The Trafford Centre MAJOR REWRITE

Advantages: Free to park, lots of shops and decent entertainment sections too.
Disadvantages: Gets busy at weekends, some very expensive places to shop and eat.

...NOTE : I have re-written this op almost completely as I felt I had more to add (and I'd already started it before realising I did it already - DOH) The Trafford Centre may well be the shoppers idea of Paradise (Moose perks up her ears.) Opened in September 1998, and just a stones throw from where I was living at the time, the massive centre took shape on top of previously overgrown waste ground in Davyhulme, Manchester. The Trafford Centre is among the largest shopping centres in Europe, but it has more to offer than just shops, as I’ll explain later. Before I go on I’ll say two things which make me qualified to write this op, firstly I’m a shopaholic, and secondly with the centre on my doorstep for 3 years I used to go there amazingly regularly, so I know it pretty well. As a result I’ve reviewed it...

Nameless 22.02.2001 (29.06.2001) · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

Thw Trafford Centre - Welcome To Shopping Heaven

Advantages: Great variety and suitable for all ages.
Disadvantages: Queues can be big to enter and exit the complex especially at rush hour

...To me the trafford centre is a completely different world. The trafford centre is located on the edge of the Manchester orbital Motorway (M60) and is set back close to trafford park hence the name the trafford centre. The trafford centre caters for all tastes wherever expensive or budget. Or exquisite or ordinary run of the mill. The shops range to the High quality and prices of Selfridges (The only one outside of london) and to the welcome high street name of Sock Shop. The trafford centre has aproximately 50,000 free car parking spaces with about half of them under shelter to allow you to enter the complex while keeping under shelter from wind rain whatever the weather throws at you. There are excellent facilities for the disabled at the trafford centre. They provide fee wheelchair loand and scooter hire to allow...

atlantis140 11.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

The Trafford Centre

Advantages: Everything is under one roof
Disadvantages: Not enough cafe's

...In Oct 2000, 3 friends and l, took ourselves off for a weekend of girly shopping to Manchester. Our first stop was IKEA (obviously!) and then we moved on to that shopping Mecca - The Trafford Centre. I had heard various reports - "Three miles of Shops in one place" being the most striking, so we were full of high hopes. Having got parked relatively easy - which we were surprised at, we made our way inside. Stores such as Debenham, Selfridges, Boots, The Pier etc etc all jumped out. Every high street store imaginable was there. We split up meeting up every so often to compare purchases and re-fuel! So what did l think of the experience, well indeed there were lots of shops to choose from - but l think 3 miles was an exaggeration slightly! Overall though l wasnt impressed - there was nothing different really, or unusal...

purdy 23.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

The Colombo Centre, Lisbon's Trafford Centre

Advantages: Very clean and plenty of variety.
Disadvantages: Approximately 15 minutes outside the City Centre.

...The Colombo Shopping Centre is located on the Avenida General Norton de Matos, Benfica, Lisbon. It is accessible by both metro and bus, and just a short taxi ride from Lisbon’s city centre. Opened in 1997, the Colombo Centre is Lisbon's newest mall, being the largest in the Iberian Peninsula. As well as a shopping centre, it also houses a leisure complex, with a multiplex cinema, health club, driving range, and bowling alley to name a few. The shopping centre itself comprises 420 shops, including a large Marks & Spencer and a Fnac superstore selling almost everything from food to large electrical appliances – I found this store to be extremely inexpensive, especially on alcohol. The large stores are punctuated with speciality shops, selling goods such as local porcelain, jewellery, shoes, (leather items are very...

Shekera 14.10.2001 (15.10.2001) · Read review
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Review of Colombo Shopping Centre (Lisbon)

Try the Trafford centre for a great day out

Advantages: All under one roof, great shops, lots of places to eat, caters for everyones needs
Disadvantages: Can sometimes be crowded

...I first visited the Trafford Centre a couple of years ago. I now live in Manchester and frequently visit the centre. There are over 280 shops within the complex, 35 restaurants. It is also Europe’s largest foodcourt. The opening hours are as follows: Mon-Fri 10 am-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-7 pm, Sunday 12 noon-6pm. Also, parking isn’t a problem if you’re driving to the centre, as there are 10,000 free parking spaces. The Trafford Centre is located next to junctions 9 and 10 of the M60 Manchester Orbital Motorway, (formerly the M63). Also bus services operate from all parts of the region direct to their own on-site bus-station. The clothes shops include Selfridges, BHS, H&M, Debenhams and many more. There are many designer shops, and loads of really good discount and bargain shops. The shops cater for everyone...

