What was once a run-of-the-mill retail unit in Stockport’s Merseyway shopping centre – Top Shop, to be precise – is now alive with music, movement and murals. And, apparently, cocktails. Stockroom – the newest addition to Stockport’s high street – is not just a striking new redevelopment, but a dramatic reinvention of what a modern library can be.
With vibrant community artwork on the walls, a packed programme of events in the diary and a café bar where you can catch up with friends after a storytelling session, it’s not so much a library as a cultural playground – a place for connection, creativity and curiosity.
“It’s about bringing people together, sharing stories, and making memories,” says Gwen Riley Jones, Stockroom’s creative programme manager. Gwen is many things; socially engaged artist, photographer, formerly at John Rylands library and the University of Salford, and a Stockport evangelist. Through projects like Stockport Extraordinary, and a career exploring themes of motherhood, identity and wellbeing, she’s built an approach that centres the lived experience of local people.
That spirit flows right through Stockroom. Gwen and the team have worked with residents every step of the way – from community sketching sessions and co-created exhibitions to even using locally recycled materials to make the furniture. Even the art installation in the front window is made from local mushrooms, foraged in Woodbank Park by Stockport Fungi’s Alex Williams and then pressed into moulds to create a living sculpture.
The result is a space that feels (literally) deeply rooted, open-hearted and welcoming.
Over 2,000 square metres have been transformed, thanks to £14.5 million of Future High Streets funding, part of the huge £1 billion that’s being invested in the regeneration of the town. Inside, you’ll find a bright and modern library, a dedicated children’s learning zone, community archives, co-working pods, and Stockroom Studios, a versatile performance and event space with a full calendar already lined up.
On the opening weekend, the programme made that intention loud and clear: quick-draw sessions on Adlington Walk, a family dance party under a parachute, and disco hat-making workshops ran alongside music from local hero Mr Scruff and an exhibition inviting residents to add their own photo to a collaborative Chosen Family Album. There were also green-fingered planter projects with the National Trust, archive deep-dives and live art from Heidi Alexander, all of it free and for all ages.
“It’s a place where people of all ages can connect, discover new ideas and enjoy creative experiences together,” said Council Leader Mark Roberts. “This is a bold investment in the future of our town centre—one that puts culture, learning and community right at the heart of our regeneration plans.”
But beyond the investment and the programming, it’s people like Gwen who will shape Stockroom’s voice. Her approach is grounded and collaborative. “We don’t want culture to feel far away or formal,” she says. “We want it to be hands-on, joyful, and connected to the lives of the people who live here.”
From wellbeing rooms and breakout pods to drop-in workshops and immersive storytelling sessions, the space reflects Gwen’s belief that stories, especially the overlooked and everyday ones, can bring people together and make them feel seen.
Stockroom’s design nods to its surroundings, embracing the brutalist legacy of the Merseyway precinct. But inside, it’s anything but austere. Colour bursts from the walls, shaped by local artists and contributors. A collaborative mural invites visitors to leave their own mark too.
“Stockroom is a place where anything might happen,” Gwen says. “And that’s exactly what we want, an open invitation to explore.”
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