Thrive Street 2025 retail festival curated by Mary Portas arrives in Manchester

October 9, 2025 | LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Come and experience the vitality and diversity of Britain’s independent retail sector
Shop products with purpose, character and innovation made by small, community-minded businesses
Chat with passionate small business owners united by a passion for crafting beautiful, one-of-a-kind products
Backed by Mastercard and Worldpay - both long-standing champions of small businesses - Thrive Street Manchester opens on Friday 17 October at Altogether Otherwise in Manchester’s NOMA neighbourhood

 

Thrive Street, the Mary Portas-curated pop-up market, hits Manchester on October 17. Situated in the city’s buzzing NOMA district, and backed by Mastercard and Worldpay, the three-day event champions the vitality and diversity of Britain’s independent retail sector.

Mary “Queen of Shops” Portas, Mastercard and Worldpay have handpicked 15 small, community-minded brands to take part in the market. These small, innovative businesses are all united by a passion for crafting beautiful, one-of-a-kind items for people who want to shop for products with purpose, character and innovation.

Participating brands include: The Biskery, Fill Refill, Lotti & Wren, Inara Loungewear, Feature Lighting, Last night I dreamt, Hello Time, Mademoiselle Macaron, Soaked Umbrellas, Black & Beech, SYLK, Drinks Kitchen, Mouse Kingdom, Sainte Cellier, Pepper You and North Star Roast.

Mary Portas OBE, retail expert and Thrive Street curator, said: "Small and growing businesses are the beating heart of our economy and the soul of our communities. They bring creativity, culture, and character to our high streets - and they need more than applause; they need real support. That’s why we created Thrive Street 2025 together with Mastercard and Worldpay. A space where brilliant independent brands can come together, be seen, be supported, and show the world what the future of business truly looks like.”

Thrive Street comes as research shows that shopping at small, independent retailers makes people feel happy and connected to their community. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of UK consumers say it makes them feel good about where they live, with that figure soaring to over 78% among 25- to 34-year-olds. Meanwhile, 66% said shopping at local independents made them feel part of their community, rising to a whopping 79.29% of 25- to 34-year-olds.

The research also shows that local shopping habits are thriving in Manchester. Nearly half of Mancunians (45%) shop at small businesses every week. Mancunians are also the most likely to seek out independent retailers when shopping (54%), well above the national average of 45.5% and higher than any other major UK city. Convenience emerged as the top reason for shopping small and local (36%), followed by a desire to support the local economy (29%), seeking out unique products (25%), a more personal service (20%) and good value for money (19%).

Simon Forbes, Division President, UK & Ireland, Mastercard, said: “We’re delighted to bring Thrive Street to Manchester, an industrious city abuzz with creativity and whose people love to shop small and local. By supporting local independents, people are doing more than merely making purchases - they’re investing in their neighbourhoods. Thrive Street 2025 puts this spirit into action, and we’re proud to champion the businesses powering Britain’s high streets.”

Chris Wood, General Manager, SMB International, Worldpay, said: "Bringing Thrive Street to Manchester is about celebrating the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that lies at the heart of the North. Manchester’s vibrant independent retail scene is a testament to the city’s energy, resilience, and creativity. At Worldpay, we’re proud to support small businesses that turn inspiration into action. Behind every transaction, there’s a local business with a story, and events like Thrive Street remind us of the incredible impact these businesses have on our communities and the future of British retail."

Mastercard and Worldpay have long been committed to supporting small businesses in the UK.

Mastercard has been helping SMEs in the UK pay and get paid quickly and securely for more than 60 years and has helped connect over one million UK entrepreneurs to vital financial services, tools, and resources through its Strive programme launched in 2021.

Worldpay has been empowering UK small and growing businesses for decades with trusted, simple, and secure payment technology to meet the demands of the modern consumers in-store and online. 

Thrive Street 2025 Manchester
Friday 17 October, 2pm – 6pm
Saturday 18 October, 10am – 6pm
Sunday 19 October, 11.0am – 4pm
Altogether Otherwise, 6-10 Hanover Street, Manchester M4 4BB
Free entry

Research methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2000 General Consumers (Nat Rep 18+) within the United Kingdom. The data was collected in September 2025.

Media Contacts

Caroline Lumley

caroline.lumley@mastercard.com

About Worldpay

Worldpay is an industry leading payments technology and solutions company with unique capabilities to power omni-commerce across the globe. Our processing solutions allow businesses of all sizes to take, make and manage payments in-person and online from anywhere in the world. Annually, we process over 50 billion transactions across 174 countries and 135 currencies. We help our customers become more efficient, more secure and more successful.
To learn more, visit worldpay.com or on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and or Facebook.

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

www.mastercard.com