Shoppers celebrate as The City is re-born
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HUNDREDS of shoppers and neighbourhood groups enjoyed a fun-packed celebration day at Runcorn Shopping City as it went back to the future to celebrate its rebrand.
Centenary shopper Bill Armes, 100, was guest of honour alongside Halton’s mayor and mayoress Alan and Joan Lowe. The free party also marked the centre’s 45th birthday.
A music video with a cast of residents and public workers dancing to the hit 1980s Starship stadium anthem We Built This City was premiered on big screens.
Created by North Star Digital and Pegler Communications, the video featured the talents of more than 250 schoolchildren, Mersey Gateway construction workers, the mayor and mayoress, police officers, Halton Chamber Of Commerce And Enterprise chief executive Paula Cain and dozens of retailers and shoppers.
Everton And District Pipe Band led the soundtrack for the celebrations, supported by DJ presenters Jimmy Day and Pete Pinnington introducing performances and activities in the main square. Runcorn Veterans Association, Halton Hospital’s lymphoedema awareness volunteers, Murdishaw Arts Co-operative and Widnes-based Eclipse dance group were among the many groups to host stalls and provide entertainment. ● ● Stick’n’Step – a new conductive education centre for children with cerebral palsy will be opening in Runcorn in September. Operations manager Sarah Smithson is pictured, right, with volunteer Carrie Harrison
The event was held after the mall reverted to its original name Shopping City from Runcorn Shopping Centre.
Karl Clawley, Shopping City manager, said: “It feels right to change our name from ‘Centre’ back to ‘Shopping City’ again.
“For 45 years we have been at the heart of the Runcorn community. People know us as ‘The City’.
“The wonderful new logo by Runcorn designer John Saunders shows a family shopping – which is exactly what happens here.
“The new video is great fun and a fantastic way to celebrate our new name. We are hoping everyone will share it on social media and really put Runcorn on the map.”
Watch the video on Youtube. ● Enjoying the celebrations are Nathan Saunders (aged four) with cousins, three-year-old identical twins Bradley and Nathan Saunders, and centre, Runcorn designer John Saunders with his new logo for Runcorn Shopping City ● ● ●