 | |
 Trafford Centre main entrance | |
| Location | Dumplington,Trafford,Greater Manchester, England[1] |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 10 September 1998; 27 years ago (1998-09-10)[2] |
| Developer | The Peel Group[3] |
| Management | Savills[4] |
| Owner | |
| Architect |
|
| Stores and services | 200[1] |
| Anchor tenants | 4[1]
|
| Floor area | |
| Floors | 3 |
| Parking | 11,500[9] |
| Public transit | Manchester Metrolink -The Trafford Centre &Trafford Palazzo |
| Website | traffordcentre |
TheTrafford Centre is a large indoorshopping centre and entertainment complex inTrafford Park,Greater Manchester, England. It opened in 1998 and isthird largest in the United Kingdom by retail space.[10][11]
Originally developed bythe Peel Group, the Trafford Centre was sold to Capital Shopping Centres, later to becomeIntu, in 2011 for £1.65 billion;[12] it set a record as the costliest single property sale in British history.[13]
The battle to obtainpermission to build the centre was amongst the longest and most expensive in United Kingdom planning history.[3] As of 2011[update], the Trafford Centre had Europe's largestfood court and the UK's busiestcinema.[1]
In 1922 theManchester Ship Canal Company purchased 2,000 acres (810 ha) of the formerde Trafford family estate intending to develop it for industrial uses, mirroring the success of the existingTrafford Park estate. By the time that Trafford Park's industry began to decline in the 1960s one 300-acre (120 ha) parcel of land would remain undeveloped.[2]
The Peel Group had begun developingretail parks around the North West of England in the early 1980s and had initially earmarked the future Trafford Centre site as a location for a new retail park. Its Chairman,John Whittaker was made aware of the site in 1984 and realised that it would be suitable for a large indoor shopping mall similar to theMetro Centre in Gateshead.[14]
I had a look at it and said this isn’t a retail park, this is a Metro. This is really the right location for a Metro.
— John Whittaker, Chairman of The Peel Group[14]
Upon learning that the site was owned by the Manchester Ship Canal Company, which Whittaker had been acquiring shares in since 1971,[15] Whittaker approached them with an offer to purchase but was told that as the land was earmarked for Manchester's bid for the1996 summer Olympics it was not for sale. The chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal company also revealed that they also had plans to build a shopping centre on the site if the Olympic bid was unsuccessful.[14]
Having his offer to purchase the site rebuffed put Whittaker on a pathway to taking control of the Manchester Ship Canal Company by strategically acquiring controlling shares.
Manchester City Council encountered a conflict of interest as both a local planning authority and a minority shareholder of the Ship Canal Company, however Its shareholding no longer afforded it any real control. Manchester City Council voiced their opposition to Whittaker's retail proposal citing potential negative impacts on the Manchester city centre economy. They however acknowledged that the development was in the interests of the shareholders.[16]
Consequently, in 1986, the council surrendered its rights to appoint all but one of the Manchester Ship Canal Company's directors and sold its shares to Whittaker for £10 million.[16]
By 1986, Whitaker had majority control of the Manchester Ship Canal Company and that year a planning application for a shopping centre and various sports facilities on the 300-acre site was submitted toTrafford Council. The site was the last undeveloped part of Trafford Park and would remain inagricultural use until 1990.[17] The proposal was subsequently called in by theSecretary of State for the Environment, resulting in legal disputes and two public inquiries before planning permission was granted. Concerns raised included potential congestion on the M60 motorway and adverse consequences for high streets in other Greater Manchester towns.[18]
The Trafford Centre was not the only proposal for a large shopping centre in the area. A rival centre known as Regatta at Salteye was to be located close toBarton Aerodrome in Salford, just across the Manchester Ship Canal from the Trafford Centre. This proposal was similar in size to the Trafford Centre and was submitted for planning permission at around the same time. It would also be called in by the Secretary of State due to its size and the government made it clear that only one proposal could be permitted. In 1990, the government indicated that the Trafford Centre was the stronger scheme, the Regatta proposal was subsequently withdrawn shortly afterwards.[19][20]
The Trafford Centre would be granted planning permission in 1993,[21] but this was later blocked by the Court of Appeal. The Peel Group appealed the decision which lead to the case being considered by theHouse of Lords, the highest court in the land at the time.
