The Royal Exchange will be throwing a luxury Christmas shopping event this week – with free cupcakes to fuel your browsing.
The historic landmark in Manchester, which is home to shops, cafes and restaurants, will dial up the festivities this weekend.
Its luxury Christmas shopping event will run on Saturday, with special offers and lots of surprises in store.
Shoppers will be serenaded by the amazing Victorian Carol Singers, who will walk around the building treating passers-by to Christmas carols.
The Northern String Quartet will also be performing festive tunes inside the Christmas Tree-lined arcade.
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For the early birds, The Royal Exchange will be handing out free cupcakes inside the arcade while stocks last.
Visitors to French Connection will be welcomed by an in-store Christmas event, with its own music, competitions, goody bags (for the first 20 purchasing customers), festive drinks and mince pies.
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You can ease all those pre-Christmas stresses at Amaranth Health & Beauty, which will offer a free 10-minute taster massage, Pukka herbal tea tasting, and Raw vegan chocolate tasting.
It’s also throwing in a free goody bag when you spend £30 or more, and has special offers on NEOM Organics.
The freebies continue at L’Occitane, where anyone who spends more than £45 will be able to select a free beauty bauble of their choice.
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It’s 15% off at the Yards Store for anyone who signs up to their newsletter in store on Saturday, and there’s 10% off all purchases in store at Diamond Heaven, as well as free jewellery engraving for items bought on the day.
The Royal Exchange’s Luxury Christmas Shopping Event will take place on Saturday December 4, between 1pm and 4pm.
Featured image: Supplied
Shopping
Bershka is finally opening in Manchester, alongside supersized Zara
Daisy Jackson
Bershka is finally heading to Manchester for the first time, as its parent company signs a major flagship deal with the Trafford Centre.
The new deal with Inditex also means a new, supersized Zara store in a new location within the popular shopping centre.
And it’s upsizing its current Pull & Bear shop into a new site too.
The Trafford Centre has announced that Bershka will be opening there for the first time this summer.
The Spanish fast fashion brand is famed for its affordable, trend-led fashions.
All three new stores will be occupying their own flagship spaces on Peel Avenue, promising a ‘better shopping experience’ with larger stores.
Bershka is finally opening in Manchester, alongside supersized Zara
Simon Layton, centre director at Trafford Centre, said: “This exciting new deal with Inditex demonstrates that Trafford Centre is going from strength to strength, and highlights our wider commitment to improving the customer experience for our guests.
“The addition of Bershka to complement the already hugely popular Zara and Pull&Bear means our guests can enjoy an unrivalled fashion experience on their visit to Trafford Centre.”
Bershka, as well as the new larger Zara and Pull & Bear stores, will open at the Trafford Centre in Manchester in late summer 2025.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers
Emily Sergeant
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ for autistic and neurodiverse customers shopping in its stores across the UK.
Supermarket shopping isn’t always the most pleasant or manageable of experiences for everyone, especially for those who are autistic or neurodivergent – with bright lights, loud sounds, strong smells, and crowds of people making it a rather overwhelming and overstimulating atmosphere.
This is why Morrisons has decided to collaborate with the National Autistic Society to introduce dedicated ‘Sensory Support Boxes’ at its stores nationwide, as a way to both mark World Autism Acceptance Month, and help autistic and neurodivergent customers have the positive shopping experience they deserve.
These boxes have been carefully-developed in consultation with the National Autistic Society to ensure they include the most helpful items.
A range of toys like fidget balls, spinners, and squish mats can all be found inside the boxes – which will be eventually be available in all 500 Morrisons supermarkets by May – to help encourage calmness and focus.
All that customers wishing to access the items need to do is simply speak to a colleague at the customer service kiosk of their local Morrisons store.
More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers / Credit: Morrisons
Speaking on the decision to introduce the Sensory Support Boxes into UK stores, Joseph Clark-Bland, who is the Community Manager at Morrisons, said: “It’s a priority for us to ensure all Morrisons customers feel welcomed and understood.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in creating a more inclusive shopping environment for autistic people, their families and all neurodivergent people across the UK.
“World Autism Acceptance Month has been a key moment for Morrisons for many years, and we look forward to supporting even more customers via our new Sensory Boxes.”
The introduction of the Sensory Support Boxes comes after Morrisons first trialled a ‘Quieter Hour’ in some of its stores back in 2018, before rolling it out nationwide in 2024 due to its success and positive feedback.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd December 2021 
