Hale Independent Issue 173

DECEMBER 2024 4 THE latest high-profile retailer to move into Altrincham’s Stamford Quarter has opened its doors to shoppers Outdoor specialistMountain Warehouse’s new 15,318 sq ft storehas created13new jobs. It features womenswear, menswear, kids wear, footwear and equipment spread over two floors. Mountain warehouse joins the Stamford Quarter’s burgeoning community of independent stores and brands including Parasol, Utility, Holland Barrett, Gift & Home, Next, Boots, Flannels, Sostrene Grene andNationwide. James Tootle, head of retail and leisure at property group Bruntwood, which man- ages the Stamford Quarter, said: “The new Mountain Warehouse store is the brand’s first inGreaterManchester. “It is a great addition to our vibrant mix of independent and national retail and hospi- talitybrands already located in the StamfordQuarter.” Mountain Warehouse founder and chief execu- tive, Mark Neale, added: “We’re delighted to be open- ing our first store in Greater Manchester, and excited to share our passion for adven- ture and great value outdoor gear for all the family, even the dog!” Liz Patel, executive member for economy and regenera- tion at Trafford Council, said: “I’m thrilled another high-pro- file business, has chosen Altrincham’s StamfordQuarter as its newhome. “Mountain Warehouse joins the growing roster of busi- nesses taking up residence in the StamfordQuarter. “The range of businesses in the area makes it a dynamic retail and leisure hub to be enjoyed by visitors and resi- dents of Altrinchamalike.” A SPECIAL ‘Local List’ of historic sites in Traf- ford has been drawn up in a bid to protect them for future generations. The list included the Quaker Meeting House and burial ground in Sale, where George Bradshaw, who developed the first widely-used railway time- table guide, is interred. The world’s first ice cream cone factory in Old Trafford and a prisoner of war camp in Dunham also feature on the list of unique land- marks judged to have his- torical value. Raglan House, the home of John Brogden, who built the Manchester to Altrin- chamRailway, also features. The list includes so-called ‘non designated heritage assets’ in conservation areas and is intended to influence future decisions Shutters with style A FAMILY business ded- icated to making your home look stylish is expanding its quality ser- vice across Cheshire and Greater Manchester. Prostyle Shutters was created by John Tan- swell 12 months ago and is dedicated to delivering bespoke craftmanship. Helped by his son Leo the business, which specialises in crafting plantation shutters for any home, has gone from strength to strength. From its showroom home in Sale Moor, Prostyle Shutters has built up a reputation for top customer care, competitive pricing and quality delivery. John, who has more than 10 years’ experience in the industry, says: “We specialise in crafting bespoke plantation shutters that seamlessly blend timeless elegance with mod- ern functionality. “Made from the finest mate- rials, our shutters ensure durability and a refined aes- thetic. We offer an extensive range of styles, materials and colours that are available for any window or space. “Our primary focus is deliv- ering exceptional service, and it is our commitment to ensur- ing an outstanding customer experience that we believe truly sets us apart. “We are always determined to go that extra mile and that can be seen in the positive reviews we get on platforms such as Trustpilot and Google. He adds: “Our plantation shutters bring style to your home and, as well as looking great, they also give proper- ties greater insulation. “We’re excited about our plans to extend our service right across Cheshire and Greater Manchester, offering our quality products to an even wider customer base.” Prostyle Shutters offers free, no-obligation quotes with shipping and installa- tion included. For more information visit: www.prostyleshutters.co.uk call 0161 900 6399 r email enquire@prostyleshutters. co.uk Dedicated: John Tanswell of Prostyle Shutters Advertiser’s announcement New arrival at the Quarter Protecting our local history Heritage: The Quaker Meeting House (Photo credit: Trafford Council) ● The Prisoner ofWar Camp on Charcoal Road, DunhamTown. ● ProgressWorks, Ayres Road, OldTraffordwhere the Antonelli Brothers invented the sugar cone ice cream – believed to be the first purpose-built ice creamcone factory in theworld. ● Manchester Carriage and Tramway Co’s Depot, 84 Chorlton Road, OldTrafford. ● QuakerMeetingHouse and Burial Ground.The family of George Bradshaw, who devel- oped the first widely-used railway timetable guide, is interred in the burial ground. ● JouleMemorial Worthington Park, Sale. ● Stallion Pound at Dunham. ● RaglanHouse, the home of John Brogden, who built theManchester to AltrinchamRailway. ● Anumber of distinctive finger posts signs in Stretford andUrmston. THE LIST INCLUDES: BUS services in Trafford have been given a mul- ti-million pound boost as part of a £1billion national investment package. Transport secretary Lou- ise Haigh has announced the investment in an effort to improve services across the country in 2026. Of those funds, £148.5m is ear- marked for the No r t h