On the 24 May 1995 the House of Lords overturned the 1993 Court of Appeal judgement therefore re-instating the 1993 grant of planning permission and settling the long running planning process for good.[22][23][24]
John Whittaker was not perturbed by the protracted planning challenges and always expected the decision to eventually be made in his favour. The extended timescale allowed Whittaker and the centre's architect, Rodney Carran ofChapman Taylor architects to visit shopping centres around the world for inspiration.[14]
Following the House of Lords' decision to approve the scheme in May 1995 work began on designing the final version of the centre.[25]Bovis Construction was appointed as the lead contractor in October 1995.[26] In February 1996,Selfridges was announced as the firstanchor tenant.[27] Later that month an exhibition showcasing the design of the centre was held atTrafford Town Hall.
Construction commenced on-site in May 1996, withpiling works. Assembly of the steel frame began in August. By December 1996 the dome's skeleton was visible on the skyline. By late 1997, the steel frame was complete and significant progress had been made on the facade and interior. During the summer of 1998 construction was at its peak, with 3,000 workers on-site fitting out retail units and completing other parts of the building.[28] After 27 months of construction, Peel had invested £600 million.
An opening party for 2,000 invited guests was held in The Orient days before the centre opened to the public. John Whittaker made a theatrical entrance to the stage arriving on a zipline dressed as ships captain.[29] The Trafford Centre would open its doors on 10 September 1998, with approximately 140,000 eager shoppers visiting on opening day.[30]
An extension known as The Great Hall opened in March 2007, expanding the centre's dining options.[31] A new wing, Trafford Palazzo (originally known as Barton Square) opened in March 2008.[31] Initially focused on homeware and furniture, this extension was redeveloped with works completing in early 2020. Barton Square became a separate entity to the Trafford Centre during the later part of 2020.[32]
Peel Group sold the centre toCapital Shopping Centres (CSC) in January 2011 for £1.6 billion, in cash and shares,[33] andJohn Whittaker, chairman of Peel Group, became deputy chairman of CSC.[34] He later claimed he could have sold the centre for over £2 billion if he had been prepared to accept just cash.[35] Nevertheless, the £1.6 billion deal remained the largest property transaction in British history,[13][36] and the biggest European property deal of 2011.[37]
Capital Shopping Centres was renamedIntu in 2013 and spent £7 million rebranding the "Intu Trafford Centre".[38]
As of 2017[update], Intu claimed afair market value of £2.312 billion for the centre.[39] However, the firm entered administration in June 2020 and the centre was placed intoreceivership by its creditors in November 2020.[40] In 2020, theCanada Pension Plan Investment Board, who had loaned Intu £250 million in 2017, exercised their rights as creditors to take ownership of the complex excluding Barton Square, which would be legally separated from the centre.[41]
The now-separated Barton Square was acquired again byPeel Land and Property in May 2021 for an undisclosed sum although the asking price was in excess of £50 million.[42] In November 2021 Peelre-branded the complex to Trafford Palazzo.[43]
Trafford Palazzo and the Trafford Centre now operate as separate shopping centres despite being physically linked.
The three storey building consists of several distinct areas radiating from the main dome. Regent Crescent and Peel Avenue are the two shopping malls which are both anchored by department stores (Marks and Spencer andJohn Lewis respectively) at the far ends. The Dome is home to the firstSelfridges outside of London. The 20-screenOdeon Cinema and other leisure facilities are also situated in the Dome area on the second floor accessed via The Orient.
The Orient is the leisure and dining area spread over two floors containing the largest food court in Europe and many other restaurants, cafes and leisure facilities. This area was extended in 2007 with the addition of The Great Hall.
The centre originally contained a market style hall at the end of Peel Avenue known as Festival Village. This 35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2) space was home to around 50 smaller stores dedicated to more specialist retailers,[44] along with dining,creche and children's entertainment facilities.[45] This area was closed in late 2003 for conversion into the John Lewis department store, which opened in May 2005.[46]
Inspired by Englishstately homes,Vatican City andThe Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas,[47][48]John Whittaker chose a lavish unorthodox neo-classical[49] inspired style seeking to avoid the centre rapidly appearing dated and stale, a problem many shopping centres were susceptible to. Although the extravagantRococo andBaroque design may be viewed as gaudy, he argued the prospect of the shopping centre rapidly ageing was mitigated and long-term less renovation work would be required.[50]
When we first started the architects said, "you shouldn’t be doing all this and giving it all the razzmatazz and showbiz, leave that to the retailers. Make it plain, make it clinical, make it white and hospitalised and let them do the work". So then we put in the paintings, we put in the realgold leaf, we put artefacts everywhere, paintings. It is the people’s palace. It is something to attract shoppers ... to give them theDallas effect.
