Retail in Greater Manchester

[flange]

PC World at Pin Mill Brow is now the Electrical Clearance Store, what the unit that Currys/PC World is now open at Central Retail Park used to be.


http://www.localdatasearch.com/manch...store-12540573

[Lynyrd]

Originally Posted by flange

PC World at Pin Mill Brow is now the Electrical Clearance Store, what the unit that Currys/PC World is now open at Central Retail Park used to be.

Thanks for the info.
The few times I have been in PC World on Pin Brow I've been the only customer, probably doe to it's location, so moving onto Central Retail Park might increase the footfall.

[flange]

Remaining Comet stores to close this week

December 17, 2012

The last remaining Comet stores are to close by the end of tomorrow, the failed firm's administrators have confirmed.

Shops at the Manchester Fort and in Rochdale, Stockport and Wigan will shut, with outlets in Bolton and Oldham having already closed.

They are among 50 shutting across the UK tomorrow, with the business shedding 6,000 jobs as a result of its demise.

It comes as a report from administrator Deloitte is today expected to reveal that the collapse of the electricals retailer has left the taxpayer facing a £50m hit.

Deloitte's report is expected to indicate that insufficient funds have been raised from the winding down of the chain in order to pay up to £24m in redundancy payments to 6,000 staff.

This means the government will probably have to step in and ensure workers receive their payments.

Unsecured creditors, including HM Revenue & Customs, which is owed £26.1m, will receive nothing.

Secured creditors, such as the backers of Comet's parent company Hailey Acquisitions, will get payments of just under £50m.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...lose-this-week

[flange]

Victorian Christmas market pushes Lowry Outlet Shopping Centre to record footfall

December 17, 2012

A Victorian Christmas market helped the Lowry Outlet Shopping Centre at Salford Quays to record visitor numbers, figures showed today.

The mall attracted 137,482 shoppers in the week to Sunday, December 9, during which the Victorian-themed market took place over four days.

Total year-on-year sales at the Lowry were up by 33 per cent in the period.

The Victorian market featured food, crafts, gift and jewellery stalls as well as a brass band and carousel.

It helped the mall achieve its highest weekly footfall figure since it opened more than 11 years ago.

Sales have been boosted by a string of openings, most recently a Body Shop outlet at the start of December.

Meanwhile Manchester Fort Shopping Park at Cheetham Hill today reported strong festive trading, with fashion retailer H&M, Next and TK Maxx proving a magnet for shoppers. Marks & Spencer is attracting 9,000 customers a week and said year-on-year sales are ahead by six per cent. Manchester Arndale has also reported bumper footfall in the run-up to Christmas and is on track to top 40 million visitors for the year.

More high street retailers are advertising sales or promotions such as three-for-two deals as they battle for the festive pound, according to research by accountants and business advisers PwC. Its survey found 69 per cent of retailers were doing so, up from 66 per cent in the same period last year.

However, average price discounts being offered last week were 36 per cent, against 45 per cent last year, said PwC.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...ecord-footfall

[WingTips]

I can atest to the above, I have never seen the Mall so busy.

[WingTips]

Booths tucks in to higher festive orders

LANCASHIRE grocery chain Booths is reporting a surge in pre-Christmas orders, and believes its customers are splashing out on luxury foods after a tough year.

The family-owned business which has 29 stores in the North West and Yorkshire, has seen a 26% increase in pre-orders for Christmas, with high demand for top quality meats, cheese and seafood, as well as turkey.

Chief operating officer, Chris Dee, said: "“People come to Booths for the best, they trust our quality and our commitment to find the very best suppliers that are producing exceptional food.

“We’ve been mindful that budgets have been tight and kept prices affordable without compromising premium quality. We have a canny Northern consumer base they keep us on our toes in terms of service, price and quality."

Among the most popular pre-order items are Gressingham Free Range Geese, National Trust dry-aged beef, mixed Lakeland Game boxes and the Paul Kelly Bronze turkeys.

Mr Dee added: "“It’s gratifying to see consumers are supporting small scale producers like the Cumbrian based Furness Fish and game, who have seen a 143% increase in orders of their Seafood Starter box, which includes Morecambe Bay Shrimps, salmon terrine and luxury potted crab.”

Local hams have been in strong demand with the Yorkshire based Richard Woodhall’s unsmoked gammon topped with chestnut-smoked bacon seeing a 125% rise in orders and the Ribbleton Dry Cured Gammon a 123% increase.

