The first thing you should know about the Trafford Centre is that the traffic around this shopping centre is INSANE at the weekends. You're far better off getting the Metrolink and avoiding the two hour queues just to get out of the car park. The Trafford Centre is huge, and it attempts to combine size with quality. You see, quality AND quantity. I'll concede that it has slightly more of an exclusive air to it than the Arndale centre, with its elaborate fountains and gold furnishings, signs and pillars. But at the end of the day, it is just a shopping centre, and all the well know high street names sit alongside the posh frock shops. The best thing about the Trafford Centre is its amazing opening hours. You can come by and do late night shopping, any weekday, until 10pm. That has been incredibly useful on a couple of occasions, especially if you're busy at work all day like my girlfriend and don't want to get stuck in the weekend hoardes. read more

I'm thinking of someone like Moses or an African king overlooking the vast lands, thinking of the peace the scenery brings him, and how the animals, humans, and the rest of nature will all live in harmony, only to be interrupted by a giant styrofoam space ship in obstructing the horizon. Actually, I may be thinking of the nearby theatre complex. The Trafford looks like Caeser's Palace's bulbous tumor. Oh yes, the Lowry is the space ship plunked in the middle of nowhere. Well, I'm sure it's changed in the past few years, but upon traipsing through the not-too-affordable and-very-empty storefronts one Sunday with neurotic Barbara, I was reminded of all the false legs of the Eiffel Tower sticking through the casino at the Paris in Vegas. Or you know, the foam empire state building and Statue of Liberty. And foam pyramids. Gaudy, expensive, but hey, at least I got to see Marks and Spencer! read more

I am a huge fan of TC!!!! I went with my mum, dad and brother on a Saturday afternoon. It was busy but we expected this. I was after a dress for the Races, I walked past Mango and a maxi dress on a Mancini caught my eye. They only had one out in my size but this had makeup on. I tried it on and they staff were extremely helpful offering me a pair of heels to try on with it. When I decided I did want it they were more than willing to go and fetch a fresh one from the back of the shop. I never usually shop in Mango but it's definitely on my list of new favourites now! read more

Great shopping centre. Lots of choices for dining in a lovely old nautically styled ball room type room. Nice architecture throughout the building. Well marked car parking making it easy to find the car after a long day shopping. Good range of shops and lots of seating around the place to rest weary shopping feet! read more

The Trafford Centre....where to start... There are both good things and bad things about the Trafford Centre. Good things: Good location out of the city, free parking, lots of shops so you usually find what you need in one trip, lots of restaurants and also a cinema and bowling alley all under one roof. The opening hours are good too, much later in the evening that town and also good on Sundays too, everywhere seems to close at 5pm whereas the Trafford Centre is open until 6pm. Bad things: It rains a lot in Manchester. The Trafford Centre is undercover. Therefore the world and his wife turn up there daily, you can never 'nip' to the Trafford Centre, there are just far too many people and it takes too long. Other bad things: It's a massive chav hang out, there are no independent shops as the rent is that high no smaller businesses can afford it and the traffic can be an absolute nightmare as the Trafford Centre is literally just off the Motorway. But the opening hours are handy and the free parking is very good so I'm sure you'll find yourself there at some point, just make sure you avoid the place like the plague during the sales, it's actual hell on earth! read more

If we didn't have a Trafford Centre, we'd all moan incessantly, but I think when everyone first pulled up in front of the ridiculous architecture that is the Trafford Centre, there was a collective, "oh brother", what the hell were they thinking? Oh well, at least it's a talking point, and it adds to the charm of the place, plus when you're coming into the Trafford Centre on public centre, well when we first started coming, we used to play spot the dome! Anyone else? Soooo... Aside from the exterior, there are some interior amusing moments, The Orient food court area...unfortunate as it was timing wise, Trafford Centre opened in 1998, around the same time as Titanic, and being all boat themed, I can't separate the two, but the novelty still is amusing, even when the sky changes from dayscape to nightscape, still it entertains me. The food court is huge, and there is a dipping pot of most varieties of food tastes to be explored on to rather large levels. Shopping wise, I think it's something ridiculous like three miles worth of retail heaven, lots of variety, lots of budget breakers, lots of budget friendly shopping to be had. It's all under cover, which throughout Manchester's penchant for the rain proves to be a bit of a Godsend, but like all things that seem to be a good idea, lots of people think so too, and like all the yelpers who have said Trafford Centre gets rammed on weekends, any period that has sale next to it, and at least 6 weeks before Christmas day. There are other things to the Trafford Centre though, and if you can gather your mates up for a full week day session, it's not a bad day indeed to spend a rainy day if your outdoor plans fall through. The cinema is a good way to wile away some rainy hours, as is the laser quest, it's fun, and easy to book and use, the arcades are great when it's not overrun during half term with all the half term kidlets, and ofcourse, there's that shopping and food malarky. Good all arounder, lots of free parking, and lots to do when you get there. me likey! read more

