Stockport County Town Centre Store: Mersey Square Plans 2026

Key Points

• Stockport County FC is planning to open a County Store in Mersey Square, Stockport town centre.
• The store will be located in a ground floor corner unit at the front of Merseyway shopping centre.
• It will provide an additional facility along with the other County Store situated at Edgeley Park, where goods, tickets and meetings can take place.
• Products that will be exclusively available for sale have not yet been specified, and the opening date and times are still to be confirmed.
• Gavin Bailey, Stockport County FC Chief Executive Officer, stated that this decision shows increased club presence and helps the town centre regenerate worth £2 billion.
• Councillor Micheala Meikle, Stockport Council, said that this shop is a “vote of confidence” in the town centre.
• Victoria Nichol, Merseyway Centre Manager, added that this shop provides additional choice in record footfall.

Stockport (Manchester Mirror) September 30, 2026 – Stockport County Football Club has confirmed plans to open a new County Store on Mersey Square in the heart of Stockport town centre, occupying a front Merseyway corner unit to bring the club closer to supporters and the wider community. The development is intended to complement the existing County Store at Edgeley Park, making it easier for fans to purchase official merchandise and tickets while providing an additional space for supporters to meet and connect when visiting the town. Further details on the store’s opening date and operating hours will be announced in due course, with the club confirming the outlet will stock a wide range of official Stockport County merchandise, including exclusive products and new ranges.

What is the new Stockport County store location and when will it open?

The new County Store will be situated at the front of Merseyway, on a prominent ground-floor corner unit at the centre of the shopping complex, placing it directly on Mersey Square in Stockport town centre. As reported by Marketing Stockport, the club said the opening will “further strengthen the Club’s presence within Stockport” and make it more convenient for supporters to engage with the team outside of match days. While the exact opening date has not yet been confirmed, the club stated that further details around the store and its opening will be announced in due course.

What will the new County Store sell and offer to fans?

The store will stock a wide range of official Stockport County merchandise, including exclusive products and new ranges, extending the club’s retail offering beyond the Edgeley Park site. In addition to merchandise, the outlet will provide a point of sale for tickets and is intended to serve as another place for supporters to meet and connect while visiting the town centre. Gavin Bailey, CEO of Stockport County, said the club wants the store to “feel unmistakably County, with exclusive merchandise, new product ranges and plenty more planned as we continue to develop our retail offering”.

How does the new store fit into Merseyway’s recent growth?

The new County Store will join Merseyway following a record-breaking summer in which the centre welcomed more than a quarter of a million visitors in a single week – its highest ever weekly footfall to date. Over the past 12 months, the centre’s retail offer has grown with the arrival of Søstrene Grene, Lovisa, Grape Tree, Shoe Zone and The Zip Yard, sitting alongside major high street names including JD Sports, Primark, Pandora and Waterstones. Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager at Merseyway Shopping Centre, said: “Stockport County is a huge part of this town, so having a County Store at Merseyway will be a significant addition for us and for the town centre.” Nichol added that the store will “put the club right in the heart of Stockport and give supporters a new place to visit beyond match days”, contributing to momentum built through new retailers, record footfall and a year-round events programme.

What have Stockport County and council leaders said about the move?

Gavin Bailey, CEO of Stockport County, said:

“We’re delighted to be opening another County Store in the heart of Stockport town centre.”

He added:

“As a Club, it is really important that we continue to strengthen our presence across the borough and make it as easy as possible for supporters to engage with County.”

Bailey highlighted the timing of the opening, noting: “It is also an incredibly exciting time for this part of Stockport. There is significant investment taking place across the town centre and the plans for Mersey Square will completely transform the area immediately surrounding our new store.” He said the club is “really pleased to be playing a small part in that wider regeneration and establishing another permanent County presence right in the centre of the town”.

Cllr Micheala Meikle, Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills at Stockport Council, said: “Stockport County means a great deal to so many people, so it is brilliant to see the club bringing a new store into the town centre.” Describing the move as a “real vote of confidence in the town centre as a place where people want to be”, Meikle said: “The store is a welcome addition to Merseyway and will bring something distinctive and proudly Stockport to the retail offer.” She added that as the council’s £2bn regeneration programme continues to reshape the town centre, “it is important that we celebrate the businesses that make Stockport special and County is absolutely one of them”.

How does the development align with Stockport’s £2bn regeneration?

The new County Store opens at an exciting time for Stockport, which continues to undergo a £2bn programme of regeneration and investment, including major plans to transform Mersey Square and the nearby Bear Pit into a greener, safer and more welcoming public space at the heart of the town centre. County said it is “excited to establish a permanent retail presence in an area undergoing considerable change and attracting increasing numbers of people to live, work and spend time in the town”. The club also noted it will build on strong relationships with other local businesses and retailers in Stockport town centre who have continued to support County in recent years.

Background: How did Stockport County’s retail and town centre presence develop?

Stockport County previously launched a new online store in 2026, built on Shopify to improve user experience, payment options and order tracking, alongside the release of the club’s Puma kit range for the 2024/25 season. The physical County Store at Edgeley Park has long served as the club’s primary retail outlet for matchday and non-matchday sales. In parallel, Stockport town centre has seen significant retail and public realm changes, including the opening of Primark on 6 September (creating 182 new jobs) and the fit-out of former department store units by JD Sports and Poundland, both reporting positive trading since opening.

Council documents also highlight the Merseyway Innovation Centre opening and attracting strong interest from businesses seeking high-quality space in the town centre. These developments form part of a broader push to stabilise occupied floorspace, increase footfall and diversify the retail and leisure offer in Stockport.

Prediction: How could the new County Store affect fans, local businesses and the town centre?

For supporters, the new County Store is likely to increase convenience by providing a central, non-matchday location to buy merchandise and tickets, potentially boosting engagement among fans who visit Stockport regularly for work, shopping or leisure. For local businesses and Merseyway, the store adds a distinctive, club-branded retailer that may draw additional footfall, particularly on matchdays and during key fixtures, complementing existing high street names and independent operators.

In the context of Stockport’s £2bn regeneration, the presence of a major local institution in a prime corner unit could reinforce confidence among other retailers and investors, supporting the town centre’s shift towards a more mixed-use, experience-led destination. However, the overall impact will depend on the store’s opening hours, product range, pricing and how effectively the club integrates the outlet with its online store and Edgeley Park operations.