News
A brand new Ikea store has opened in Greater Manchester TODAY
It opens today!
A new IKEA store is set to open in Greater Manchester today, offering residents the opportunity to create their ‘dream storage space’.
The Scandi addition will open in a new location on Tuesday March 21st and will be a smaller store than the huge Ashton-under-Lyne site., dedicated to kitchen and bedroom planning.
Customers can visit for home furnishing advice and expertise to help design their ideal space in their home, according to the retail giant.
The brand new IKEA Plan and Order Point will open in Stockport and is promised to be part of a ‘transformation’ by the brand to become more accessible and sustainable for customers in the North West.
It will be located inside the Merseyway Shopping Centre and not as big as the standard Ikea store but expected to be packed with kitchen and wardrobe solutions, including oven and hob options, kitchen fronts, worktops and appliances.
There’s also a dedicated space to IKEA’s popular PAX wardrobe system with doors, interior organisers, and knobs and handles to help customers build their ‘dream storage solution’.
Michael Parker, Area Manager of IKEA UK, said: “Our investment in the North West is part of our long-term plan to transform our retail business, continuing to make it easier for people to enjoy what IKEA offers using a variety of convenient ways.
“The North West is a key region for us, being home to over seven million people, and also being the place that IKEA first opened a UK store, 35 years ago in Warrington.
“This new Plan and Order Point, along with one already open in Aintree, Merseyside, and another soon to open in Preston, will allow customers to get inspiration and expert advice in convenient locations closer to where they live.
“Together with our existing stores in Ashton-under-Lyne and Warrington, remote planning and different delivery and collection services, we’re enabling an IKEA that’s there for our customers, however they want to meet us.”
The new branch has been carefully designed based on insights of how the people of Greater Manchester ‘want their kitchens to be brought to life’, according to an Ikea spokesperson, who says residents show a preference for kitchens in traditional styles, often in a L-shape.
Customers can book an appointment, free of charge, to start their design journey with one of IKEA’s planning specialists or use the in-store self-service tools to design their own solution. Staff will be on hand to help customers order products from the full IKEA range, for delivery direct to the customer’s home or nearest collection point.
Cllr Malcolm Allan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources at Stockport Council, said: “Whilst many high streets are in decline, businesses are seeing Stockport as a place that is growing and expanding, and a great place to be.
“That sort of recognition is something of an endorsement especially from an organisation of IKEA’s calibre and reputation. Our ambitious £1bn regeneration programme is attracting a diverse mix of businesses to the town and they will be followed by a wide range of customers who have increasing reasons to visit Stockport.”
The Plan & Order Point in Stockport follows the opening of a Plan & Order Point in Aintree, Liverpool in December, with plans to open a third in the Preston area, coming later in 2023.
Opening hours are Monday–Saturday 9am–6pm and Sunday 11am–5pm.
The Stockport store will be based at Merseyway Shopping Centre, Unit 82, Great Underbank, Stockport, SK1 1PD.
Appointments to consult with one of IKEA’s interior designers must be made in advance via the online booking system.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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