The Trafford Centre is a gigantic thing full of shops. Okay, now we've got the pleasantries out of the way, on with the kicking. Basically, the Trafford Centre is the ugliest place on Earth. People scurry around like rats beneath some of the most ghastly decor you'll ever lay eyes on. So gaudy is it that you'll invariably go blind, leaving you with shoddy, cheap looking faux oil-paintings of cherubs as the last thing you'll ever see. Worse still, the assembly of Greek gods and the like seem to be painted with the faces of the people who were instrumental in the building of this place. There's also vomit inducing pictures of Manchester United players, staring at you whilst you blither around with their cold, dead eyes. It really is a grotesque eyesore which, to my mind, serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever. It's a town centre all crammed under one stinking roof. Of course, with rent at a premium, you won't find any quirky independents here, but rather, a slurry of the same old shops you get absolutely everywhere on this godforsaken Earth. Pointless and tacky. A towering monument to human dung. read more

I went here while on holidays on Saturday 13th September. It has everything you could need. Plenty of shops (however a few repeat themselves), plenty of restaurants and different food types, an arcade and even a cinema. The place is massive so make sure you grab one of the tourist maps / shop guides when you walk in to help you find your way around! read more

A multitude of shops and a multitude of people fighting for car park spaces especially on a weekend. So many shops in TC from John lewis to superdry or lush. Worth a trip. Good food court for half way round! Cinema and a legoland on site as well. read more

The very famous and huge and massive and humongous Trafford Centre! I think I've stressed enough on the 'huge' aspect of it! It's not only huge but is just so beautifully done up that you don't even mind walking in and about of this place a million times! The architecture is split into various eras, with the Greek, the mediterranean and Egyptian! It looks so gorgeous! The shops are the same as of the Arndale but well put in a more grand way, I would say. The different sector of restaurants, carefully split into, fast food which covers most of the navy-look alike space on the lower floor and then comes the regular and some-non regular restaurants on the second floor on town-like floors. There's also the recent 'China-town' opened up with a big red and golden door which is marvellous! A great place to spend a good day shopping, watching a film at the Odeon, then trying your hand at bowling or some Paradise Golf! What more could you ask for from one single place?! read more

The Trafford Center - home to crazy christmas shoppers & fantastic selection of shops. Since opening, all those many years ago, I know many people who have come to love and hate the Trafford Centre. Despite it having a selection of shops unrivalled in the North West, the amount of people who go is just crazy; and thats at the quietest of times! The food court has a wide selection of food, ranging from McDonalds to KFC and right through to a few independent start ups, such as a Mexican stall! There are even 2 pubs located in the malls, showing sports and having normal pub grub on the go. The parking here is more than adequate, although you might be walking for more than 5minuets to get to the shops in some circumstances. There is a great public transept connection to here and I know there are plans in the works to bring the MetroLink all the way to the Trafford Centre as well. The is also a Laser Quest, Odeon Cinema, Bowling, Bumper-cars and Amusement games. All pretty cheap to do as well!!! read more

Has to be done when in Manchester. You will need the best part of a day but well worth it. City Centre still needs to be done also but work with the weather on this one. Parking is not a problem but I usually use public transport for which there are great links. Some amazing shops (Selfridges etc) and the credit card will start melting on arrival. Great shops, huge good court, what I haven't done is the evening entertainment and cinema but will be on the list next time. read more

Excellent, and very large shopping centre, conveniently placed close to the motorway. It houses a Selfridges and a Debenhams and also just about every High Street shopping brand you can think of! It also has extensive leisure facilities including an Odeon cinema, a bowling alley and more. There is a food mall and various cafes, restaurants and bars including Wokooshi, Chaobaby, Nando's, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, TGI Friday's, Rice Flamebar and Grill etc. etc. I prefer to visit on a weekday when it is less hectic than the weekends although there is heaps of parking available. Great place for a bit of retail therapy! read more

