Shopping

Massive queues form in Manchester Arndale with Beauty Bay giving out loads of freebies

They're handing out free skincare and make-up.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 28th September 2023

Popular skincare and make-up retailer Beauty Bay has parked up in the Manchester Arndale for the weekend, handing out loads of freebies.

There’s already a huge queue forming for the first day of its ‘Haul of Fame’ event, which will run until Sunday 1 October.

Shoppers can grab freebies including skincare and eyeshadow palettes from the pop-up space outside Next.

Beauty Bay has built three separate stations to interact with, showcasing some of the star brands sold on their website.

At the Sol de Janeiro section, you can smell their range of body mists, then vote for your favourite by placing a ball in the corresponding tube, to win a free sample.

Sol de Janeiro is the brand behind the cult favourite moisturiser Brazilian Bum Bum Cream.

Beauty Bay’s own make-up brand, By Beauty Bay, is next, where you draw on the wall your hero beauty product and in exchange, receive one of their cult eyeshadow palettes.

And finally, wildly popular American skincare brand Bubble Skincare – brought to the UK for the first time by Beauty Bay – is in situ with more free products.

Beauty Bay has a pop-up at Manchester Arndale this weekend
Beauty Bay has a pop-up at Manchester Arndale this weekend. Credit: The Manc Group
Beauty Bay’s Arndale pop-up showcases Sol De Janeiro, By Beauty Bay, and Bubble Cosmetics. Credit: The Manc Group
Brands include their own make-up range By Beauty Bay
Brands include their own make-up range By Beauty Bay. Credit: The Manc Group

Shoppers can spin the wheel to win a mini bottle, or the chance to play hook-a-duck with a bathtub filled with other items.

Beauty Bay is normally online-only with no physical stores, so their Arndale pop-up is a chance for shoppers to actually get to grips with their vast range of products.

The pop-up is running in tandem today with the MCR Student Social, a massive event organised by Manchester Arndale and Manchester BID.

There’s live entertainment, competitions, games and experiences joining the huge discounts available all across the city centre.

There’ll be discounts of up to 30% off in more than 120 stores for students within the Manchester Arndale and across the city centre, including Levi’s, Harvey Nichols, River Island, Monki, JD, Mango, Superdry, Kick Game, Jack & Jones, Office and Schuh.

On top of that, hospitality venues including Urban Playground (where you can have a go at ITV’s hit show The Cube), Immersive Gamebox, Archie’s, Krispy Kreme, Pizza Hut and Barburrito will have up to 50% off.

You can visit the Beauty Bay pop-up in the Manchester Arndale until Sunday.

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Credit: The Manc Group

Shopping

Opening date for Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store in Manchester announced

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Primark Home

The opening date of Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store here in Manchester has been announced.

In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced earlier last month that our region had been chosen as the first place to get a dedicated Primark Home store.

Following the opening of its debut Home location in Belfast, Primark went on to confirm that the home of its first ever Great Britain site will be here in Greater Manchester – arriving at the popular Trafford Palazzo this summer.

The 11,900 sq ft, two-floor store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof.

Manchester shoppers can discover an expanded range of homeware and lifestyle essentials to give their home the glow-up it deserves, including high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels, soft furnishings, small furniture, and quirky ceramics.

The new store will feature Primark’s recently-launched ‘Edit’ – an elevated collection of home products such as chic tableware, plush towels, and luxury home fragrances.

It will also include a dedicated Travel Shop to help customers get holiday-ready all year round, with a range of stylish and practical travel essentials.

Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer / Credit: Primark Corporate

The addition of the new Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo doesn’t mean that any of the other Primark shops across Greater Manchester will be going anywhere though, so shoppers can still continue to get their Primark fix at the main Trafford Palazzo store, as well as on Market Street in Manchester city centre, and right through to the boroughs in places like Bolton, Oldham, Bury, and Wigan.

“The opening of Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo is an incredibly exciting moment for us,” commented Mark Whittaker, who is the Managing Director at Peel Retail and Leisure. 

“Not only because we are the first destination in Great Britain to do so, but the opening is going to be adding a leading concept to our already unique mixture of immersive shopping and leisure experiences.

“Primark Home will have something for everyone, and we look forward to the store opening in summer.”

The store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof / Credit: Primark Corporate

Ceara Doyle, who is the Store Manager at Primark Trafford Palazzo, added: “It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing the Primark Home concept to Trafford, and I know there’s already lots of anticipation locally for opening day.

“We’re busy working behind the scenes to bring the new space to life, alongside a refresh of our main Trafford store, and we can’t wait to welcome shoppers through the doors.”

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Primark Home store will officially be opening down at Trafford Palazzo on Friday 29 August, and launch day plans are set to be announced it due course so keep your eyes peeled.

Featured Image – Primark Corporate

Shopping

Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever music festival

Danny Jones Danny Jones CLINTS streetwear festival Manchester info

Popular Manchester street and footwear brand, Clints Inc., has now revealed the lineup for its first-ever music and culture festival to mark five whole years in fashion – and it’s looking big.

The highly sought-after clothing and sneaker make started out from a bedroom in Moston and is now a premium label in British urban, skating, UK grime and hip-hop culture, having been worn by many famous names and welcoming even more through the door of their Deansgate shop.

Located in the ABC Buildings on Quay Street next to Spinningfields, the flagship Clints store opened back in 2022 and is much more than a place to buy some new drip: it’s a place that showcases art, music, and a whole sub-sect of shopping beyond just skate silhouettes and trendy trainers.

As hack as it might sound to some, wearing this brand comes along with immersing yourself in the wider style and scene; the very same scene being celebrated in tandem with their fifth birthday.

Up until recently, details were still scarce, but now the debut Clints Fest lineup has dropped, and there are some big names on board.

Set to take place at Barton Aerodrome, a.k.a. City Airport, over in Eccles, the live performers confirmed for 2025 span multiple genres, spotlighting both music veterans and up-and-coming artists from all over.

Legendary DJ, producer and MC Mike Skinner – most famously for his music with The Streets – tops the bill, alongside Tottenham-born rapper and grime artist, Chip (formerly known as ‘Chipmunk’).

There’s plenty of local love on show too, with Manchester R’n’B, jazz and soul singer, Victoria Jane, also set to perform, among many other acts from around the region and beyond.

Other names include the equally soulful hip-hop and rap star, Kofi Stone, as well as fellow Manc and rising DJ, Sammy V, plus plenty more.

On the launch of the event, Founder Junior Clint said: “We’ve built Clints on the back of our supporters embracing the DIY spirit. This festival is the ultimate expression of that ethos. Housing both music legends with upcoming artists is our ambition with Clints Fest, and we can’t wait to deliver it.”

mike skinner
Mike Skinner
who is playing clints fest 2025?
Chip, formerly known as Chipmunk
Credit: Simon Crompton Reid/John V Edwards (via Wikimedia Commons)

Clints Fest (the inaugural one, at that) will take place on Saturday, 6 September, over in the Salford suburb of Barton-upon-Irwell, kicking off from 12pm and wrapping up around 10:30pm. 

You can expect the festival to be packed to the rafters with die-hard followers of all things Clints and streetwear; here’s hoping this is just the first of many.

While the pre-sale and the first phase window for early access have both fully sold out, the second phase has now gone live, with general admission tickets available from £45.

You can grab yours HERE.

clints manchester shop
clints inc.
manchester streetwear
Credit: The Manc Group

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/CLINTS Inc (via Instagram)

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