Shopping – 45 minutes
The Trafford Centre – (about 45 minutes drive from Meadow Cottage)
A very full day trip that can be very credit card draining. It is the second largest shopping centre in the UK located in Trafford, about 5 miles west of Manchester City Centre. It has Europe’s largest food court in The Orient and the UK’s busiest cinema, attracting more than 28,500 visitors each week. There are over 11,500 car parking spaces.
Leisure facilities include a 20-screen Odeon multiplex cinema, a Laser Quest arena, Paradise Island miniature golf, a Namco Funscape with dodgems, bowling and arcade games. The adjacent Trafford Quays Leisure Village has a Chill Factory Indoor Ski Centre, Trafford Golf Centre, a sky diving centre, golf centre, and an indoor football facility. A Sea Life Centre aquarium opened in Barton Square in June 2013
Trafford Centre is home to high street shops such as an Apple Store, H&M, and Boots. Department stores include John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Selfridges, and Debenhams. Karen Millen, Jane Norman and GAP. It also houses Waterstones bookshop. Other lifestyle and fashion retailers include Reiss, Mango, Monsoon, Coast, French Connection and All Saints.
There are also homewares, furniture, kitchens, bathrooms and home furnishings. Retailers operating are Next Home, Dwell, Laura Ashley and M&S Home.
SKIPTON – including its award winning High Street, is a shopper’s delight.
Skipton is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, renowned for it’s Medieval Castle, colourful market and narrowboat cruises along the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Thriving shops, pubs and restaurants and cafes add to Skipton’s appeal. For further information and help from our experts on the local area visit the tourist Information Center, located within Skipton Town Hall with access through to Craven Museum and Gallery.
Craven Museum & Gallery’s Gift Shop in the TIC has a wide range of local gifts and souvenirs including postcards, fridge magnets, tea-towels and note cards. We also stock a selection of maps, local history books and DVDs.
Sunday Times Best Place to Live in Britain 2014, and NABMA The Voice of Markets awarded Best Small Outdoor Market 2017 and Best Large Speciality Market 2018!