Middleton Shopping Centre MSCP, has again achieved the coveted Park Mark, Safer Parking Award and the Disabled Parking Accreditation for a further a further year. These awards are credited to parking facilities that have achieved the requirements of a risk assessment conducted by the police and the British Parking Association. The Safer Parking Scheme is an […]
Families visiting the Middleton Shopping Centre, donated a staggering £3,307.32 when they visited the Centre’s Grotto during the run up to Christmas – a 19% increase on 2018 when £2,790.08 was collected!
On Tuesday, 14 January, Marie Gribben, Manager of the Middleton Shopping Centre had pleasure in presenting a cheque to the Lighthouse Project team.
“We’d like to say a big thank you to all the Middleton families who visited our Santa and generously donated their cash,” says Marie. “Almost everyone we talked to was aware of the brilliant community work The Lighthouse Project carry out locally and were more than happy to play their part in supporting this charitable endeavour.”
The Lighthouse Project has been operating in the Town Centre for the last nine years and is a part of Inspire Middleton – a local charity.
More recently it moved into the Middleton Shopping Centre where it found a great space to develop the work and a willing partnership with the Centre to help the work grow.
Carl Roach, Development Manager for the charity says, “We are immensely grateful for all the support that the people of Middleton and Middleton Shopping Centre give to the Lighthouse; there are many people in the town who are struggling with the essentials of life, but through the support we receive from the community, we are able to put that to good use through the various projects, activities and services we offer to everyone who needs them.”
The vision of the Lighthouse Project is to provide a safe and welcoming environment where people can meet together, find support and access opportunities that are caring, social and educational. They have a passion for people, who are their focus, and for alleviating social hardship, exclusion, isolation, deprivation and inequalities.
The Lighthouse Project is a diverse and innovative community hub conveniently located where it is accessible right in the heart of the town. Using lots of volunteers it works at grassroots level and is designed to bring hope in disadvantaged and deprivation-stricken communities. They provide a wide variety of much needed free support services to those who would not normally have the opportunity or confidence to access.
Every Saturday morning between 9am and 11am we will be offering Sensory Shopping.
During these two hours we aim to provide a more comfortable shopping experience for visitors who suffer from sensory overloads. We will turn off music in the Centre, replace hand dryers with paper towels and make sure we have no planned fire alarms or tests. Look out for the Sensory Shopping logo in shop windows to find out which of our shops are participating
Middleton Shopping Centre has welcomed a new centre manager who pledges to continue the great work in positioning the venue as a family destination, with a strong mix of retailers and exciting community-focused initiatives and events.
Marie Gribben joined the Middleton shopping centre management in October following five successful years as Centre Manager at Mill Gate Shopping Centre in Bury, Greater Manchester. Marie previously worked at Middleton shopping centre in 2010-13 as Deputy Centre Manager and therefore knows the centre very well. With her experience in the shopping centre industry and an extensive marketing background, she plans on elevating the centre’s offering further.
She says she has been bowled over by the town’s close-knit community. “This is my fifth week at Middleton shopping centre and it’s been brilliant” said Marie. “My focus is on finding out what encourages our customers to keep coming back and trying to deliver on that, and I’ve also been speaking with retailers to find out what their priorities are.
“Chatting to people who come here is incredibly important as I want to be able to cater to as many of our visitors’ needs and requests as possible and the same goes for our tenants, too. It’s a pleasure getting to know people – everyone has been so welcoming.”
Over the next 12 months, a key part of her vision includes continually showcasing the range of retailer products available at the centre, putting on an exciting programme of free, family events and providing a safe and clean environment for people to shop, which will help keep attracting regular and new visitors.
She continued: “People enjoy coming to Middleton shopping centre as it’s the perfect setting for meeting friends and family for a coffee and picking up the bits they need for the week ahead. The general feedback I’ve been receiving is that the centre is a real part of the community and the public want to see it flourish, and I’m really looking forward to exploring some brilliant opportunities with the local community and seeing what the future holds.”
Ashdown Phillips & Partners Ltd who manage the centre said “Centre management is a specialist skill. It balances business acumen with community spirit. It requires a commercial brain and a human heart. Our Shopping Centre Managers run the centre’s as if they were their own business, and we are proud of them for doing so.”
“They have to have their fingers on lots of pulses at the same time; every day they are liaising with local authorities, building relationships with shoppers, the local community and the wider general public. At the same time they are responsible for marketing and promotion, for social media and commercialisation and for nurturing the small businesses in their care, promoting their growth or expansion. They listen, receive feedback and make changes. Marie will fit in perfectly at Middleton and we wish her every success.”
