The chilly reception to exit of Iceland

How the closure of suburb's last cheap shop' symbolises a change that some residents would prefer hadn't happened

- ETHAN DAVIES

ON NOVEMBER 30, a south Manchester suburb will mark the end of an era.

Levenshulme is to bid farewell to a stalwart of its high street as Iceland closes its doors.

In a statement, the budget food chain said staff are to 'enter into a consultation process and will be offered opportunities at surrounding stores where possible.

Among locals, the move has created more anxiety than your typical supermarket closure. It prompted a petition in protest, which quickly amassed more than a hundred signatures.

Coupled with Stockport Road's emergence as a hyper-trendy food-and-drink destination, many of those who signed their name did so mourning the loss of what they describe as Levenshulme's 'last cheap shop! "It's a very good shop" summarises Syed Navaad, 52, who stopped to chat outside on a bright October morning. "I will be sad to see it go." His sentiment is shared by retired truck driver Steve Pritchard. "It's wrong it's closing - the one at Birchfields isn't big enough, this one is," the 70-year-old explained.

When asked how he feels Levenshulme has changed, he gave a short answer: "I think it's a dump. I've lived here since 1971. It's got worse. All you have is barbers and takeaways." He's dismissive of the newer bars, pointing out he's 'a pensioner' and he 'cannot afford them' Syed added: "This is the last cheap shop." But five years after being named on the Sunday Times list of Best Places to Live, the people of Levenshulme have become used to change. The area is seen by a few as one of the city's gentrification hotbeds, for better and for worse.

Long Boi's Bakehouse, for example, breathed life into a corner shop that had been closed for 16 years when it opened on Forest Range and Birdhall Grove in 2020. Run by an all-female team, it has since been named among the best bakeries in the UK.