H&M has finally brought its popular Home concept to Manchester, opening a new store at the Trafford Centre.
The shop has been given a complete overhaul and has expanded, adding in an entire department for homeware as well as its usual fashion sections.
The new-look H&M has less products on display to create a ‘warmer, more welcoming interior and relaxed environment’, which the retailer says is a UK-first.
Shoppers will finally be able to get their hands on H&M Home products in person, with everything from real plants to bath towels on sale.
Inside H&M Home at the Trafford Centre. Credit: The Manc Group
There’s a new nursery section filled with pastel-hued soft toys and furnishings, and walls filled with curtains, bedding and rugs.
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H&M has also collaborated with locals in Manchester, like interior stylist @thenorthernhome_, who was chosen to style the new store’s dining room section.
H&M’s expansion manager Chris Clare said that the brand would be partnering with local businesses across the coming months, ‘proving how committed we are to Manchester and our loyal customers there’.
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Credit: The Manc Group
He added: “We are also adding the extremely popular H&M HOME concept to the Manchester shopping agenda – which we know is loved by those in the city and region.”
H&M U.K. & Ireland country manager Toni Galli said: “The store will feature an open façade with no windows, creating a welcoming, modern and meaningful shopping experience where style, creativity and culture are celebrated.”
H&M opened its first UK store in 1976 and now has more than 200 shops across the UK and Ireland.
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H&M is collaborating with locals in Manchester, like interior stylist @thenorthernhome_. Credit: The Manc Group
It will continue its sustainability mission at the Trafford Centre store, including its Garment Collection and Recycling service – shoppers can bring in unwanted clothes and textiles to be recycled, in exchange for a digital voucher and Conscious Points.
Toni added: “We are super excited to be offering our customers a brand-new store at the Trafford Centre this Spring.
“Our aim is to offer our customers a modern and meaningful shopping experience were style, creativity and culture are celebrated, and we are confident that our new store at the Trafford Centre will offer exactly this.”
Zoe Inman, centre director at Trafford Centre, said: “The H&M reopening and expansion is such an exciting opportunity for Trafford Centre, we’re delighted to house H&M’s first of its kind concept store and design across the world.
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“The expansion of bringing H&M HOME to the centre will enhance our customers’ shopping experience and strengthen the fabulous home and interiors offering.”
Featured image: The Manc Group
Shopping
Pets at Home to pause the sales of rabbits at all UK stores over Easter to stop ‘impulsive’ buying
Emily Sergeant
Pets at Home has announced that it will be pausing the sale and adoption of rabbits at all its UK stores over Easter.
The pet supplies retailer has more than 460 stores nationwide, selling everything from pet food and healthcare, to accessories, veterinary services, and in some cases, even the animals themselves… but once this upcoming bank holiday weekend rolls around, some of the retailer’s animals won’t be available to take home.
Over the extended weekend, from this Friday 18 through to Monday 21 April, Pets at Home’s rabbits will be going on their annual ‘Easter break’.
That’s because action is being taken by the company to help prevent impulse purchases and adoptions driven by the celebrations at this time of year.
It’s said to be part of the brand’s commitment to ‘encouraging responsible pet ownership’.
Pets at Home is pausing the sales of rabbits at all its UK stores over Easter / Credit: Supplied
Giving a little more insight into the decision, a spokesperson for Pets at Home explained: “Every year, we make the decision to temporarily halt rabbit sales over the Easter weekend, which is a deliberate action to discourage any impulsive choices about owning a rabbit, given their close association with this time of year.
“Rabbits make wonderful pets, however, they are not the ‘easy’ pet that they can often be thought of as.
“They have complex needs, including specialised dietary requirements and environments, and we always want to educate and encourage careful reflection on how those needs will be met before homing.”
Rabbits are expected to be available to buy and adopt at Pets at Home, once again, after the bank holiday weekend is over from Tuesday 22 April.
Featured Image – Aswathy N (via Unsplash)
Shopping
You can win a ‘shopping trip of a lifetime’ with a £3,000 budget at Cheshire Oaks
Emily Sergeant
Fancy winning a shopping trip with a £3,000 budget this summer?
In case you weren’t aware, the UK’s largest designer outlet, Cheshire Oaks, is turning 30 years old this year, and in a bid to properly mark the major milestone, has now launched an exciting search for super fans to celebrate their individual style stories and experiences from throughout the past three decades.
Since originally opening back in 1995, the iconic shopping destination has gone from strength to strength over time, having been extended on a number occasions to now boast more than 400,000 sq ft of retail space.
With over 4,000 employees and more than 21 million items sold annually across 160 stores and 19 food outlets, it’s safe to say Cheshire Oaks stands as the go-to destination in North West.
63% of Brits choose to do shop in-person over online purchases, according to a new national style report recently commissioned by Cheshire Oaks.
You can win a ‘shopping trip of a lifetime’ with a £3,000 budget at Cheshire Oaks / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
So who wouldn’t want an all-expenses-paid shopping trip here then? Thankfully, ahead of its 30th anniversary, Cheshire Oaks has launched a UK-wide birthday competition and you can now get your entries in by simply heading to the outlet mall’s website here and sharing your favourite shopping memories from over the years.
You’ll also need to include experiences of how you’ve shopped with the brand through the years, and share why it’s such as special shopping destination to you.
There’s a number of fantastic prizes available, but of course, the star of the show has to be the fully-paid shopping trip for the winner and two other family members worth £3,000 – with Cheshire Oaks looking to reward fans spanning across three generations of the same family, in-keeping with the brand’s 30 year milestone.
If you aren’t quite lucky enough to bag the top prize, entering means you may be in with a chance of winning a shopping trip led by a professional stylist instead, or perhaps a complimentary family fashion photoshoot to help capture the style stories of three generations.
“As our celebrations continue to mark the brand’s 30th anniversary, we’re excited to hear about the individual style stories from three generations of our customers,” explained Kenny Murray, who is the General Manager at Cheshire Oaks.
“The last three decades has seen us evolve, grow and innovate with the times and we’re delighted to be able to share in the celebrations with our loyal customer base and give something back to those most deserving.”
Daisy Jackson -
14th April 2022 
