and the amount of broken hearts shows what a beautiful young man you were…”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they received reports of a collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa and a pedestrian on Lower Bents Lane, close to The Greyhound Pub, with the car being seen heading in the direction of Redhouse Lane when the collision occurred. No suspects have been identified thus far.

A fundraising page has now been set up in Joel’s memory, with people donating to help cover the cost of his funeral and ‘any additional costs incurred by the family.’

Set up by fellow Bredbury native and family friend, Eleanor Moore, the description of the page reads: “The Sheldons are very much at the heart of the Bredbury community, and we would like to take away the financial strain at this difficult time.” Over £23,000 has been raised already.

Nearby pub, The Queens – located further up the same road on which he was unfortunately hit – also posted the GoFundMe link and has been sharing official updates from GMP, as have a number of other local businesses and organisations.

As for the latest from the authorities, police are appealing for more information, urging anyone with any more details regarding the incident, no matter how small, to come forward as soon as possible.

This includes Bredbury locals, eyewitnesses in the area at the time; dashcam and/or doorbell camera footage that may have captured images of the car or its driver, and any other information which might be useful in the investigation of Joel Sheldon’s death.

If you have information, you can contact Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting log 4082 of 20/06/25, or do so online right HERE.

Our thoughts go out to Joel’s friends and family, along with all those whose lives he touched, during this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace.

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

Featured Images — Family Handouts/GMP

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