A new Peter Rabbit-themed ‘Secret Garden’ is coming to the Trafford Centre next month, and it’s set to be a “captivating indoor family experience”.
The Beatrix Potter character has been a mainstay of British literature for nearly 120 years, and now the shopping centre’s newest attraction is giving kids the chance to explore a secret garden that brings to life the world of Peter Rabbit, as well as the chance to meet the beloved bunny and all of his friends.
The Peter Rabbit Secret Garden will be at the Trafford Centre from 22 July – 30 August, but what exactly can you expect?
Well, when families arrive on the day, kids will be welcomed by the character of Mrs Rabbit, who needs some help decorating and filling her flower pots and explains that the adventurous Peter has run off to Mr McGregor’s garden.
Mrs Rabbit will ask families if they can go and look for Peter, but are brave enough to sneak past Mr McGregor with a little help from Squirrel Nutkin?
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This “enchanting experience” also includes a wide range of activities for all ages, including flowerpot decorating and seed planting, as well as a Peter Rabbit costume character meet and greet for each family or group – which includes a professional photography opportunity within a charming woodland setting.
That’s not all either, as kids will receive a special treat at the end of their trip, and merchandise and personalised photographs will also be available to purchase too.
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Speaking ahead of Peter Rabbit’s arrival, Zoe Inman – Centre Director at the Trafford Centre – said: “The charming stories of Peter Rabbit are timeless and treasured by all generations, so we’re delighted to be bringing a new indoor summer experience that the whole family will enjoy.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering once again with the Trafford Centre to bring a new summer experience,” added Thomas Merrington, Creative Director at Penguin Ventures.
“Families will love exploring this new installation, especially as they’ll get to meet and greet the official Peter Rabbit costume character at the end.”
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The attraction lets kids explore a secret garden that brings to life the world of Peter Rabbit / Credit: Adrien Welch
Tickets for The Peter Rabbit Secret Garden are now available to get your hands on at £10 for children and £12 for adults, with advanced booking highly recommended.
Relaxed and inclusive sessions will also run every Wednesday at 10am and 4.30pm, featuring smaller groups of visitors and quieter music.
The experience has been designed to comply with current COVID-19 guidelines.
You can find more information via the Trafford Centre website.
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
What's On
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
Manchester’s biggest comedy festival returns this week and you can STILL get tickets
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s most popular comedy festival is back this week, and there’s still time to get tickets if you’re up for a laugh.
That’s right – Laughterama is back in Manchester from today (2 September), and will once again be taking over the iconic Castlefield Bowl in the heart of the city centre for five days of fun.
Thousands of comedy lovers attend Laughterama each year to enjoy countless sell-out stand-up sets, and this year will be no different, as festivalgoers are in for an ‘explosive series of shows‘ from some of the hottest names on the comedy circuit.
Jack Dee, Nick Mohammed, Sara Pascoe, Fern Brady, and Chris McCausland are just some of the famous names on this year’s jam-packed lineup.
They’ll be joined by other big names like Michelle De Swarte, Stewart Lee, Nina Conti, Ivo Graham, Ellis James, and Harriett Kemsley when they all take to the Castlefield Bowl stage over the five-day festival from Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 September.
Some of the other names you can expect are BAFTA nominee Rose Matafeo, stand-up marvel Sarah Keyworth, Plebs and Friday Night Dinner star Tom Rosenthal, and podcast hero John Robbins.
It wouldn’t be Laughterama without some newcomers and breakthrough stars, of course, and on the lineup this year are viral sensation Vittorio Angelone, fast-rising talents Kiran Saggu and Jen Nolan, and BBC New Comedy Award finalist Evaldas Karosas.
Laughterama returns to Manchester later this week, and you still / Credit: Matt Eachus | Supplied
And aside from the comedy, as always, you can expect the very-best eats from Manchester’s street food scene will also be on site to tuck into, as well as an exciting selection of bars serving signature beers, cocktails, and more.
Laughterama 2026 is landing at Castlefield Bowl this week from Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 September, with tickets now on sale at £29 per person.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd June 2021 
