The Trafford Centre, Manchester

The Trafford Centre, Love it or hate it the choice is up to you.

Personally i think it is a god send.

How can something which employs thousands of people and create enjoyment for many people be a bad thing?

Lets start off with the structure....

When i first visited the Trafford Centre when it first opened, i thought it looked quite spectacular. Starting off with Debenhams at one end with a small glass dome on the top and then along the mall to Selfridges and this is where the main dome can be seen. This again is linked by an arched glass roof. Then along to yet another glass structure above HMV. Again linked by an arched roof. Then following on from that to the dome above the Dolphin fountain, (on to that soon) All in all it looks pretty good outside with pillars, statues, water features and plants.

Inside is a work of art. There are palm trees in the middle of the malls, marble and grannit floors on entrances to all rows of shop units. Looking up at the ceilings and some walls you will see many oil paintings resembling works of art from the reniesance. With the brass fixtures and fittings and marble style staircases, this all looks pretty posh.

Rumour has it that the Trafford Centre has the largest floor space than any other shopping centre.

This building can be seen for miles and at night it really does look quite stunning with the illuminated domes, roof and uplighters.

So as looks goes i hope ive described how much, i supose, it looks pretty grand.

As shopping goes......

This is really good. There is a huge selection of anything to everything....

There are shops ranging from top named shops, high street shops to small shop units.

The prices are not even that bad. If you know where to go and look around, decent prices can be found. I purchased a football shirt one time, the first shop i went into it was priced at £40, (not too bad price). I went into the next and the next and i got cheaper as i went along. Just goes to show if you shop around you can usually get the best price. If your wondering i purchased the shirt for £30!!! Not bad ehh?

Anything you are after, shopping wise, you will probably find at the Trafford Centre.

Lets go onto the staff now.....

With the security around constantly, i always feel safe. They are all trained to a really high calibre in different aspects. Most are first aiders, so there is a piece of mind if the worst comes to the worst.

The cleaners seem to be doing a good job too. The building always seems clean and tidy. Even outside there is very little rubbish and mess. It is a wonderful clean environment.

The customer services staff are always on the ball and seem to know what they are talking about, and are always there to assist.

I have been to other shopping centres and the staff are not as helpful as the Trafford Centre staff.

Here are some details that are helpful......

The first aid equipment is really good. Many of the first aiders are medical gas trained and defibrilator trained, and this equipment is stored at the Trafford Centre.

There is a creche. If you find it difficult shopping with youngsters, just go to the creche. Dont want to leave your children there? If you go to Customer Services you can hire out those buggies, where the children sit inside the buggies and get pushed around.

Again for children, every lunch time there is a chap who walks around with a huge radio controlled car with a bear sitting in it. He's called Barney the Bear. Now Barney has a broard Yorkshire accent and sings songs and talks to the children. Even adults chuckle as he goes past.

There is a shopmobilty centre there. Here you can hire out manual and electric wheelchairs for the day.. This service is free.

Hungry??? There is a huge foodcourt, with a great selection of takeaways, restraunts and bars. There is a huge sreen you can watch while sitting down eating you meal. This screen shows some of the things for offer in the centre and information. There is also a 21 screen cinema upstairs on the 2nd foor up!!!

There is loads of parking spaces and its all free!!!! Downpoint is there are lazy people who park illegally who just want to park closer to the building. If these people just drove to the next carpark im sure they will find a space.

Security constantly monitor the carparks. There is an emergency vehicle which always drives around checking all around, assisting other drivers and giving jumpstarts etc... Everytime i have been i have always seen security in high vis jackets patrolling outside.

The Trafford Centre is also stratgically placed. It is just off junction 9 and 10 on the M60. Very easy to get to.

Are there any downsides???

Weekends and holidays it gets really busy. You can hardly move..
But what else do expect from this, its a tourist attraction!!!

Anything else???

No, i dont think there are any other downpoints.

It is all the shops you need, all under one roof. What more can you ask for?