— John Whittaker – chairman of thePeel Group[51]
Design work was shared between the architectural practices ofChapman Taylor and Manchester-based Leach Rhodes Walker. Chapman Taylor developed the conceptual design and general look and feel while Leach Rhodes Walker were responsible for the detailed technical design and coordination. Themain contractor wasBovis,[52] withstructural andmechanical & electrical engineering services provided byWSP Group. The landscaping design was by the Derek Lovejoy Partnership. Due to the projects scale and complexity the architects produced over 3,000drawings andspecifications and 24 architects were required to work on the project full time during the construction process.[3]
During the construction phase numerous changes to the design were made as the needs of the retailers and Peel's commercial and aesthetic demands evolved.[28][25] John Whittaker took an enormous personal interest in the construction of the project and was known to tour the building site at night to inspect the quality and progress of the work.[53]
The building was designed with adaptability in mind meaning that most of the retail units are able to accommodate amezzanine floor allowing retailers to increase their floorspace within the same unit. An additional floor at second floor level can also be accommodated above the two major department store units if the need arises.[28] The centre was designed to ensure that visitors entered on both of the main floors in equal numbers ensuring that all areas are popular and has adesign life of 150 years.[54][10]
Externally the building ispost modern[55] in architectural style and is clad primarily inbrick andreconstituted stone.[56]Glass reinforced plastic cladding is used at the upper levels in some areas.[57] Influences of many historical styles can be seen on the exterior withNeoclassical andEgyptian Revival being especially prominent.[49]
The two shopping malls are covered by glazedvaulted roofs withcupolas at various points. The building is crowned by the 55 m (180 ft) high and 23 m (75 ft) wide main dome, which the developers claim is larger than that ofSt Paul's Cathedral.[58][51]
The interior of the Trafford Centre is decorated with an eclectic selection ofclassically inspired elements with each area having its own distinct character rich in colour and detail. Each area having a distinct design is intended to help visitors to orient themselves around the centre.
The flooring consists of 45,000 m2 (480,000 sq ft) of granite and marble fromMontignoso andQuarrata in Italy.[59] Neoclassical style columns are painted to resemble marble and adorned withgold leaf.[58] The granite floors andbrass handrails are polished nightly to maintain the centre's opulence.[60]
TheRed Rose of Lancaster is used as a decorative motif paying homage to the local area andNorth West England.[61]
Manchesterarchitecture critic John Parkinson-Bailey described the Trafford Centre as a building which "will not appeal to purists" and the range of interior architecture as "bewildering".[3]
Atime capsule containing a variety of artefacts including drawings and other work created by pupils from the nearby Barton Clough Primary school was laid in the floor beneath the main dome in July 1998. The pupils also attended the ceremony to lay the capsule.[62]
AMercedes380SL car formerly belonging to John Whittaker's mother was originally displayed on the first floor of Peel Avenue and was moved to Trafford Palazzo after its acquisition byPeel.[63]
Planting is a major element of the centre's interior design. This takes the form of living and preserved trees as well other smaller shrubs which are grown in large planters. Upon opening the centre was home to 40 living trees and 65 preservedpalm trees up to 15 metres high. The living trees,Ficus maclellandii andAdonidia Palms[64] were imported fromFlorida in the United States and spent some time in a nursery inRotterdam, The Netherlands to acclimatise to the cooler European climate before being installed in the building. The preserved palms were grown inCalifornia, USA.[65]
TheGlobal Harbour Mall in Shanghai, China features interior design heavily inspired by the Trafford Centre. Both centres were the work ofChapman Taylor architects.
The centre is decorated with hundreds ofmurals andTrompe-l'œil which adorn its walls and vaulted ceilings. These depict many different themes ranging from classicalallegory to historical depictions ofThe Manchester Ship Canal and other prominent local landmarks.
Portraits lining the walls of Regent Crescent depict members of the design and construction team[66] as well as members of the Whittaker family.