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I did not like the cinema that much. It was just too busy and packed and one of the most expensive cinema place in Manchester!It is packed with teenagers and floor is quite messy with popcorn etc.. It is not good for romantic couples or family. I rather go to cinema in town. But if you go shopping there, it would be good to visit. read more

Seems to have lost its initial appeal since it first opened however still gives a whole days worth of stuff to do for all the family. Situated off the motorway to Trafford it has ample parking (that much you are very capable of losing your car!) The site is absolutely huge and comprises of a large amount of shops as well as a massive indoor food area, its own cinema etc The shops cater for numerous clientelle offering a wide range of mens/womens/childrens/household names to suit your needs. There is nearly always a good bargain to be had even if its on something you don't really need.. but have to have anyway! After trekking what seems miles up and down the centre there are many areas you can take a break, have a coffee and relax your feet. A popular spot is the huge fountain that performs different spectacles you can watch as you enjoy your mocha. If shopping isn't your thing you can visit for other reasons - watching a film in the cinema, visiting for an evening meal etc. There are a huge range of different style restaurants/cafes on offer that are open till late (just like the centre itself) There is a live stage situated within the food area which can offer live entertainment on specific days, if not when you visit there is a large screen that advertises/plays numerous things throughout the day. Above the food area is a specially crafted ceiling that represents night and day through special lighting. Fantastic to watch as you are eating and a great way to distract the kids! There is a play area for the children to visit right next to the food complex so you can enjoy your meal as they burn off energy. There is a lot to say about the trafford centre so I have probably missed most out but definitely go see for yourselves as its a must do. read more

POSITIVE reasons I shop at the Trafford Centre: Free Parking Kids coupe cars (but be prepared to pay A LOT) Vivienne Westwood Accessories John Lewis' excellent baby change facilities Only place I can find Rigby and Peller bras in Manchester Excuse to pop to Krispy Kreme across the road after However, I've never really walmed to this place. I'm quite happy trampling the cobbled streets of Manchester town centre to do my shopping in the pouring rain. I know the Trafford Centre has the advantages listed above but I can think of numerous reasons against it too The NEGATIVES: Claustrophobic despite its massive size Packed full of gangs/groups of squeaky voiced, indecently dressed, foul mouthed little girls and boys The shear volume of scallies and chavs, you'll be seeing Burberry print when you close your eyes Total lack of unique independents, it's SO generic and uninspiring All the orange faced cosmetic women Tacky surroundings sap you of any sense of taste, time and enthusiasm for life Pram/buggy rage is rife The list goes on read more

great shopping experience all under one roof.There are many different shops to choose from ranging from clothes,home,toys,card,electricals and much more. There is also loads to do there is a cinema,arcade,resturants,bowling and just for christmas time an ice rink. staff are always friendly and the toilets are cleaned regular. good disabled facilities aswell and have nappie changing and breast feeding rooms for mums. read more

I live so closeby but you know what you forget is how lucky we are to have this facility on our doorstep. We sometimes just go down for a coffee and browse the length of it or just stay at one end and make a better search. It is like a large town centre with all the major retailers under one roof and is better visited on weekdays when it is less busy. read more

love this place!!!!! what a cool mall. it is seriously like a vegas hotel or something. they have every store you could imagine needing or wanting. they not only have department stores but very unique free standing stores. the options to eat are countless and all different types of foods and options. i really enjoyed this mall. read more

I think the Trafford Centre is one of those places people tend to love or hate. What's to love? The range of shops. Everything under one roof (handy if Manchester's weather is having one of its off days). Plenty of places to eat/drink after a hard day's assault of one's credit card. Loads of car-parking spaces, all free. Cinema. You are free to do your shopping without being stopped by charity workers, Big Issue sellers or market researchers or having to dodge gangs of youths hanging around looking for people to annoy. What's to hate? Public transport links to the TC are poor, to say the least: there's no rail link or Metrolink (what were the GMPTE thinking of!!?), so the car really is your best bet. The sales crowds are unbearable, as are the pre-xmas ones; whatever you do, don't go to the TC on Saturday or Sunday in November/December - it just ain't worth the stress. read more

