Pop music and politics have often crossed swords, but out-of-town shopping centres seems an unlikely issue on which a pop star would take a stand. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall, no slouch in his secondary role as a property entrepreneur, snubbed Selfridges department store this week over its plan to open its first outlet outside London at the £600 million Trafford Centre near Manchester. He refused to perform at the September launch saying: "I don't agree with out-of-town shopping centres - they are invariably a design error and a planning error."

The outspoken star has spent millions setting up the Barca bar and restaurant and the recently opened Malmaison Hotel in Manchester city centre.