A notable feature of the centre is thestatuary and other sculpture. There are over 100 figures, mainly in a classicalGreek orRoman style, many of which were specially commissioned for the centre.[67]
Kent based sculptorGuy Portelli was commissioned to create the 22 classical maidens adorning thecolonnade at the front of The Orient.[68] Dancing maidens bear oak branches as reminder ofTrafford Park's history as a "beautifully timbereddeer park[69]" and reclining figures blow golden trumpets to herald in a new era.
Altrinchamsculptor Colin Spofforth createdbronze figures of areal life jazz band for theNew Orleans theme.[70]
In 1999 a statue ofArthur Brooke, the founder of theBrooke Bond tea company which has had a factory nearby in Trafford Park since 1923,[71] was installed in the centre and can be found in The Orient. The statue was sculpted by Anthony Stones and was donated by the Brooke Bond tea company.[72]
As part of the Great Hall redevelopment in 2007, Spofforth was again commissioned to create a crest which forms part of a newportico at the main entrance.[73] This piece assembles agriffin,unicorn andRoman centurion, once more referencing the arms of the de Trafford family.[73] The centurion holds twolightning bolts, a reminder ofBarton Power Station which was situated close by.[74]
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Another popular decorative element of the centre are itsfountains. Seven[75] fountains originally entertained visitors throughout the centre. Over the years some have been replaced or removed.
The fountains instantly became a popular site for visitors to make a wish bytossing a coin into the water. The Trafford Centre periodically removes the coins from the fountains, cleans them and donates the money to local charities via its own Fountain Fund scheme. As of 2024, over £1.2 million has been donated since 1998.[76]
The Orient is Europe's largest food court with 1,600 seats and 35 restaurant outlets. It is decorated in the style of a 1930socean liner, incorporating adjacent themed areas depicting China,the French Quarter of New Orleans,Egypt, Italy, New York and Morocco representing the destinations of an ocean voyage.[77]
The theme was chosen to reference the nearbyManchester Ship Canal andManchester Docks where passenger and cargo ships used to set sail to all parts of the globe.[78] The ceiling of The Orient is painted to resemble a sky with changing lighting effects and fibre optic stars further enhancing the effect.
The two floors incorporate restaurants, bars and fast food outlets in sight of agiant screen.
The Orient was designed by theWilmslow based Imagineering Global and was intended to become a destination in itself originally having later opening hours to the rest of the centre at weekends.
In February 2025 the China Town section of The Orient was redeveloped into a new minifood court known as Eastern Garden. This area now houses several independent outlets serving Asian cuisine. As part of the works a new more contemporary design has been introduced inspired by Japanese architecture. Most of the originalChinese theming has been removed.[79]
An extension to The Orient known as The Great Hall opened in March 2007[31] replacing an outdoorpiazza known as The Place, itsglazed structure houses five restaurants and cafes. Construction took 18 months at a cost of £26 million and incorporates a sweepingstaircase withmarblebalustrades. The centre claims its Great Hall has the largestchandelier in the world at 11 metres (36 ft) wide and 15 metres (49 ft) high. The feature incorporates three internal maintenance walkways and weighs five ton.[80]
A 19,000 m2 (200,000 sq ft), extension to the Trafford Centre opened as Barton Square on 20 March 2008, at a cost of £90 million.[81][82] Barton Square was originally intended to house retailers specialising in homeware, furniture, appliances and other 'bulky goods'.[32]
Barton Square was spun off as a separate entity to the Trafford Centre during the collapse of Intu in 2020.[42] It was then put up for sale as part of theadministration process with an asking price in excess of £50 million. In May 2021Peel Land and Property, its original developers announced they had re-acquired the centre for an undisclosed sum.[42] Peel subsequentlyre branded the centre to Trafford Palazzo in November 2021.[43] Trafford Palazzo now operates as a rival centre to the Trafford Centre.
A £75 million, 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) major redevelopment for the centre commenced in mid 2018, which included adding a first floor and a glazed roof to fully enclose the formerly open air centre.[83][84] The redevelopment work was completed in March 2020.