Booths' ' Champion Cheese Box', containing Wensleydale Blue, Sandham’s cloth bound Lancashire, a Special reserve Lancashire and Elton Farm Cheshire have seen a rise in demand by 151%.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com

[Mycure]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Inner city?

False. Eldon square in Newcastle is now bigger than Arndale after their expansion.

[Tony_H1]

Seeing as there both owned by the same people now, it makes the figures easy to find...

Eldon Square - 1,350,000 sq ft

Arndale Centre - 1,600,000 sq ft

Close but no cigar on this occasion.

[neil081273]

Cushion Couture/Kylie at Home in the Arndale is having a closing down sale.

[Mycure]

Originally Posted by Tony_H1

Seeing as there both owned by the same people now, it makes the figures easy to find...

Eldon Square - 1,350,000 sq ft

Arndale Centre - 1,600,000 sq ft

Close but no cigar on this occasion.

Darn it, I always wanted my cigar moment and I thought this was it :/
I guess wikipedia really is rubbish.

[VDB]

Not sure if this is a photoshop or something - someone might be able to confirm it - but I've seen this on Flickr which seems to suggest that Burgerking in Piccadilly has had an, uhm, change of signage? Probably just for Christmas

image hosted on flickr

[future.architect]

Fake

[flange]

Booth Cafe now open on the first floor at Booths Media City.

@JonathSchofield

Look Booths' new cafe instore at MediaCity. Good. Needs to be bigger and provide cooked food as well

[iheartthenew]

Has that replaced the bank of checkouts on the 1st floor?

[WatcherZero]

Was a quite poorly designed layout, assume their keeping the cafe in the main building lobby as well?

[manc]

The cafe in the foyer at the studios has now gone

[neil081273]

Penny Lane, corner of Shudehill & High Street.




Abergeldie on Shudehill

[flange]

Manchester Arndale pulls in 250,000 in last-dash Christmas shopping rush

December 24, 2012

An unprecedented wave of last-minute Christmas shoppers has given Manchester’s Arndale Centre what could be its busiest ever day – but the seasonal stampede is far from over.

Early indications show the number of visitors to the Arndale on Saturday is expected to top 250,000 for the first time.

Meanwhile the Trafford Centre and other shops and supermarkets across Greater Manchester also saw hectic scenes as people put the finishing touches to their festive plans.

And with the pre-Christmas rush showing no signs of slowing down, many retailers have extended their Christmas Eve opening hours – and some even slashing prices to get a jump-start on the Boxing Day sales.

David Allinson, director of the Arndale Centre, said: “It has been extremely busy, I think beyond what we were expecting. It hasn’t yet been confirmed but we’re expecting footfall figures to show Saturday was our busiest ever day.

“As we get closer to Christmas, demand is continuing to rise and we’ve extended our opening hours on Christmas Eve to help meet that demand.

“But while our footfall figures have been very encouraging, I think with the economic climate people now more than ever are taking their time and looking for a bargain, and trading conditions have still been quite difficult for some retailers.

“Many of our stores will begin their post-Christmas sales on Christmas Eve and with it also being the last shopping day we’re expecting to be very busy again.”

The Arndale Centre was open until 5pm today along with other high street stores such as Selfridges – while Marks and Spencer opened its doors at 6am. Richard Dodd, of the British Retail Consortium, said the busy pre-Christmas market had been triggered by discount shoppers waiting until the last moment to grab the best reductions.

He said: “People have left it very late this year because of their reluctance to spend. They are holding out for bargains and we’ve had a final weekend just before Christmas.”

Retailers such as Next will lead the way with 6am opening times across Greater Manchester on Boxing Day, while other chains such as Topshop and House Fraser will be open from 8am.

By the end of December shopping statistics are expected to show customers spent more than £1.3bn across Greater Manchester.

The most popular purchases in the region are said to have been Amazon Kindles and iPad tablet computers.

But while shoppers have rushed to snap up the latest gadgets to put under the tree, traditional festive favourites have also enjoyed soaring sales figures.

High street bakery Greggs said its Arndale Centre branch had sold more than 20,000 mince pies since the start of December, with its shops across Greater Manchester expected to have broken the 100,000 barrier.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...-shopping-rush

[SF07]

Definitely was busy in Manchester on Saturday. HMV was very busy with queues going all the way towards the back end of the store on the ground and going all the way around the side on the 1st floor. Basement tills fairly empty though

[madferret]

Originally Posted by neil081273

Abergeldie on Shudehill

What's that logo meant to be? A greasy spoon would be more appropriate.