I really like the Trafford Centre, be it for shopping or something to eat then it's a great destination. If you have some out of town friends to entertain then take them here, not only will the tacky plaster / marble work marvel them but the size of the place will have them so tired that they won't give you any jipp on the drive home!! I like to go for a good shop in many of the shops (John Lewis's, Selfridges, Debenhams, The Body Shop or Lush) then go for a meal in Pizza Express or Exchange Bar and Grill. I avoid like the plague during Christmas as it's far too busy and full of those 3 wheeler buggies with jumped up parents (How much do you hate those), but any other time of the year its a great place to go. read more

I love the trafford center its clean and a very nice place to shop. Its easy to find your way around and if you do manage to get lost very helpful staff or info points will help you out! There is always somthing going on here like book signings and they even do something called walk the malls which is keep fit. They always have something on for kids. I have got to say this ive been thinking about it eversince i had it, in the food court they have a chinese fast food and their sweet and sour chicken is awsome. A great all rounder! bus routes to everywhere!!!! read more

Shopping at the Trafford Centre in Manchester (Trafford Park) is fantastic, there's lots of free parking, none of that wet Manchester weather to worry about, plenty of shops, good choice of restaurants and bars and even has bowling and a cinema. I've been here plenty of times and it is a good shopping experience. Every well known shop is here and a few you won't have heard of. It's huge and can take up a good afternoon of shopping, plenty of places to drink or have a bite to eat and there is even a pub! Recommended. Be warned though at Christmas it can get very busy and can be like a rugby scrum trying to fight your way through the crowds and don't get me started on the sales! read more

The Trafford Centre opened in September 1998 and was the biggest shoppoing centre in the country. Essentially the Centre is split into three main sections - Festival Village, The Orient and then the shopping mall. The shops open till 9/10 p.m. Monday to Friday and till 7 p.m. on a Saturday. Sundays you can have a lie in as the shops don't open till 12.00 noon and shut at 6.00 p.m. Experience it - happy shopping! read more

A great place with shops, food and a cinema. Theres even sometimes a temp ice rink up outside during the festive season. There numerous car parks with disability and parent and child parking spaces. Theres even a mobility section at the end by John Lewis. However, from the start of November till the end of the year unless you can go during the day in the week I would personally stay well clear unless theres something there that you just cant get else where. The christmas shopping is an utter nightmare. I visited on saturday hoping that not that many christmas shoppers had descended yet. It was 6pm when I visited and it was still heaving with shoppers and all the car parks said they were full. I did manage to find a space but will be trying to avoid the place now till january as its just horrific in my opinion. I'd hoped the opening of Liverpool's one might ease the problem as it causes major traffic problems too for the surrounding area and several juntions either way on the M60. But no. Apart from the major large stores, some of the shops could do with being a bit bigger as this obviously restricts their amount and variety of stock. Although all said and done, it is a good shopping centre that you could spend all day and late in to the night at. I would just advise to try and avoid it in the run up to Christmas. read more

The Trafford centre is literally my corner shop(I can see it from my house) I tend to nip in and out and for specific items. It is fantastic if you are someone interested in fashion and are a normal size you will have a lot of fun. If your not however... I don't think it is as good as it used to be I miss the festival village with the quirky stalls and I think the loss of S.F. Codys, Past Times and The last Picture Show have really damaged the pleasure for a lot of people. Still La Tasca and The Pier do help soften the blow a bit. read more

I was blown away the first time I visited the Trafford Centre. Loads of shops, a cinema, great places to eat, an arcade, crazy gold coursethe list is endless! There is, what would seem to be, ample parking. However, on the approach to Christmas this can become a total nightmare. My advice would be arrive way early if you want to beat the car park queues! Or at the least come by public transport. There isn't a tram that comes near to here, but there is a bus station with routes to pretty much all directions of the city. However, once you're inside the centre, the place is so big that it hardly feels that packed anyway! You could easily spend a day and a night here! read more

The Trafford Centre is great. The free parking is great and what attracts most people. The range of shops is getting better but it was a shame when the market stalls at the end of the centre closed down. The range of restaurants is great. Rice being especially good. read more

The Trafford Centre is a well designed shopping centre with a decent array of shops, department stores and a multiplex cinema. A cruise ship(!) style eating area is a pretty cool site, as is the new Great Hall. This place can get extremely busy at times, to the point the car parks cannot cope. Additional parking is now available out towards the motorway, although its a trek to the centre. This is only going to get worse up to Christmas. Also, if the tannoy in the centre tells you to delay your journey - do it. If there is any kind of problem on the motorway or the local roads network, the whole place becomes gridlocked. read more