The centre has around 200 stores and services and is the thirdlargest shopping centre in the United Kingdom by floor area.[11]
The following anchor retail tenants have operated at the centre.[2]
| Retailer | Location | Opened | Closed | Floor space on opening | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selfridges | The Dome | 10 September 1998 | 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2)[27] | ||
| Debenhams | Regent Crescent | 10 September 1998 | 15 May 2021[85] | 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m2) | |
| BHS | Regent Crescent | 10 September 1998 | January 2017[86] | 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2)[87] | Only one floor was occupied at the time of closure |
| Boots | Peel Avenue | 10 September 1998 | 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2)[87] | ||
| C&A | Peel Avenue | 10 September 1998 | 2001 | 46,000 sq ft (4,300 m2)[87] | |
| Marks & Spencer | Peel Avenue | 3 July 2001[88] | 29 November 2023[89] | 46,000 sq ft (4,300 m2) | Former C&A unit, was expanded several times after opening |
| John Lewis | Peel Avenue | 30 May 2005[46] | 205,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) | Former Festival Village area | |
| Marks & Spencer | Regent Crescent | 30 November 2023[89] | 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m2) | Former Debenhams unit |
Leisure facilities include a 20-screenOdeon cinema;[90]Laser Quest arena and anadventure golf course; all of which are located on the Second Floor around the central dome. ANamcoamusement arcade withdodgems andbowling is located in The Orient.[91]
Between 2002 and 2004, the area occupied by Paradise Island Adventure Golf was originally home to an interactive children's ride called Dreamieland, dubbed "Britain's first shopping centre-based theme ride".[92] It closed after only two years due to poor attendance, before Paradise Island took its place in 2008.
The centre opened with a 60-bedroom hotel on site known as The Coach House, which was operated byPremier Inn and contained aBrewers Fayre pub restaurant.[93] The restaurant was rebranded asBrewsters in 2000, bringing about more children's entertainment, before returning to the more successful Brewers Fayre brand around summer 2005.
Adjacent to The Coach House another building known as The Orangery is situated, this building originally housed a pub and is vacant as of 2025.
Both buildings are located adjacent to a wooded area known as Wilderspool Wood which is some distance from the main building and were designed to resemble the outbuildings of a stately home.[94]
In September 2024 aplanning application was submitted toTrafford Council asking for permission to demolish the hotel building. The application stated that the hotel had been closed since June 2023, and that the vacant building was attractingantisocial behaviour.[93] The hotel building was demolished in 2025.
As of 2011[update], 10% of the UK population lived within a 45-minute drive of the Trafford Centre.[1]
The Trafford Centre bus station is situated at the far end of Regent Crescent. It is served by buses to all parts of Greater Manchester and beyond.
The Trafford Centre has 12,500 car spaces and 350 coach spaces; it is sited off theM60, between junctions 9 and 10. Its popularity has resulted in traffic congestion on the M60 Barton High-Level Bridge, requiring a link road adjacent to the M60 crossing the ship canal on a new lift bridge.[citation needed]
All vehicles entering the centre have number plate details recorded viaautomatic number plate recognition. Since its introduction in 2003 at a cost of £220,000,[2] the system has reduced the number of thefts of and from vehicles to a level described as "negligible".[95] The ANPR tracks cars which have been used for serious offences and details of any car with such anumber plate can then be passed toStretford Police station.[2]
In November 2024, premium car parking was introduced allowing customers access to larger parking spaces close to the entrance for an hourly fee. Valet services can be purchased on top of the standard ticket price. Premium parking is located on the upper level of the Peel Avenue car park.[96][97]
The centre has facilities forelectric vehicle charging within its car parks.[98]
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The centre is served by two stops on theTrafford Park Line of theManchester Metrolink network:[99]
Plans for Metrolink to serve the Trafford Centre had been in place since before the centre had planning permission, withPeel Group originally promising to contribute £16 million in funding.[100]
Construction of the Trafford Park Line began in January 2017. Test trams began in November 2019 and the line opened fromPomona to the Trafford Centre on 22 March 2020.
From 1998 to 2020, a shuttle bus had connectedStretford tram stop and the Trafford Centre.[101]
The deal is the largest-ever UK property transaction. Mr Whittaker, Peel chairman, told the shareholder meeting the sale had nothing to do with the amount of money, which would have been higher through a cash sale, but was related to the long-term future of his family business.
The company's 1.6 billion-pound purchase of the Trafford Centre in Manchester, England, in January 2011 was the biggest single property transaction in Europe last year, according toNew York-based Real Capital Analytics Inc.
Whittaker looked to Las Vegas for inspiration, but the devout Roman Catholic also looked to the Vatican, with the domes and Romanesque frescoes included 'so it wouldn't date'.
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53°28′06″N2°20′56″W / 53.4684°N 2.3489°W /53.4684; -2.3489
