Member Article

The Ridings celebrates 30 years with campaign to boost shopper numbers

The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield is working with its retailers to draw more visitors by organising a series of ambitious events that will celebrate its 30th anniversary in the run up to the milestone in October.

Based in the heart of Wakefield, the centre has been serving customers across the city and beyond for three decades, offering what it describes as an exciting mix of retailers and hospitality venues and mounting regular attractions and experiences for shoppers.

This week, the ‘This is Your Ridings Life’ exhibition opens. Showcasing the memories of shoppers, retailers and employees down the three decades, it features photographs, memorabilia, artefacts, models and displays from across the period and an extensive gallery of illustrations.

Then, every Saturday from 21st September to 12th October will see a host of retro decade family events, designed to bring in shoppers of all ages to the centre. Themes will be Games of the 80s, 90s and 00s and Party from the 80s, 90s and 00s, with Jenga, table football and Wii prize tournaments and performers singing and dancing to classic tracks.

And every day, one of The Ridings’ retailers will be offering a prize competition to shoppers.

Complementing in-venue activity will be an online celebration, with a daily blog keeping visitors up-to-date on all events and competitions and focussing on different parts of The Ridings’ history and current activities. It will also signpost prizes to be won on the centre’s social media pages.

And the anticipated boost to already robust shopping numbers has already paid off, with fashion favourite, Primark, announcing that it will expand its store at the centre next year.

Opening on the 17th October 1983, The Ridings was revolutionary, boasting the UK’s first food court and its first glass wall -climber lift. Taking four years to complete, it was built with a unique design so that shoppers could enter and exit from the street on all levels and promptly won the European Shopping Centre of the Year award, inspiring others for years to come.

In 2008, some £2.5 million was spent refurbishing the centre, with new entrances, new lifts and more glass to allow natural light to enhance the venue. Today, The Ridings houses more than 85 stores and a selection of cafes and eateries with over 1,000 car parking spaces. It employs 50 staff members, including three who were there from when it first opened its doors.

Offering a selection of big name brands and independent retailers - BHS, Boots, Marks and Spencer and Morrisons have all set up shop there - it continues to attract new tenants and renewals.

Barbara Winston, centre manager, commented: “The Ridings has celebrated some fantastic achievements since 1983 and we’re delighted that shoppers, both new and old, keep returning.

“There have been many changes to the retail landscape over the last three decades, but by listening to our customers and retailers and by constantly being innovative, The Ridings remains a popular and much loved West Yorkshire attraction.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Gatehouse .