A row of historic cottages in Manchester have been transformed and “brought back to life” with a £1.1 million refurbishment.
Westwood Cottages in Moss Side laid empty for nearly a decade, but now they are enjoying a new lease on life as affordable homes for the community after a sympathetic £1.1 million refurbishment project by Salford-based contractors, MC Construction.
The six striking Grade II-listed terraced houses on Raby Street were built all the way back in 1876 as alms houses by industrialist John Robinson in memory of his sister, Edith Marianne Robinson.
They stand as individual dwellings in one block, and are built in Flemish Gothic style.
The cottages were left vacant almost a decade ago, and sadly, their condition subsequently started deteriorating, and they went on to become a target for vandalism and anti-social behaviour – with many of their original features being removed.
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But now, they’ve been given an impressive facelift.
The cottages are owned by One Manchester, and are in an area of Moss Side which has been chosen by Manchester City Council for regeneration – which includes the delivery of new and suitable housing – and after listed planning permission was granted, MC Construction’s team carried out “a comprehensive programme of internal and external repairs and refurbishments”.
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The cottages have now been returned to use as two-bedroom homes for “affordable rent”.
Each cottage has not only had a complete internal refurbishment, including the installation of a new kitchen, bathroom, boiler and heating system, and a rewire, but additional living space has also been created – with a single-storey rear glazed extension to form a conservatory, which makes the homes more suitable for families.
Historical features like mosaic porch floor tiles and the front doors have also been retained.
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When it comes to the external works, the roof of the cottages has been refurbished, new windows have been installed, and repairs to the brickwork, chimneys and stonework, and landscaping have also been carried out.
MC ConstructionMC Construction
“The refurbishment of Westwood Cottages has been a tremendously satisfying project,” said David Lowe – Managing Director at MC Construction.
“Working closely with a number of key stakeholders, we have successfully retained a part of the city’s heritage while giving a new lease of life to this historic building to provide affordable and energy-efficient homes for families in an area where there is a need for this type of accommodation.
“It has been a pleasure working with One Manchester, the city council, and the other parties involved to bring this scheme to a successful conclusion.”
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.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th July 2022 
