Little-known UK town dubbed the 'new Berlin' - with brand-new beer hall and music venue, plus gorgeous historical centre
Underbank has opened in Stockport, a town of just under 300,000 and less than 10 minutes on the train from Manchester.
The destination was compared to Germany 's capital – best known for its vibrant nightlife, avant-garde art and rich history – by DJ Luke Unabomber in 2023.
And the owners of the new venture, Des and Nina O'Malley, are keen to tap into that vibe.
'The street parties, the car park raves, Foodie Friday – everyone's started saying Stockport's like the new Berlin. But so far, everything's felt temporary. We want to build something permanent,' Des told Manchester's Finest.
Located inside a former bank (that was more recently a furniture store), there will be a range of local beers among the drinks on offer as well as a frozen margarita bar and tequila shots in a space that blends a retro industrial look with nods to music heritage.
On the outside of the building is a mural paying homage to Joy Division, the Ian Curtis-fronted band that recorded their debut album Unknown Pleasures in Stockport's Strawberry Studios.
There is also recording studio and event space in the basement.
The commitment to high-quality music sees Underbank – which describes itself as a 'sound system' – become the first place in Stockport to install a Void system, renowned for its cutting-edge audio technology and popular in venues and at festivals across the world.
Putting the facilities to good use, the opening weekend saw a series of artists blasting out music to a sell-out crowd.
The owners hope to expand the property to offer a rooftop bar from next summer.
The bar is in an area of Stockport known as the Underbank, which has been branded the town's answer to London's Soho due to its range of indie outlets.
It also featured as a backdrop for the Netflix mystery series The Stranger, based on the book by Harlan Coben and starring Richard Armitage and Siobhan Finneran.
Three years ago, The Sunday Times listed Stockport as one of the 'best up and coming areas to invest in'.
And this year the same publication ranked the town among the most impressive places to live across Greater Manchester.
A new £140 million transport interchange and rooftop park, Viaduct Park, opened in March 2024 as part of the £1 billion redevelopment of the town.
Visitors to the town can explore historical sites, such as the Air Raid Shelters and Bramall Hall, an impressive Tudor manor, spot street art and wander the thriving market.
Stockport is well-connected with nearby cities, with trains running to Manchester every five to 10 minutes on weekdays.
The journey to Manchester Piccadilly takes around 10 minutes.
Services to Liverpool run three times an hour during the week, and should take no more than 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Further afield, Stockport to Newcastle will take around three hours with a quick change at Manchester Piccadilly.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Premier League should be trembling' – Fans in meltdown as Pep Guardiola shows off shock new look
PEP GUARDIOLA has sent Premier League fans into meltdown after he debuted a stunning new look. The Manchester City boss is hoping to mastermind his squad back to winning ways next season after finishing third in the league and going trophyless. 3 3 3 City's squad returns to pre-season on July 28 following their exploits in the Club World Cup. But the Spaniard forced fans to do a double take after spotting him with a remarkable new facial feature. Guardiola, 54, ditched his usual beard for a striking moustache. The new look quickly went viral as fans discussed it. One fan said: "The league is not ready for a bald moustache Josep Guardiola." A second said: "You can't just post 'Pep Guardiola' now has a moustache' and expect us to get on with our lives." A third added: "Bro what???" A fourth said: "Premier League should be trembling now." A fifth said: "Pep Guardiola saw the announcement of the start of production for the fourth season of Ted Lasso and decided to pay tribute to his idol." Ted Lasso recently announced its return for a fourth season, but Guardiola previously appeared in the last episode of season three of the Apple TV show, which he is a big fan of. Pep Guardiola and stunning daughter Maria belt out Oasis classic as Man City boss parties with Gallagher family at gig Guardiola could have even been inspired by a moustache he saw in 2021. He told TNT Sports correspondent Fred Caldeira at the time: "I really like your moustache, Fred. "You are so attractive and sexy." And he may be hoping the new look can give City a fresh push towards silverware. City have a pre-season game against Palermo on August 9. They then kick-off their Premier League season with an away trip to Wolves. Tottenham then visit the Etihad for City's first home game of the campaign.
