Small businesses showcase reinvention of the high street at Manchester pop-up

Fifteen independent British retailers gathered at Thrive Street, a pop-up market in Manchester’s NOMA district curated by Mary Portas in partnership with Mastercard and Worldpay, to showcase products and ideas that organisers say are reinventing the high street. The weekend market brought together brands from bespoke lampshades and spectacles makers to food and drink producers such as Mademoiselle Macaron, Bird & Blend, Black & Beech, Inara Loungewear and Drinks Kitchen.

The businesses spent the weekend selling, talking to customers and sharing their stories; organisers describe the event as a celebration of "purpose-led, connected" retail driven by community and entrepreneurial flair. Simon Forbes, president of Mastercard UK and Ireland, said: "The high street is the heartbeat of a neighbourhood.

It brings the vibe, the personality – it’s where people bump into each other, grab a coffee, catch up." Portas said consumers are spending more mindfully and that "every pound a customer spends is a ‘vote in how you want to live'" and added that "Small and growing businesses need more than applause; they need real support." Worldpay's general manager for small and medium business international, Chris Wood, said conversations at the event highlighted what companies need to grow and that upgrading payment systems had helped some firms move from manual transactions to managing higher volumes smoothly.

Key Topics

Business, Thrive Street, Mary Portas, Mastercard, Worldpay, Manchester