Sportswear giants Nike, size? and the We Love MCR Charity are launching an exclusive new rendition of the classic Air Force 1 to celebrate and support the City of Manchester.
The new collaboration pays homage to the Manchester ‘Worker Bee’.
The well-known ‘Worker Bee’ has been an emblem for the city since the Industrial Revolution and a symbol of Manchester’s hard work, resilience and unity.
As part of the launch, footwear company size? is donating 10% of sales from the Nike Air Force 1 Manchester shoe to the We Love MCR Charity and its ‘Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund’, which helps ambitious young Mancunians from disadvantaged backgrounds take their next steps to success in work, qualifications and entrepreneurship.
The Air Force 1 Manchester design has a premium leather and suede upper – featuring a neutral colour palette of tan and brown tones, with a sail midsole and a grey outsole – and, in a nod to the bee and the city of Manchester, the tongue is decorated with a honeycomb-like mesh, and sits alongside an embroidery of the ‘0161’ area code.
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The iconic silhouette is finished off with the ‘Worker Bee’ motif on the lateral as a way of celebrating everyone who is proud to call themselves Mancunian.
Nike / size? / We Love MCR
Speaking on the release of the shoe, Councillor Tommy Judge – Lord Mayor of Manchester and Chair of We Love MCR Charity – said: “This fantastic initiative unites Manchester’s iconic Worker Bee with a world-class product.
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“It is our greatest brand collaboration so far, by far”
“The funds we raise from every pair bought means we can support young Mancunians from disadvantaged backgrounds to fulfil their potential. Our Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund awards grants to ambitious young people, to help them take their next steps to success in work, qualifications or entrepreneurship.
“With this help from size? and Nike, we can give a leg-up to even more talented young people looking to succeed in Manchester.”
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Nike / size? / We Love MCRNike / size? / We Love MCR
Fancy getting your hands on a pair?
With only 3,000 pairs of the shoes up for grabs, the Nike Air Force 1 Manchester size? exclusive – priced at £130 – will be open for raffle entry to reserve a pair from 8am on Sunday 15th November.
This must be done via the size? ‘launches’ app, which you can download here.
The raffle will then officially close at 8am on Thursday 19th November, and the lucky chosen raffle winners will then be given access to purchase a pair of these limited-edition trainers.
To find out more about We Love MCR Charity’s ‘Rising Stars Fund’, and how your purchase of the exclusive Nike Air Force 1 Manchester can truly make a difference to those who need it, head on over to the We Love MCR Charity website here.
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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”