About Our Town

Located within Greater Manchester, Stockport is within proximity to Cheshire and the Peak District- benefitting from our urban offering and our rolling countryside, there is something for everyone. We are just 10 minutes south of Manchester city centre by train and are home to a coveted selection of independent restaurants, bars, shops, art galleries and more.

Stockport has recently been named by the Sunday Times as the best place to live in the North West. It comes on the back of being named the best place to retire (Which?), buy your first home (The Times) and one of the 25 best places to shop (The Telegraph).

Stockport: The Best Place to Live in the North West

There is a lot going on in Stockport as we look towards a bright future. The Sunday Times recently listed Stockport as ‘one of the most exciting towns around’, with property prices and good public transport connections being particularly attractive. The judges also drew attention to the ‘joyous collection of funky independent businesses’ that are a staple of Stockport’s shopping scene.

One of the biggest impacts on our success in The Sunday Times’s list is the large redevelopment projects that have recently been completed on time and on budget. We have embarked on a £120m project to improve Stockport’s town centre. The first stage of which includes the new bus station to link to the Metrolink tram network. We were determined to transform the station to become a modern transport interchange to enable our residents to achieve their ambitions as well as create a new 2-acre park, named the Viaduct Park. We wanted to create new walking and cycling links to the railway station and town centre The Interchange includes a fully accessible passenger concourse, bicycle storage facilities and 18 bus stands to support 168 bus departures per hour. This is an integral element of the Bee Network; Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated London-style transport system, helping our residents get where they need to go. We have also refreshed the information screens and travel shop. The Interchange has been designed to support the future Metrolink integration.  

The Viaduct Park has also been an integral part of the redevelopment of our town centre, The 2-acre park sits above the bus station and is the green heart of Stockport. The park helps to connect our neighbourhoods and communities, providing a green space that residents can enjoy.

Our Industrial Past

Historically known for hatmaking in the 17th Century, Stockport became the centre of hat production and later the silk industry in England. Our town expanded rapidly throughout the Industrial Revolution, particularly with the growth of cotton manufacturing. The town’s success during this period is due, in part, to a good waterpower site, particularly from the River Goyt, and a determined, ambitious workforce. At this time, the town was connected to the national canal network, with the Stockport brand of the Ashton Canal opened in 1797 and closed in the 1930s. Much of it is now filled in, but there is an active campaign to reopen it for leisure uses for our residents.

We are proud of our heritage, and much of our industrial history has been meticulously preserved and can be celebrated at the Hat Works Museum, the UK’s only dedicated hatting museum. A standout landmark in our town, Stockport is also home to the Stockport Viaduct, which is the largest brick structure in the UK. The Viaduct currently had the M60 motorway passing through two of the viaduct’s arches.

Contact

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact our recruitment partners at Tile Hill: