Shopping

On Thursday (7th July), Hobbs, the women’s fashion destination of choice for classic clothing and stylish footwear with a modern twist will be launching at McArthurGlen’s Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.

Joining the 145 stores at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks that make up the 1.2 miles of style, the new Hobbs outlet is the first from the brand to open in the North West and the fifth Hobbs outlet in the UK.

Along with recent additions Armani, Gant and Reiss, Hobbs will further increase the prestige of the impressive fashion line-up on offer at the designer outlet, all offering up to 60% less.

Colin Wilding, UK Country Manager and Centre Manager at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, says,“It is fantastic that Hobbs are joining us. Offering a collection of high quality accessories and an impressive range of classic women’s clothing at up to 60% less, the Hobbs outlet is a welcome addition to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks.”

Alana Mazza, Retail Director at Hobbs, says, “We are delighted to launch the Hobbs outlet at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks – the first of our outlets to receive a new concept layout. Incorporating contemporary design elements of an English manor house, the store will feature an exclusive shoe lounge peppered with luxe seating and boutique-style fitting rooms for customers to relax in.”

From business suits and smart dresses to weekend wear and fine accessories, Hobbs represents uncompromised quality and craftsmanship.

Launching with a collection of High Summer products, the new Hobbs outlet will then move into Autumn Winter with the 2010 range, which features a strong selection of coats and boots.

A new discount clothes store will open in Crewe this Spring.

TK Maxx will open a 20,000 square foot shop at the Grand Junction Retail Park on the site of the former Focus store. The company estimates around 45 new jobs will be created.

TK Maxx spokesperson, Helen Gunter said: “We are very excited to be opening up a new store and bringing Crewe’s shoppers savings of up to 60% off the RRP on great brands and labels for all the family under one roof.”

Luxury watchmaker Omega opened a shop in Manchester last Friday.

The Omega Boutique at the Trafford Centre is the Swiss company’s first store in the UK outside London.

The 85 square metre shop offers watch models from all of Omega’s collections including Constellation, Seamaster, and Speedmaster.

The company is known for making the first watch to go to the Moon. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin wore the Omega Speedmaster Professional when he set foot on the lunar surface in July 1969.

A £66 million extension to a Blackburn shopping centre is now open.

Hollyoaks star Ricky Whittle officially opened the new Primark store at The Mall this morning. A new WH Smith and a Costa Coffee outlet also launched.

Other retailers including JD Sports, New Look, Next and Peacocks are expected to move into the new extension in the next few months.

From 21 July until the end of August, the summer beach returns to Woodcock Square at The Galleries Shopping Centre in Wigan and will be free of charge to visit, making it a great attraction during the school summer holidays.

Richard Paxton, centre director of The Galleries commented: “The annual summer beach is back for its third year. The people of Wigan told us how fantastic it was to have a beach in the heart of Wigan and we’ve brought it back!”

“Everyone is welcome to The Galleries to enjoy the centre’s free summer beach. Spend time relaxing on a deck chair, making sand castles, joining in one of our free events or just have a short siesta in the sun.”

With 10 tonnes of sand, palm trees, deckchairs and decking, the beach will also play host to a number of activities on Wednesdays throughout the summer period.

At 11am on 21 July, when the beach officially opens, shoppers young and old will be entertained by Peppa Pig (appearances at intervals) traditional Punch and Judy shows and a steel band. Other Wednesday events include; face painting, balloon modelling and children’s activity workshops.

The beach will be open daily from 10am – 5pm until (21 July until 29 August). For more information, please visit www.galleriesbeach.co.uk or telephone 01942 825 734.

Hammerson has secured three brands from the Arcadia portfolio for The Rock in Bury.

Opening on the 16 July, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton will join the fashion line up at the new shopping and leisure destination alongside Cult, Next, H&M and Oasis.

Top Shop is taking a two level, 10,500 sq ft store which will double the size of its current unit in the town and will be located next to Cult and River Island.

Dorothy Perkins and Burton have a two level 8,200 sq ft outlet on Central Street opposite Peacocks.

Richard Poyser, Hammerson Assistant Leasing Director commented: “The Arcadia brands continue to be favourites on the British high street and securing a Topshop store of this scale is great for the scheme. We now have a strong cluster of youth fashion brands which compliment the offer of our anchor stores Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.”

The 640,000 sq ft retail and leisure offer at The Rock also includes flagship stores Next, Peacocks and Primark and leisure operators Vue, AMF Bowling and Pizza Express.

Excitement is in the air at The Rock as the team puts the final preparations in place for the official launch of the new landmark shopping and leisure destination for Bury.

Friday 16th July will see the highly anticipated first day of trading for the range of high street retailers and leisure operators which have made The Rock their new home. The launch day promises to unite Bury in a spectacular day of celebration and throughout the day visitors will be treated to a host of exciting activities for all the family to enjoy, including a chance to take part in a Guinness World Record Attempt.

The day kicks off to the sound of the Japanese Dojo drum, which will mark the start of the Bury Beat Parade – where some 180 local children will parade through The Rock’s Central Street, carrying flags adorned with artwork created by the children, to represent ‘what Bury means to them’. Rehearsals for the parade have been taking place over the past week at participating schools across the borough.

With the addition of The Rock, Bury is fast becoming one of the North West’s leading fashion hotspots, with national retailers showing their faith in Bury by bringing their full product ranges to the thriving town.

David Laycock, Centre Director for The Rock, added: “A great deal of work has gone in to creating The Rock and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve for Bury. We can’t wait to open on the 16th July and get the public’s reaction to the scheme – after all The Rock has been created for the people of Bury and the surrounding towns to enjoy!

“Alongside our own schedule of events for the day, retailers and our leisure operators are also getting ready for the launch with a host of offers for shoppers to enjoy, so no doubt there will be something for everyone to enjoy. All eyes will be on Bury on the 16th July, so we want to make it a day to remember.”

The Rock’s retail offering includes anchor stores Debenhams and Marks & Spencer alongside other flagship stores including Next, Peacocks, Primark, H&M, Cult, River Island and Oasis. Alongside Vue and AMF Bowling, restaurant operators at The Rock will include, Pizza Express, Frankie & Benny’s and Nando’s.

To generate some excitement in the lead up to the opening, 2500 artificial rocks have been dropped around the streets of the Bury, Bolton, Rochdale and Rawtenstall. Each rock contains a unique code, which when entered on Facebook will reveal the finder’s winnings. A range of prizes are up for grabs from shopping vouchers, coffees and leisure experiences, to higher value prizes, donated by some of The Rock’s flagship stores – one lucky member of the public has already bagged themselves a Hugo Boss watch worth £350.

Still up for grabs is a £500 diamond donated by independent retailer Peter Jackson Jewellers – a series of clues will appear across Facebook, Twitter and You Tube in the run up to the launch, so keep your eyes peeled to be in with a chance of winning. Insert facebook and twitter page

Launch day itinerary

10.00am
GATES OPEN

10.00-10.15am
REBORN – THE CALL

Spine-tingling and unique Taiko performance will sound across the scheme to call the people to The ROCK

10.15 – 10.55am
BURY BEAT PARADE

Parade of proud communities and effervescent carnival music and celebration

10.55 – 11.00am
REBORN – FINALE

Reprise of Taiko and countdown to Doors Open

11.00am
RETAILERS OPEN

The public get the first look inside the new high street line-up – shops will be open all day

11.00am-20.00pm
ACCESS ALL AREAS

Evocative and enthralling ambient entertainers connecting retailers throughout the day

13.00 – 18.30pm
MAIN STAGE FEATURES

A variety of musical performances and urban fashion dancers including the climax of Taikoall will perform at intervals throughout the afternoon.

4.15 – 4.55pm
BURY BEAT PARADE

Repeat of the Parade but with a twist and the end!