The Trafford Centre, Easily accessible via motorway or on the A roads via Eccles, huge car parking which is free. May struggle to find a space on weekends in the later part of the day and of course nearing special times like Christmas. So best arriving earlier in the day to get a space. Gorgeous, ultra modern, bright and spacious building, lots of glitzy ornamental statues, waterfountain features and at christmas wonderful decorations. Does get less spacious when busy of course. Plenty seats dotted around in good places, though in busy periods you may have to wait. Clean, nice atmosphere and friendly. Lots of shops, lots and lots which is greatsome are not the largest of stores though, but still great. Zara, H&M, Boots, O'Niel, River Island, Next, La Senza, Mango, and more more more. Great food Hall, once again, rather grand decorations, plenty of food choices and lots of seats and tables, though it can get busy at times you can normally find a table. Also restaraunts too, good choice and quite reasonable. Good toilets nearby the food hall and near Debenhams and Boots. Shop til you drop, quite literally, you can spend a good day in the Trafford Centre, real good quality centre. Highly recommended...go for it. Ooops nearly forgot to mention the Cinema too! read more

The Trafford Centre is unlike any shopping centre in the world. Not only does it hold hundreds of stores from high-end to high street, but also a cinema, a crazy golf course, a laser quest, a bowling alley, a snooker hall and an arcade. After a long day's shopping you can then eat at one of the dozens of restaurants, offering everything from fast food to high-quality dining. The Trafford Centre is an experience not to be missed, and people flock from all over the country to spend a day in this infamous store. Located just next to the M60 Motorway, it's in a prime location for visitors but is a 15-20 minute drive from the city centre. There is no metrolink system here, but there is a bus station, which serves most corners of the city. At the festive time of year the Trafford Centre does get slightly overrun. There is an impressive amount of parking around the centre, but even these thousands of spaces get quickly filled up and you can find yourself on a ten-minute trek just to get to the centre! Overall, the Trafford Centre is a very impressive building and well worth a visit for all your shopping and entertainment needs. read more

This shopping centre which is just off the M62 is a absolutely humungous structure. It is very nicely styled inside with so many shops that there is no need to step out of there all day long. There is a huge arcade area if you have kids who need to let of a bit of steam in the day. There is a massive food hall for when you start feeling a bit peckish. It is very easy to find as it is sign posted most of the way around Manchester. The only real downside to the shopping centre is how busy it gets on a weekend. read more

Slightly larger than Meadowhall, we found that the Trafford Centre has better shops (for us at least), and it's huge size means that you can spend a whole day shopping (if you really want to!) There is plenty of free car parking available (although it can get VERY busy on a weekend and on the run up to Christmas), but perseverance pays off, although you might have to walk a short way to the shops (and remember which entrance you need to find or you'll be looking for your car for hours!) There is a huge range of shops available, from discount to designer. The opening hours are excellent (with very late opening times around Xmas), and the layout is quite simple when you get your head around it - it's not set out in a confusing maze structure like many shopping centres are. There are also the usual non-shop areas with a large food hall, cinema, etc etc. Worth a visit if your credit card can take the pressure! read more

We live very close to Trafford Centre that we almost take it for granted that what a good idea this is. There is a huge range of shops available. The opening hours are excellent (with very late opening times around Xmas), and the layout is quite simple when you get your head around it - it's not set out in a confusing maze structure like many shopping centres are. However, personally I prefer going into Manchester Centre. There is a couple of reason really. Firstly because there is a wider choice and more independent shops with more personality. Secondly, it always seems to be very busy no matter when you go. Except may be in the early morning like 10.00 am-ish. To me it is better to shop when it is less busy; you can get more done in less time. read more

My wife loved this place. We were visiting some friends, do they brought us here. I also think the place is nice. read more

It's a horrible faux-classical eyesore. It's got lots of shops. It's got one good place to eat (Zizzi). It's got plenty of parking. It's got an oppressive, suffocating feel despite its huge proportions. It's got great motorway links. It's got nothing but large chains. It's got a cinema. It's the Trafford Centre. read more