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Luke Littler celebrates making darts history - and £200k payday - on stage with his girlfriend... after confirming relationship with subtle gesture on live TV
Luke Littler capped off a sensational night at Blackpool 's Winter Gardens by confirming his relationship with his fun-loving beautician girlfriend after clinching the 2025 World Matchplay title. The 18-year-old secured £200,000 in prize money and became the youngest player ever to complete darts' prestigious Triple Crown, by defeating James Wade 18-13. His haul was just the latest milestone in a year where he bagged £500,000 for the World Championship and earned in excess of £500,000 from Premier League success, propelling his career earnings to over £1.5 million. In a breathtaking display on the night, Littler logged a 107.24 three-dart average, a 42 per cent checkout rate, and no less than 17 180s. In front of the cameras on Friday, the world champion shared a passionate kiss with Faith Millar, 19, prior to his quarter-final clash with Andrew Gilding. And after his triumph on Sunday, Littler finally confirmed that the pair are an item, after months of insisting they were merely friends. A reporter said to the teenage sensation in an interview: 'Your family and girlfriend are here', to which Littler nodded his head. The gesture was all but a verbal admission that he and Faith have gone official. The pair were first pictured together in May when Littler shared a photo of them together to his 1.9million followers on Instagram. Mail Sport had exclusively revealed in March that the duo had bonded, though a source insisted they were just pals. A source said at the time: 'Faith and Luke have become firm friends and enjoy one another's company a lot. 'Faith and Luke met a few weeks ago. They just clicked and since then have spent quite a bit of time with each other. 'They live quite close to each other so it's been easy to meet up. 'Faith has met Luke's mum and dad and some of the friends he grew up with and she's been round to his mansion a few times. Both Luke and Faith were keen to play down their relationship for months and insist that they were just friends 'Faith was with him at a BoohooMan event on Monday. 'But despite trying to stay in the background, she's been pestered quite a bit by his fans who are keen to know who she was. 'But there's no bit story there - she's a very ordinary, very sweet, normal girl. ''She works as an eyelash technician in Wigan but realises the fact that she hangs around with Luke, who is really famous, means that people will show her a bit of interest as well, she realises that. 'Faith is a very sweet girl, very bubbly and kind. It's no surprise that she and Luke get on so well.' Faith declined to comment about the friendship when approached outside her family home. But a spokesman for Littler confirmed that he and Faith had struck up a friendship but said: 'That's as far as it goes, they are just good friends for now. Nothing more. 'Luke doesn't want a girlfriend at the moment, he's focusing on his darts and is too busy travelling around the country to start up a relationship.' Millar comes from Wigan, just 15 miles from Luke's home in Warrington, Cheshire. Littler previously dated beauty consultant Eloise Milburn, who watched on at the 2024 World Darts Championship as an unknown Littler became an instant sensation by reaching the final. However, Littler reportedly ended the relationship in July of last year after his hectic schedule made it difficult for the pair to spend time together. Sunday night's win has placed Littler in rarefied air. He is now just the fifth man ever - alongside Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, and Luke Humphries - to complete Triple Crown. This includes winning the PDC World Championship, Premier League, and World Matchplay titles. Littler achieved the monumental milestone after just one and a half years as a professional.
The Guardian
10 minutes ago
- The Guardian
England needed the ultimate team performance to beat world champions
It is a sight we have never seen, a senior England football team hoisting a major trophy in overseas air, an unparalleled away-from-home achievement, history made in Basel. And then there was the blissful soundtrack that accompanied it. That sweet, glorious sound of We Are The Champions being sung abroad by England and their supporters, Sarina Wiegman conducting everyone with her waving arms, and every England player and staff member belting out Queen's words. Wiegman is this sport's undisputed queen of coaching, winning this silverware three times in a row, and now the first England manager to successfully defend a trophy. The Dutchwoman is the greatest signing the Football Association has made. What this win was defined by, though, was a 'team', and on Sunday they produced the ultimate team performance to beat the world's best. The phrase these Lionesses players have been repeating since February, to describe the way they want to play, is 'proper England'. You could be forgiven for wondering: 'What does that mean?' Maybe they all love Yorkshire puddings, chips with curry sauce. Or maybe they are all really patient when queueing. Maybe they had a character-building evening together waiting for a delayed train from Euston station. What they do mean by that phrase can be summed up by their unwavering, never-say-die attitude, their refusal to give in, their endeavour. It is their banter, too. It is Ella Toone joking on Friday about the chances of Michelle Agyemang getting 'papped while eating a pasty'. Football-wise, it is their ability to execute a gameplan to perfection. Even if the shootout had gone Spain's way, there would have been so many aspects to this England performance for the nation to be proud of. Jess Carter, brought back into the starting XI a week after revealing she had been racially abused, was immense, winning duel after duel, courageous like no other, demonstrating her strength of character as well as the strength of her defending. Alongside her, Leah Williamson produced her best display of the tournament. This was the Williamson we had seen in the Champions League final, blocking cross after cross, timing her tackles well and reading the game to perfection with her positioning. Without the ball, the whole team worked tirelessly. For a short while, there was an understandable worry it might be in vain. At half-time, England fans who watch men's and women's football may have feared they were about to endure a near‑identical summer to that of 2024; watching a team saved by late goals in the knockout rounds, who sometimes could not click into gear but were boosted by game-changing substitutes who propelled them to the final, who would ultimately be beaten by a Spain side that were simply better. Not this time. This is not the same team. These are the Lionesses. These are – as Williamson suggested in a team meeting in 2019 – 'badass women'. This is a group of born winners who refuse to lose. They find a way. They always find a way. Chloe Kelly always finds a way to produce the inch-perfect cross. Alessia Russo who – like Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead and Kelly, is now a club and European champion in the same summer – found the classy headed finish her excellent season for club and country had merited. Up against the most gifted set of players in the world, England required such intense levels of concentration defensively, for 120 minutes, and for all but one first-half moment, they found it. Alex Greenwood stood up to Vicky López. Lauren Hemp fought, terrier-like, on the wing. Georgia Stanway's tackles came crunching in. Spain just kept coming. The ball came back and back but England fought. Hannah Hampton's strong hands kept Clàudia Pina at bay. Importantly, it was the roles Khiara Keating, Anna Moorhouse, Maya Le Tissier and Wubben-Moy – none of whom played a minute of football in this tournament – that epitomised the unity in this team. None of them complaining, none of them causing any rifts in the camp. Le Tissier popped up to give Grace Clinton an energy gel before she went on in extra time. This is a real team. That spirit shows through the friends and families of the players, too, sitting directly behind the dugout, with Lucy Bronze's brother Jorge standing to urge the England fans to make more noise in extra time. The feeling was there in Agyemang, battling to win a late throw-in. It was Kelly's nerveless spot-kick that struck the net. As the song said: 'We'll keep on fighting 'til the end.' Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion The lyrics we have not heard much, in this fabulously well-run tournament in Switzerland, are 'football's coming home' by Three Lions. It has not been played through the stadium speakers after victories here. Perhaps that is fitting; it is too melancholy a tune for this team of winners. This team are rewriting how we perceive English football success. This trophy is not coming home, it is staying home.