emma_fitzgerald 15.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

WEST FIELD SHOPPING CENTRE DERBY

Advantages: COSTLY
Disadvantages: OUT PRICING SMALLER OUTLETS

...Recent talks on cutting spending and new shopping centres are not well-matched with each other. Yes we love these new shopping centres and plush surroundings, tempting everyone to spend all their well earned money. But are we tempted? This is the multimillion dollar question. I love to shop like everybody else and buy new things like any other normal person would, also to have a good choice. So my idea of shopping is the traditional high street. Traditional high street shopping is where you will find the best choice and a variety of shops to suit everyone, Building huge shopping centres takes up space of any town or city and is becoming really outdated and boring. Today another shopping centre opens its doors and it is mammoth like those of Gates Head in...

halk 10.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Shopping Centres - General

Trafford Spender!

Advantages: Wide range of shops, plenty of places to eat, easily accessible by Public transport
Disadvantages: Can get very busy, especially in the school Holidays & at Xmas

...I remember the day when the Trafford Centre - one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, opened. There I was, stood outside this magnificent building that looked far too posh to be a shopping centre, hoping that the shops inside wouldn't be all designer and that I would be able to afford to buy something from there. I'm lucky really - the Trafford Centre (from now on I will refer to it as the TC) is literally 5 minutes drive away from my house - and 2 minutes away from where I work. I visit the TC at least once a week - sometimes not to shop at all, but to have a walk around, get some lunch and generally window shop for a full hour. Anyway, before I talk about the TC nowadays, I want to take you back??.. The Beginning The Idea of the TC was conceived in 1984 by Peel Holdings, who are the largest privately...

jayandfoo 14.06.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

Inspiring Capital,Inspiring Shopping Centre?

Advantages: Very Clean, Easy to get around, Lots of Space
Disadvantages: Too few shops,not on two levels,not that easy to get to

...The Gyle Shopping Centre in Edinburgh which opened in October 1993 is one of 4 main shopping centres in Edinburgh. The others are Cameron Toll, St James Centre, Waverley Market(Princes Mall) and Ocean Terminal. There is also Westside Plaza but this isn't exactly what you call a main shopping centre and Straiton park,Craigleith(The Quarry) and Fort Kinnaird are all Retail parks. The Gyle is a approx a 10 minute drive from Edinburgh International Airport by car/taxi. It is approx a 30 minute drive from the City Centre depending on the time of day and the route you take to get there as it is often very congested nearby due to it being directly opposite Edinburgh Park(Home to the RBOS headquarters and a whole host of big companies) .The area round the Gyle is mostly businesses and there is are many houses nearby within walking distance...

matty168 18.11.2007 (17.11.2007) · Read review
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Review of Gyle Shopping Centre

New Trafford

Advantages: huge,big sales,clean & tidy, all the brands
Disadvantages: too far away from Manchester

...When 1st I went to Trafford Centre, I can say I was amazed. I’ve been to a lot of shopping malls, shopping centres, or whatever. I’ve been to Italy, Hungary, Spain, but I have to admit that Trafford was by lots to far the biggest, most completed, most tidy and many many pros more. A friend of mine suggested it to me so I took Mrs aek21 to go by train. When we arrive in Piccadilly station we knew were to go. Thanks God ‘cause the town is in a very big mess and no one knows where to go. Anyway we went to Manchester Piccadilly bus station ant we took the bus 250. We paid £3.60 pp return and after a 20’ drive we end up to the Trafford Centre. You can go by car if you want. the last thing to worry about is where to park your car, as with 10,000 free spaces and 350 bus spaces you are sure tha you will not struggle...

aek21 01.02.2002 (13.04.2002) · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre

What a fabulous shopping experience

Advantages: Many shops all under one roof
Disadvantages: Can be tiring walking around so many shops.

...The Trafford Centre is an attractive building housing numerous shops including John Lewis, Debenhas and Selfridges. There are many smaller shops as well as the usual high street ones like m&s, next, top shop etc. Parking is free and plentiful and there are lots of places to eat. If you want lunch there are KFC, McDonalds, Subway, Nando's etc. Also there are many restaurants upstairs for evening meals and an Odeon Cinema. There is a kids zone where you can pay for your kids to spend some time playing. You need plenty of energy to walk around the centre as it is vast. There is also an add-on linked by a walkway or with its own car park which is called Barton Square. This is mainly homeware and furniture and has shops like Next Home, BHS home, M&S home, Habitat and many others. At certain times of the year they have other things...

sueholland 10.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Trafford Centre