A town unsure of its future... and what it really wants

It's a gorgeous mid-September day. The sun is blazing sunshine and the sky is clear. Stanley Square in Sale could give any European piazza a run for its money.

Every café and restaurant has its doors open. Nearly all the outdoor tables are full, with people sipping coffees and chatting. The vibe is almost Mediterranean.

As we prepare for the colder months, people are making the most of the final few sunny spells of the year, chatting with friends and enjoying a bite to eat.

READ MORE: Last branch of Simon Rimmer's Greens restaurant announces 'heartbreaking' closure

But it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. A day earlier, foodies in this part of Greater Manchester were rocked by the announcement Simon Rimmer's restaurant Greens, which opened on the square in 2021, was shutting. The news came just eight months after the shock closure of the original Greens vegetarian restaurant in West Didsbury.

It also follows a spate of closures in the Sale, with Draft Craft Bar and Sale Food Hall shutting their doors in 2023 - followed by Rigatoni's restaurant in April. At the beginning of September, greengrocers Ashby's also announced it wouldn't be renewing its lease. On September 19, the beauty supply shop Sally Beauty (incidentally, three units down from Greens) shared the news that it would be closing in October.

It's fair to say the future of the area is unclear. Some want a return to the 'old high street'. Others welcome doing things differently.

When the Manchester Evening News visited this week, the thoroughfare was busy. Passers-by stopping to peer into Greens. Carol and Allison were looking at the menu when they spotted the closure notice. Like many, they were gutted. They had visited a couple of times and loved the food.