Is Stretford The Next Ancoats?

Stretford highlighted as the 6th hottest place to invest in the UK

Sunday Times have ranked Stretford among coolest neighbourhoods of 2021, highlighting the area as the 6th hottest place to invest in the UK.

Here’s what you need to  know about the area.

A bit of background information

Stretford is a town in Trafford, Greater Manchester. It lies between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, 3.8 miles (6.1 km) to the southwest of Manchester city centre.

Historically, during most of the 19th century, Stretford used to be an agricultural village with its own market, locally known as Porkhampton. The industrialisation that had commenced in the late 19th century was accelerated by the arrival of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, followed by the development of the Trafford Park industrial estate in the north of the town.

Stretford has been the home of Manchester United Football Club since 1910, and of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864.

Regeneration Plan

A new regeneration plan has been revealed by Trafford Council. The plan proposes building 800 homes, remodeling Stretford Mall, reinstating King Street High Street and the redevelopment of the car park at Lacy Street into a mixed-use plan. 

You can find more information on the regeneration plan following the link: Regeneration Plan, Stretford. 

The regeneration plan will prompt a gentrification process –  changing the character of the neighbourhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.

Cool Places Popping Up in the Neighborhood

Stretford Mall has already started introducing cool places to experience. As noted by The Sunday Times, Stretford Food Hall is the “coolest corner shop”. 

The Food Hall offers the  experience of a “Market Hall” which is subdivided into a supermarket, beers, wines and spirits, and a variety of street food choices. 

The Supermarket is stocked with a wide range of products from both local and overseas suppliers giving a healthy choice of groceries for local and international residents. 

The alcoholic beverage section offers a selection of vegan and vegetarian and more  traditional options. An interesting concept in this section is wine taps that you can refill at your convenience after buying a bottle once. A thing to note is products from both the supermarket and alcoholic beverage sections are mainly sustainable and green, helping the environment which is crucial in today’s times. 

The food hall has three open kitchens and they welcome any independent food vendor. As a result, the menu line-up changes about once a week which keeps customers excited for new flavours. 

Parties & Pop-Ups

One of the most well known spots at Stretford is Essoldo Cinema. It was designed by Salford born and bred Henry F Elder and opened in October 1936. The cinema became an immediate success and screened popular movies, hosted stage shows and even some circus action. 

It was then purchased and turned into a Top Rank Bingo Hall which turned out to be the place to go to by locals. Unfortunately, the building was later abandoned.

On the bright side, a group of enthusiastic locals have recently started arranging a variety of day and night events, parties and exclusive pop-ups in the neighbourhood. The team at Essoldo have been organising events such as an immersive cinema and cider festival. Hopefully this recent attraction will spark a redevelopment plan of the iconic building. 

To invest or not to invest?

It is great news that Stretford has a masterplan to rejuvenate and attract new  residents. Though the regeneration plan is still at its early stage, interest in the area is  increasing with savvy first-time buyers, investors, and young families making the move to capitalise on the future potential of the area whilst  property prices remain low. If you’re interested in investing early in Stretford please get in touch via info@certproperty.co.uk, call +44 (0) 1618060015 or take a look at our up-coming Royal Canal Works project, right on the canal bank next to Stretford Metrolink Station.