In 2015, the town was at a crossroads. A decade on, things are on the up
16:45, 07 Sep 2025Updated 16:46, 07 Sep 2025
It’s a town where many want to live – but it wasn’t always this way
It was 2015, the Conservatives had secured power after a May general election, Queen Elizabeth II had become the country’s longest-serving monarch and Sir Andy Murray clinched the Davis Cup for Great Britain.
But one thing that was not looking quite as bright was the future of high streets and town centres across the UK.
In Stockport, the town found itself at a crossroads 10 years ago when many of its streets were struggling to stay busy, and it started to feel ‘disconnected’ from what people really wanted.
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The council said businesses at the time were hesitant, investment was drying up and momentum for the future had stalled.
One resident said the town was looking “scruffy” and that they wouldn’t entertain the idea of a night out in Stockport ten years ago.
But a plan was put in place to turn things around – leading to a £1bn transformation.
One of the major changes to come from 2015 was the start of work on Redrock, a £45m leisure scheme built on the former Bridgefield Street Car Park.
Opening in 2017, it brought in a 10-screen Light Cinema, restaurants, cafés, and a major multi-storey car park, aimed at giving people more reasons to hang out in the town centre.
Following the cinema, the Light expanded and opened a bowling alley and entertainment venue in 2022, alongside a cafe and bar.
“In the past 12 months we’ve seen a rapid increase in profitability of the business and The Light entertainment model is continuing to deliver exciting results,” said Nicola Wood, business manager at the cinema. “Cinema admissions for The Light Stockport are up 10 per cent year-on-year.”
The historic Underbanks is a cultural hub in Stockport and Greater Manchester (Image: Mark Waugh / Stockport council)
Around the same time, the seeds were planted to bring massive changes to the area known as Stockport Exchange, the town’s own business district.
In September 2015, work began on the second phase of the development – jointly between the council and Muse Developments – following its first phase.
Built next to the railway station, the area now has a 115-bed Holiday Inn Express, Grade A offices, a new public square, which provides a welcoming setting for visitors arriving to the town from the station, and a padel court.
Companies based in Stockport Exchange include musicMagpie, Stagecoach, BASF and Indurant.
With things starting to look up, the council bought Merseyway shopping centre in 2016 with plans to breathe new life into the borough’s retail offering.
The former M&S building became STOK, a major office development, and above Merseyway, the Merseyway Innovation Centre, opened in 2023, providing workspace for local startups and creative businesses.
This work continued with the opening of Stockroom in May this year, turning empty shops into a place for meeting, learning and culture.
It includes an additional town centre library, children’s creative play and learning space, Stockport’s historical archives, a café bar, Stockroom Studios, and areas to relax and connect.
The opening weekend saw record-breaking visitor numbers, and the trend has continued with more than 250,000 visitors passing through its doors in the first 10 weeks, the council said.
Stockport Exchange is the town’s business district (Image: Mark Waugh / Stockport council)
Transport improvements were also brought in.
Stockport Interchange opened in 2024, transforming a ‘tired’ bus station into a hub with connections across the town centre, to the train station, a new pedestrian and cycling route, and a two-acre park on the roof.
The interchange is also set to play a key part in the future arrival of Metrolink to Stockport, which was recently confirmed by the government and has been a longstanding project for leaders in the borough.
Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) was set up in 2019 to lead the work going on around the town centre.
Since then, more than 1,200 new homes have been built with another 1,500 in the pipeline, the council said, along with 170,000 sq ft of Grade A office space.
The historic Underbanks, once described as ‘unloved and in a state of decline’, has become one of the trendiest parts of Stockport and Greater Manchester – dubbed ‘Stockport’s Northern Quarter’ by some.
It has its own independent shops mingled between bars, bakeries, vintage outlets and creative spaces, and benefitted from a £7m investment by the council and National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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Stockport Market is also a key part of the town, with traders recently telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service that it’s getting busier all the time.
Jon Dootson, owner of Alfredo’s and The White Lion, said: “Thanks to the success of my first two businesses in the Underbanks, I’m now opening a third.
“There’s real energy in the area, and it’s only getting better.”
Events taking place in Stockport across the year are helping to boost the amount of people visiting the town.
The council said Krazy Races, Foodie Friday and the Day of Dance have drawn record crowds.
What do people in the town think of the changes?
Tom Ward said Stockport is improving.
On a drizzly afternoon in September, people in Stockport town centre said the changes have made it a better place over the last ten years.
“It’s brought a lot more people in, and it feels more welcoming and less rough,” said 35-year-old Alex Wilford.
“I do plan to live here long-term and these changes are helping. Stockport used to feel quite scruffy, I wouldn’t have come here for a night out ten years ago, a lot of people come here from outside the area now.
“I suppose I would say I’m proud to be from Stockport, but I think younger people are more tied to Manchester and older people are more tied to Cheshire.”
Alex Wilford said he wouldn’t have gone on a night out in Stockport ten years ago.
Charlie Small, 18, agreed, and said the town has got its swagger back.
“I would say people are getting pride back in the town, and there are new people coming here. Before this it was crap and the old bus station was grim.
“I think the changes will bring more people to Stockport and other areas too, you can live here and build your life, it’s a nice place compared to some others.”
Linda Fitzpatrick, 59, lives in Tameside but passes through Stockport town centre on her way to work. She said: “These changes were long overdue, it’s a nice place to come through now. I come down here for shopping too, it’s got the Peel Centre with M&S.”
Charlie Small said more people want to live in Stockport town centre now.
While many felt positive about the changes happening, there were some concerns too.
Tom Ward, 41, said: “I think there is pride back in the town centre now, all the work is helping and it’s become a better place to live.
“But there are still issues with things like empty shops, there’s less places to go shopping because of it. Another thing people worry about is housing, a lot can’t always afford to live in the new flats they’re building.”
Stockport Interchange will be welcoming trams in future (Image: Mark Waugh / Stockport council)So what does the future hold?
A huge change is coming to the west of Stockport town centre after plans to build a new ‘walkable’ neighbourhood with up to 1,300 homes were approved, despite concerns about how this could impact views of the famous Viaduct.
Spanning eight acres, the council said it will bring new homes with a mix of tenures available, including apartments of different sizes to rent, home ownership, accessible and adaptable housing, as well as affordable properties.
The area will also get new public squares and green spaces, where people can relax and socialise, along with attracting new leisure facilities and businesses.
The MDC now wants to expand the boundary of its work to build 8,000 homes over the next 15 years, and the council said it has ‘ambitions to secure new social infrastructure such as new education facilities and a health hub to support Stockport’s growing town centre population.’
Stockport Market offers a mix of traders and places to catch up with friends (Image: Kenny Brown / MEN)
Council leader Mark Roberts said the work that has taken place in Stockport over the past 10 years has given the town its pride back.
“We’ve transformed tired and underused spaces into vibrant destinations,” he said.
“We’ve restored pride in our historic areas, brought new homes and jobs into the heart of the town, and created the kind of place where people want to spend time.
“Everything we’re doing – whether it’s repurposing spaces, supporting high streets, or attracting investment – is about creating a Stockport that works for everyone.
“While the transformation is focused on the town centre in delivering the most sustainable development, this work is important to the whole borough in building a strong sense of place and pride.
“There’s still work to do, but we’ve shown what’s possible when local leadership stays ambitious, determined, and focused on the long term.”