Cheshire Independent Issue 218

SEPTEMBER 2026 18 Independent BUSINESS ALTRINCHAM-BASED cloth- ing retailer Cotton Traders has reported higher reve- nue and operating profit, despite ongoing inflation- ary pressures. Turnover rose 5.2% to £113.5m for the year to 27 December 2025, up from £107.9m in the previous period. Operating profit increased 8.5% to £10.3m, withEBITDAup1%to£12.1m. The company, which has its headquarters on Atlantic Street in Broadheath, attrib- utedthegrowthtoallchannels. It opened six new stores during the year, taking the estate to 94 sites, and added two new online market- places – George at Asda and Next – taking the total to five. Marketplace revenue rose 58% year on year. Online and catalogue sales together accounted for 76.3% of over- all sales. CEO Nick Hamblin said: “It’s promising to see a healthy increase in revenue for Cotton Traders this financial year in the face of continued inflation alongside wider macroeco- nomic trading conditions. “We are proud of the con- tinued customer loyalty the brand enjoys, despite wider economic challenges, which can be credited to our com- petitive price point and strong quality product offering.” CottonTraderswasfounded in 1987 by former England rugby captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith. It remains oneof Altrincham’s largest pri- vate-sector employers. A MAJOR lawsuit argued Mastercard’s fees were “unlawful” and made it more expensive for retailers to accept card payments. Customers can expect pay- outs of up to £70 as part of a landmark group legal case against Mastercard next year after it settled outside court for £200m. You can’t make claims just yet, but here’s a rundown of who is eligible, how the pro- cess could work and howmuch you could get. The global technology company agreed at the end of last year to pay £200m to settle a legal case launched on behalf of UK consumers a decade ago. Claims in the case argued Mastercard’s fees were “unlawful” and made it more expensive for retailers to accept card payments and that extra costs were then passed on to consumers through higher prices. The settlement was approved by the Competition Appeals Tribunal in May last year and an online claims por- tal was to be launched weeks after the judgment. But this was delayed due to a legal row over the settlement. The business that launched the case, Innsworth, which funds legal claims in return for a share of any winnings, mounted a new challenge after it wasn’t satisfied with how the settlement funds were allocated. It filed a judicial review to get a bigger cut, totalling £179m, saying consumers should get no more than £4.50 each. The High Court dismissed the claim in June 2026 and the Tribunal authorised a payment of just more than £63m to the company on 31 July, bringing the dispute to an end. It means the online claims portal is expected to launch in the coming months and pay- ments will follow in the first half of next year. If you’re eligible, you’ll have six months to apply using an online form. You won’t have to provide any proof to submit a claim, but you’ll need to meet the criteria and provide personal information, including your name, date of birth, home and email addresses, phone num- ber and banking details, so the money can be paid to you. You will likely be required to attest the information given is true and correct. According to the Master- card Consumer Claim web- site, you are automatically a member of the class if you: ● Were either a resident in Scotland for a continuous period of at least three months between 22 May 1992 and 21 June 2008; or England, Wales or North- ern Ireland for a continu- ous period of at least three months between 20 June 1997 and 21 June 2008. ● Were aged 16 or over dur- ing those three months. ● Bought goods that accepted Mastercard cards – that would include all super- markets. It is not neces- sary that you held or used a Mastercard card to make those purchases ● Were living in the UK on 6 September 2016. If the expected number of peo- ple claim, which is roughly 2.2 million based on professional estimates, each person will get £45. If fewer people than expected claim, then the max- imum each person will get is £70 and any remaining funds will go to the Access to Justice Foundation, a charity. AFTER years of construc- tion, Stockport’s newWeir Mill neighbourhood is get- ting ready to start welcom- ing visitors and residents. The development, based around a historic riverside cotton mill nestled under- neath Stockport Viaduct, features a range of new bars, shops, restaurants and more, plus 253 apartments. Rita Ray’s, a new bar spe- cialising in women’s sports, is now open and serving customers. It is believed to be the first and only female- led sports bar in the north of England. Bodega, a new Europe- an-inspired wine bar, aims to move away from formal, stuffy wine culture towards something more relaxed. Kontrol, the new pilates studio will offer both reformer and mat Pilates (mat Pilates being based on bodyweight, whilst reformer uses machines). HMRC has returned over- paid tax to more than 12,500 pension savers, latest figures show. The tax office repaid more than £50.3m in the second quarter of the year to people who were overtaxed for mak- ing flexible pension withdraw- als, with the average payout amounting to around £4,000. Britons are overtaxed on flexible pension withdraw- als because HMRC applies an emergency tax code. The system assumes a single with- drawal will be repeated every month of the year, artificially inflating your expected annual income and trigger- ing higher-rate tax brackets. For example, a £10,000 withdrawal could mean you are taxed as if your annual income is £120,000. AdamCole, retirement spe- cialist at Quilter, said: “Retir- ees are being left out of pocket while they wait for HMRC to return their own money, a pro- cess that could and should be quicker or avoided altogether.” If you have made a sin- gle pension withdrawal, it’s worth checking if you have overpaid tax If you have, you’ll need to fill out one of three claims forms: a P55, P53Z or P50Z. You should use a P55 if you have only flexibly accessed part of your pension pot. A P53Z should be used if you have withdrawn all your pension and also receive other taxable income. If you have withdrawn all your pension and have no other taxable income, then you should use a P50Z form. ALTRINCHAM’S The Stretch Station is set to open a brand new Longev- ity and Recovery Studio in the Stamford Quarter this autumn. The innovative health and wellbeing destination will be bringing a brand new assisted stretching, strength training and recovery studio to the Stamford Quarter, all under one roof, and all designed to support people move bet- ter, recover faster and stay stronger for longer. The new 2,500 sq ft facil- ity at 4 Stamford New Road Unit 4, Foundation, is a major expansion for founder Jamie Davies, who previ- ously operated The Stretch Station as a successful sin- gle-room assisted stretching practice after building his reputation at Orangetheory Altrincham. The concept will combine premium one-to-one assisted stretching, recovery practices and personal train- ing in one integrated wellbe- ing destination. The Stretch Station has been designed around the principle of longevity, help- ing people improve mobility, build functional strength, reduce injury risk and support recovery throughout every stage of life. The new studio includes five different services under one roof: ● PremiumAssisted Stretch- ing – one-to-one sessions in four private rooms ● Strength In Range classes – mobility, stability and con- trolled resistance training ● Personal Training Studio – fully personalised one-to- one coaching ● Recovery Lounge – com- pression therapy and relax- ation space ● Red Light Therapy suite – red, blue and green light for recovery and wellbe- ing allowing members to stretch, strengthen and recover during a sin- gle visit. The Stretch Station Founder, Jamie Davies, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be bringing The Stretch Station to Stamford Quarter. “Whether someone wants to relievemuscle tension, improve sporting performance, reduce aches and pains or simply stay active as they get older, we’ve designed The Stretch Station to bring strength, movement, mobility and recovery together under one roof.” The Stretch Station opens New businesses Cotton Traders grows revenue to £113.5m HMRC repays £50m to 12,500 pension savers Millions of consumers could get £70 each after Mastercard lawsuit