Holy shopping Batman! This place is for the serious shoppers and not for the faint of heart. Even though my old... er age seems to be decreasing my enthusiasm for large shopping malls, the Trafford Centre is really in a league of its own and must be admired. Let's start with the cons and get those out of the way, because there are some and I think a lot of people will agree with these. The first: traffic and getting to the Trafford Centre. While some of it is just because of the volume of people wanting to go, some of it is down to those first-time tourists who don't know where they are going, but this past weekend we discovered some of it is down to young drivers probably out for the first time with loads of their friends in the car, music turned all the way up, smoking those silly e-cigarette thingies, trying to text, and not really paying attention to where they are going. And I am kind of surprised that no one thinks "If I miss my turn, I'll just go around the roundabout again". Sigh. Anyway, another con... parking, even though it is free. Busy or not, finding parking is always a bit difficult and probably a bit more complicated than it needs to be. I also don't understand why it is ok to park on the sidewalk (sorry, pavement) when there are parking spots available... and those spots being too far away is not an acceptable reason. Lastly, walking through some parts of the centre can be a bit difficult because of the amount of people. I don't find it as difficult as say... The Bullring in Birmingham (where it can take 20 minutes to get on an escalator to the next floor), but it can still be difficult and/or frustrating. Now onto the good parts of the Trafford Centre. It is huge and not only that, they have a variety of stores. Something for everyone really and I don't think I have seen a space that isn't being utilized. The entire area has been developed as a whole family, whole day experience which, for the effort of getting there and getting parked, is nice. There is a cinema, adventure golf, Lego Discovery, and Sea Life... so a bit more than shopping. Another plus, the size and variety of the food court. While the theme thing could be a bit cheesy, I kind of think it is great how they did something different with the area instead of just leaving it as a generic food court. On the ground floor of the food court it is mostly fast food type places, but oh the choices! On the next floor there are more restaurant type places, but mostly chain restaurants. The food court is large enough to handle the amount of people, which is nice that you don't have to send one of your party to go and wait for people getting up and pounce on their table. Another reason I like the Trafford Centre... some of the American things/stores when I am missing home. For example, Victoria's Secret, even though I have yet to buy anything as I am a bit afraid of the prices. And Five Guys Burgers... not really sure why people are still queuing up at Burger King and McDonald's when you can have Five Guys. To be honest, with those and then looking across the way to see Wal-Mart, Costco, and a Krispy Kreme, it is almost like I am back in the states. Strange more than comforting. Having been to some of the large malls like The Bullring, Meadowhall, the Westfield in London... I think I do prefer the Trafford Centre because even though it is busy, it seems to cope (minus the parking/traffic issues) quite well. read more

urgh! i hate this place, yet i've given it 4 stars. read on. i used to visit once a year thinking it would have the answer to my christmas shopping woes, but i cant even bring myself to do that now. Not even the food court can entice me with its fake twinkling sky....i have no interest and even if my favourite restuarant was there i dont think i'd bother. its useful, but not at all pleasurable and i feel like i'm sharing the breath of everyone in there. Claustrophobic and oppressive. Having said that, for those of you that love to shop and love the high street this is a fantastic place. i'm really glad people like it and it helps the economy and jobs in manchester....its just not for me which is why despite everything i just said i admit this is a personal opinion on 'malls' in general rather than the range and accessibility of the shops themselves which to be honest is pretty great! so i guess if someone that hates it still gives it 4 stars it must be pretty good! #themostconfusingreviewever ?? read more

Hmmmmm, I'm experiencing one of those 'why can't we have half star' moments but on balance I'm dropping down to 2. The Trafford centre really demonstrates that bigger isn't always better and this is especially true when you find yourself forgetting where you are because you've seen everything before in so many shopping centres around the UK. I found myself half believing that I was in the Metro Centre. We visited the Trafford centre because we thought we could get all our shopping done in one place but, because I'm not a fan of big chains and tax avoiding coffee empires I found myself wishing I'd hit some of the centres nearer home where the shops and particularly the eateries tend more towards the independent. It's a shame I ever thought the Trafford Centre would work for me but the real shame is twofold, firstly that there is obviously a demand for such identikit shopping experiences and secondly that places like this don't give the visitor a true sense of the area they are visiting or promote what is special about the region. Come on Manchester, you're better than this! read more

Shopping, shopping, shopping. You can definitely spend an entire day here between the good restaurant selection, the movie theatre and of course, the shops. The Trafford Centre is ALWAYS mobbed though, so you have to be mentally and physically prepared for the experience. Parking is awful, so get there early. On the weekends, pre-noon will often yield a decent space. But seeing as it's pretty much the only "real" mall in a 60 mile radius, it's a good all-in-one place to get your shopping errands accomplished (and not have to be out in the cold!). read more