We s t . Great er Man- chester Combined Authority is set to receive the most from the funding pot, with £66.4m allocated to it. The money is to go towards maintaining and increas- ing the number of services, resulting in more punctual bus schedule. Councils did not have to bid for a portion of the funding pot, instead the money was allocated based on place need, levels of deprivation, and population, according to the Department for Transport. In announcing the funds, the transport secretary said: “Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken. Too often, passen- gers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some have been cut off altogether. “That’s why we’re reforming funding to deliver better buses across the country and end the postcode lottery of bus services.” She praised the role of buses – saying that the “value of regular and reli- able bus services cannot be understated”. Greater Manchester is the first area in the country to bring buses back under local control in almost 40 years. Just the ticket! ALTRINCHAM’SMP Con- nor Rand has called on the government to prioritise the asylum claims of peo- ple staying in the town’s Cresta Court hotel so it can be “stood down” and returned to normal use. The Labour MP raised the issue of the hotel in a Com- mons debate. It was closed last month in order to house up to 300male asylum seekers while their claims were assessed. The move, which saw 12 months of bookings and events at the hotel cancelled, has proved controversial, has raised concerns locally and has made national headlines. Speaking after the debate the Labour MP said: “It was good to get assurances that progress is being made, with the government increasing the number of asylum cases being processed a week from 1,000 to 10,000. “I’m regularly speaking with Home Office Ministers and officials to voice the con- cerns that residents have about Cresta Court, and I’ll keep pushing for the cases of those at the hotel to be prioritised for processing so this situation can be resolved as soon as possible.” During the debate Mr Rand said: “I know that the government understand that using hotels to house asylum seekers is bad for communities, for the tax- payer, and ultimately for those seeking asylum themselves. “Conservative Members broke our asylum system and now wash their hands of the consequences.” Dame Angela Eagle said the previous government had left the asylum system in an “unholy mess”. She told the Commons: “We are prioritising getting the system up and running again so we can have throughput through our asylum accom- modation estate.” Tom Ross, leader of Traf- ford Council, issued a state- ment about the situation at Cresta Court. He said: “I understand the ongoing concerns raised by residents about the use of the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrin- cham for accommodating asylum seekers, which was a decision made by the Home Office and not the council. “That said, the council is working closely in the Altrin- cham community every day, alongside our partners includ- ing Greater Manchester Police to support residents and asy- lum seekers. “Trafford has a proud his- tory of being a diverse, toler- ant, and welcoming borough and we are dedicated to main- taining these values while addressing practical concerns. “While over the past couple of weeks there has been much discussion about the use of the hotel, we have been getting on with the job at hand, listening to and focusing on community concerns while working with the Home Office and Serco. “Our Community Safety teamand officers fromGreater MP calls for hotel asylum seekers’ claims to be prioritised Commons call: Connor Rand raised the issue of Cresta Court in Parliament on planning applications. The list has now been pub- lished and put out for public consultation. Liz Patel, the council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “Trafford is an amazing place with so many diverse and quirky features. “I am delighted they have been compiled into a list and protected for the future for generation of families to con- tinue to enjoy.” Manchester Police are working together to support local resi- dents and, as a partnership, continue to monitor activity at the hotel and in the com- munity to keep everyone safe and help maintain a meas- ured response. “Council officers have also carried out visits to the hotel to ensure that appropriate reg- ulations are being met inside. “We continue to work with our community organisations to secure their much needed and valuable support to res- idents as well as to the indi- viduals seeking refuge here. “We are also providing reas- surance to schools by helping them to deal with specific parental concerns.” He added: “I accept that this is far from an ideal situation for all concerned. We have been consistent in our views that the use of hotels is not appropriate for the housing of asylum seekers and we are supportive of the letter sent from our local MP Connor Rand to the Home Secretary. “The government recognises that using hotels long term is not the answer, but it has inherited an asylum system that is broken and there is no quick fix to deal with the mas- sive backlog of asylum seekers the country is facing.”