Manchester

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Where to do your Christmas shopping in Manchester

As the recession starts to hit, there are some serious decisions to be made about where to splash your Christmas cash this year

They say that Christmas is a time to be thankful and there’s one section of society in particular who have more reasons than most to say a word of thanks during December – they are the Z-list celebrities, the people who came last in ‘Dancing on Ice’, the latest casualties of the boyband wars and the tabloid gutter princesses. Generally, these are the people who are considered qualified enough to switch on our city’s Christmas lights thus signalling the beginning of the festive shopping frenzy. But how do you choose where to spend your Christmas shopping money?  Read our guide and turn the nightmare of Christmas shopping into a dream come true.

Manchester City Centre
Since their first arrival in 2000, Manchester’s Christmas markets have made a good job of balancing the hustle and bustle of economic necessity (the actual buying of presents) with the respites that make it all bearable (alcohol and nice things to eat). 2008 sees the wooden chalets take over various Manchester open spaces once again, bringing with them the seasonal riddle of what is glühwein and why have I just bought seven litres of it? The new addition to the markets this year is a six-metre pyramid, which apparently is a traditional German Christmas Pyramid complete with a nativity scene; other attractions include a giant multilingual talking reindeer. This year there are five sites for shoppers – the Christmas Market in New Cathedral Street, the Arts and Crafts Market in Exchange Street, the World Christmas Market in Brazennose Street, a German Christmas market in St Ann’s Square and a European Christmas market in Albert Square. Just don’t forget to buy a steaming cup of glühwein.
Good sides Great arts and crafts stalls plus seriously tasty hot dogs.
Bad sides Difficult and expensive parking. Glühwein hangover.

The Trafford Centre
It seems incredible that the Trafford Centre recently celebrated its tenth birthday as it still seems as shiny as a new pin. No such wonder for those who’ve experienced Christmas shopping at the Trafford Centre, which because of the volume of the crowds could well be described as retail suicide. However, there are a few very good reasons why thousands of people descend on the centre at Christmas. There’s free and ample parking (although you might have to park somewhere near the airport to get a space) and an amazing selection of shops, from the heavyweights of John Lewis and Selfridges to smaller outlets. There’s even a rising quality of places to grab a bite and Barburrito is hard to beat for a quick lunch on the go. November 8 sees the beginning of festivities with Santa’s arrival and his sleigh is even pulled by real reindeer, so don’t follow behind too closely. Their brilliant grotto is open from November 9 and this along with a £1 million light show, should make the Centre a sight to behold. Combine all this with a puppet show on the main stage, brass bands and carols and it’s almost enough to make you forget the crowds.
Good sides The best grotto in town.
Bad sides Ridiculous crowds.

Lowry Outlet Mall
Tucked in the angular armpit of the Lowry Theatre lies Manchester’s only factory outlet mall. With some shops offering 50 per cent off the prices found at the high street equivalent, there’s at least one very obvious reason to head to Salford to do your Christmas shopping this year. The Christmas season gets off to a good start with a Christmas light switch on from leading local radio station Key 103’s Mike and Chelsea on November 16. A trip to see Santa will cost £3.50 but guarantees a selection box and a gift to keep the youngsters happy. The range of shops at the Lowry is excellent and there’s even a Marks and Spencer’s outlet where bargains can be found from stock which is often only a few weeks behind the high street stores. Every taste is catered for with designer shops from Karen Millen to Flannels and a range of homeware and gift stores, making it a great place to find that little black dress for less than you’d think. The Quays themselves are at their best during the winter months and as you can find a pantomime on the doorstep, a Christmas film or some culture from the Imperial War Museum North, you should make sure you keep some time free to go for an explore.
Good sides Discounts galore and a wide range of shops
Bad sides Hardly any decent nosh spots.

Stockport
Given that the Merseyway Shopping Centre – Stockport’s central shopping arcade – have previously been winners of the Loo of the Year Award, it seems only reasonable to suggest that if you want to spend a penny this Christmas then you could do worse than look towards Stockport. Fine WCs aren’t the only recommendation though. Although Merseyway is the place to head to if you want the high street names, the town also boasts a historic market hall and a thriving independent sector called the Underbanks. The Market Hall has been undergoing something of a restoration lately and the grand opening of the £1.7m pound scheme is on November 29 and should be well worth having a look at. To celebrate there is a Victorian Christmas Extravaganza from 10.30am to 4.30pm with free funfair stalls, live music and swing boat rides for all the family. Some familiar names are in line to switch on the lights on November 12 with Mike and Chelsea from Key 103 performing their December duties, again, by pressing the relevant buttons and December 10 sees Father Christmas and live reindeer visiting the shopping centre.
Good sides Great toilets and the swing boats
Bad sides Unoriginal choice of Christmas light operatives

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