18.30pm
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK

Bury welcomes the World with Music – a totally unique Launch Day event – A WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT!!

19.00-20.00pm
ROCK XTRA! – (Dig the NEW Breed)

The Gala Performance from Bury’s Battle of The Bands Winning Musicians –

THE AFTERPARTY

Blackburn Rovers will open a new club shop in Blackburn town centre.

The store will be located on Church Street, in the building currently occupied by the the Blackburn Visitor Centre. The club’s existing store in The Mall will close.

The store will sell official Rovers’ merchandise, match tickets and will also feature a café bar and outdoor seating area. It will open on August 2 2010.

Blackburn with Darwen Councillor Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: “The new Blackburn Rovers store, which will be in a prime location directly opposite the new £8m Blackburn market, will help to develop Church Street as a thriving shopping area, particularly once The Mall shopping centre extension opens.

The general public of Bury is being given the exciting opportunity to see behind the scenes of The Rock shopping and leisure development on Sunday 20th June – four weeks before it opens it officially opens its doors for trading on 16th July.

The Rock public open day commences at 11 am until 3 pm and pre-registration is encouraged online at www.therockbury.com. Anyone interested to get a sneak preview should come down to The Rock on the day where regular guided tours will be taking place around the development. People are recommended to wear suitable footwear and rain ponchos will be available if required.

As it is also Father’s Day, The Rock will be treating the first 30 dads that register to two free cinema tickets from Vue Cinema. There will also be a prize draw for all dads to enter, to win a personal stylist session from one of The Rock’s flagship stores during the first week of opening. Goody bags will also be given out to visitors on the day, which will contain treats for all the family to enjoy.

Commenting on the public open day, David Laycock, Centre Director said:”This is a great opportunity for the public to see first-hand an exciting new shopping and leisure development taking shape. Many local people have been waiting to see The Rock come to completion so this is their chance to be among the very first to see what exciting new stores and leisure facilities await them this July.”

The Rock shopping and leisure destination has launched its community bursary scheme to support small community groups and charities throughout Bury and its towns.

Local charities and not-for-profit organisations will be invited to apply for up to £2,000 of the community bursary, with the aim of supporting vital community work, across all age groups and backgrounds.

The funding is specifically for projects that fit within the themes of art and culture, education and skills, health and wellbeing or sustainability and the environment. The projects must also be of value and generate tangible benefits for their local community.

The applications will be assessed by a special judging panel, made up of representative from The Rock, Hammerson and Bury Council.

Nikki Kitchen, Marketing Manager, The Rock said: “This is a really exciting initiative, supporting charities which provide a service that is well valued by their local community. We decided to introduce a community bursary – rather than a donation to one charity – as it allows us the chance to help a number of charitable organisations which support a variety of causes within the Bury borough.

“The community bursary scheme is an initiative which Hammerson has established in shopping centres across the country with great success. We are keen to replicate this success in Bury.”

Councillor Yvonne Creswell, Cabinet Member for Communities, added: “The Rock’s bursary scheme is a fantastic project that will help build strong relationships with the many community groups and charities in Bury. We would encourage anyone across the borough who thinks they might be suitable for this funding to contact The Rock’s bursary team, as we are looking to a support a wide variety of organisations and schemes.”

Applications for the community bursary will close on Friday, 24 September 2010. For more information on The Rock’s community bursary and to download an application form logon to www.therockbury.com

This is one of many community initiatives that The Rock plans to launch in the lead up to the official opening on 16th July and beyond. The Rock has recently launched a competition to find participants to take part it’s Bury Beat Parade, a creative community initiative, which local schools and community groups from across the Bury area have been invited to take part in by entering artwork into The Rock flag art competition. The winning schools from each town will be invited to represent their area in the Bury Beat Parade carrying the flag displaying the winning artwork.

Hammerson establishes community bursary schemes for its developments and projects. The schemes have been successful in providing funding for local charities in the towns and cities in which it operates.