The city that’s turned to Batman and Teletubbies to lure customers
BREXIT gloom has been averted at the 280-shop Trafford Centre in Manchester as thousands of shoppers have been attracted to a free Magical Christmas Parade.
The parades, featuring favourite children’s characters like Lego Batman and Teletubbies, have shifted streams of families off their sofa and into the precinct.
Now Gordon McKinnon, operations director at Trafford Centre owner’s Intu, said making shoppers smile is the key to its footfall success.
Mr McKinnon told the Daily Express: “We make our customers smile, which in turn helps all our retailers flourish.
“At Intu Trafford Centre we’re creating magical Christmas experiences that will bring the whole family together to build festive memories and tick off items from their shopping list.
“Dozens of famous children’s characters including Paw Patrol, PJ Masks and Shimmer and Shine paraded through the centre to mark the start of the festive season.
“The turnout among families to see their favourite characters perform was incredible.
“Every day until Christmas Eve there’s a Peter Rabbit-themed Christmas grotto featuring an interactive woodland adventure as children join Peter in search of Father Christmas.
“We’re making the most of our outdoor space as well with a big Christmas wheel giving a bird’s eye view over the shopping centre and we’ve brought all the fun of a festive alpine ski retreat to our free Alpine Village attraction.”
At Merseyside’s Liverpool One city centre precinct, it too feels customers are desperate for a Christmas shopping ‘experience’.
Steve Connolly, estate director at Liverpool ONE, told us: “There is a place for both online shopping and shopping on the high street. It is about the convenience of online but the experience of the ‘real thing’ and shoppers are increasingly taking advantage of both options.
“By researching online, this then gives customers more time to enjoy their leisure, including the many bars and restaurants and live entertainment which we provide at Liverpool One.
At Intu Merry Hill in the West Midlands, it found evoking winter wonder was the key to bringing in families shopping.
A spokesman explained: “There’s always something going on in the centre over the Christmas period. Children’s characters will be stopping by with characters including Peppa Pig and Paddington appearing, along with Father Christmas.
“Children eager to write their wish lists to Father Christmas will be able to visit the centre’s Night Before Christmas experience where they can make their way from the rooftop scene complete with snowmen, through a chimney slide, into to a living room complete with a letter writing station.”