A brand-new EE ‘Experience’ store is opening its doors inside the Trafford Centre this week, and it looks pretty swanky.
The new store inside the massive Greater Manchester shopping centre is designed to “empower customers with the best connectivity and technology solutions”, according to EE, and will be showcasing a wide range of the latest connected technology – with everything from games consoles, to smart home devices up for grabs.
The innovative new retail concept is set to offer shoppers “a dynamic space to work, learn, game and play” once it opens its doors.
It’s literally being described as “futuristic”, which has definitely got us a bit intrigued.
A brand-new EE ‘Experience’ store is opening its doors inside the Trafford Centre this week / Credit: EE
Those who step foot inside the store will get the chance to explore a range of different so-called ‘experience zones’ and ‘room sets’, with each area carefully-curated to give customers “a taste of future connected living”.
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The experience zones in the Trafford Centre’s EE Experience store include a ‘Welcome Zone’ with all the latest product releases to try out, a ‘Base Camp’ with lots of comfy sofas to lounge on and sip on a complimentary tea or coffee while sampling the new tech, and a ‘Tech Live’ hub where you can spend some time trying before you buy.
The stand-out area has to be the new ‘Gaming Zone’ though, which will give shoppers the chance to discover the “latest and greatest in gaming” as it’s packed with the most up-to-date games and consoles available to play on.
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The innovative new retail concept will offer shoppers “a dynamic space to work, learn, game and play” / Credit: EE
Customers will also have the opportunity to visualise how EE’s range of connected technology could be used in their own homes as they explore the real-life room sets.
EE’s brand-new Experience store is throwing its doors open at the Trafford Centre tomorrow (21 September) at midday, with former Manchester City star and England International, Ellen White, doing the grand-opening honours – and said to be “really excited” about it too.
There’ll be gift bags for the first 100 customers, and lots of exclusive in-store deals, offers, and entertainment throughout the day too.
Featured Image – EE
Shopping
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation to open in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation is set to open its doors in Manchester very soon.
Since it was first founded in Los Angeles all the way back in 2009, Reformation has gone on to become one of the largest sustainable womenswear brands on the planet, and is now known and loved for making beautiful, timeless apparel and accessories that aim to ‘inspire confidence’ across life stages and occasions.
Operating on a business model that pairs a smart approach to merchandising with a responsive supply chain, Reformation now operates more than 70 retail stores across the US, UK, Canada, and France.
At the heart of the Reformation story is a genuine commitment to ‘doing things differently’.
Since day one, sustainability has been woven into everything the brand makes – from the eco-certified fabrics and responsible factories, to its famously transparent sustainability reports.
Currently, Reformation has five UK stores to its name – but, it may come as no surprise to fans of the brand that they’re all in London.
That’s why the news of this new Manchester opening is such a big deal.
Set to be the label’s first UK store outside of the capital, Reformation has secured a prime spot on King Street in the heart of the city centre, and although there’s no confirmed opening date as of yet, if the shop windows saying ‘Summer 2026’ are anything to go by, we can only imagine it’ll be very soon.
“For Manchester, it’s a landmark moment, and for King Street, it’s the latest signal that this is one of the UK’s most exciting retail destinations,” a spokesperson for King Street said in a statement.
Stay tuned for details on opening dates to be announced in due course.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Shopping
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis
Emily Sergeant
A series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help combat the rising cost of living crisis are soon to be rolled out nationwide.
Kicking off with two measures today, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that he plans to ban retailers from making ‘misleading’ claims to customers about discounts.
The Government says shoppers have ‘increasingly complained’ about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing prices only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are, which goes on to create an uneven playing field for honest competitors.
The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to so-called ‘subscription traps’, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions, and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.
Set to come into force in January 2027 and saving people an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders. and a ‘much easier’ exit to contracts.
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis / Credit: gov.uk | Piotr Cichosz (via Unsplash)
A new 14-day cooling-off period will also be introduced to let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.
Certain charitable memberships, like the ones for cultural and heritage organisations for example, will be excluded from the new subscription rules due to the fact they have a unique role in preserving the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.
The Prime Minister says he is ‘determined’ to use every chance he gets to restore fairness and take pressure off people.
“I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps,” Andy Burnham said. “Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life, but I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th September 2023 
