Stockport’s Stockroom marks first year with three days of free community events

Stockport’s central community hub is preparing for a major milestone as Stockroom celebrates its first anniversary with a three-day festival of music, creativity, and local culture. Starting Friday, May 22, the venue will host a series of free events ranging from inclusive discos to high-stakes cake competitions, marking twelve months since the space transformed the heart of Merseyway.

Since opening its doors, Stockroom has become a vital fixture of the town’s social fabric. It was designed as a place where people of all ages could feel welcome, whether they are students looking for a study spot, families attending story times, or residents meeting for a coffee. The upcoming birthday weekend is designed to reflect this diversity with a program that spans multiple generations and interests.

Transforming the heart of Merseyway Shopping Centre

The first year of Stockroom has been characterized by significant community engagement, from welcoming its millionth visitor through the doors to continuing its free exhibition programming. The venue contributed to Merseyway Shopping Centre’s busiest year in 2025, with total footfall reaching 11.4 million. Beyond the numbers, the space has received critical acclaim, being highly commended in the Greater Manchester Building of the Year Awards and shortlisted for the National Revo Awards 2025 for its approach to repurposing and placemaking.

In just twelve months, the hub has hosted 226 creative events. Local residents have borrowed 55,323 books and enjoyed 44,507 hot drinks, with the latte officially becoming the most popular choice among visitors. This level of activity highlights the success of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration programme, which aims to bring new energy and opportunity into the town centre through culture and wellbeing.

Three days of anniversary celebrations in Stockport

The birthday weekend is structured to build momentum, starting with a focused community event on Friday before moving into a high-energy Saturday and a relaxed Sunday.

Friday’s celebrations begin with the Dementia Disco, an inclusive dancefloor event for people living with dementia and their loved ones. Saturday shifts the focus to family fun and friendly competition with the Stockroom Cake Off and a giant game of musical statues hosted by the Red Rodeo Club. On Sunday, the atmosphere turns mellow with neo-soul and jazz fusion from Midnight Matters, alongside storytelling sessions from internationally renowned storyteller Jan Blake and award-winning broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake.

A space created for and by the community

Councillor Mark Roberts, Leader of Stockport Council, noted that the venue has quickly become a part of everyday life. He observed that the atmosphere is what makes the space special, whether it is students spending time there after college or residents dropping in for a chat. The project was intended to be more than just a venue; it was designed as a place to try something new and feel part of the town’s life.

Councillor Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, emphasized that the sense of energy and creativity has grown steadily since the doors first opened. The birthday weekend serves as a thank you to the residents who have supported the project from its inception, providing a packed program of mostly free activities to mark the occasion.

Upcoming exhibitions and creative fairs at Stockroom

The anniversary celebrations lead directly into a busy summer schedule at the venue. Following the birthday weekend, Stockroom will host “The Marvel from Marple,” the first major exhibition celebrating the work of Alan Boyson. Born in Marple, Boyson was a significant post-war public artist known for the murals and ceramics that shaped everyday spaces across Britain.

Other upcoming highlights include the Stockport Zine and Print Fair on Saturday, June 13, and a “Creative Women” networking evening on June 3. Looking further ahead to Autumn 2026, the venue will launch “Subtext,” an artist-led exploration of the hidden stories within written words, inspired by the National Year of Reading.

Source: Stockport Council