A POP-UP teashop will appear at the Mill Gate centre this week in an effort to re-invigorate the town's textile industry.

The Textiles Teashop roadshow, led by the Alliance Project, is travelling to six locations across Greater Manchester, giving visitors the chance to meet employers and chat to people from the industry over a cup of tea and slice of cake.

Textiles manufacturing across the borough is worth an estimated £55 million, including homeware manufacture and textiles finishing, with clusters of firms located in Bury East, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom.

The campaign was launched by Coronation Street stars Jennie McAlpine and Sair Khan, and the roadshow will set up in the Mill Gate from 9am to 5.30pm tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.

Lorna Fitzsimons, director of the Alliance Project, said: "We know that people who worked in the industry in the '80s and '90s have the skills we desperately need in order to compete with the global market.

"The Alliance Project is reaching out to local communities through the Textiles Teashop roadshow to identify people who have the relevant skills but are not currently working in the industry or using all of their skills.

"We also want to raise awareness of the sector’s revival, highlight current employment opportunities and progression routes and help people access jobs.

"We look forward to meeting those interested in returning to the industry as well as school leavers and other young people who would consider a career in this sector.”

As well as discussing new job prospects, shoppers will have the opportunity to get involved in the ‘have-a-go’ factory and create something to take away with them.

The Greater Manchester textiles industry currently employs 11,300 people, generating £650 million for the local economy, with 400 new jobs expected to be created every year for the next decade as a result of an increase in demand for British-made products.

Immediate vacancies are available for sewing machinists, weavers, cutters, textiles operatives and samples machinists as well as supervisory, management and professional positions, while retraining and apprenticeship schemes are also available.