News & Events
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Half Term Fun
Posted on 21st Feb 2012
This half term The Merrion Centre had lots going on, with Free face painting for the kids, craft workshops for everyone and Cake decorating! Leeds College of Art came and provided workshops for Adults and Children!
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Valentines Day Cupids and Competition Winner
Posted on 21st Feb 2012
Cupid was spreading the love this Valentines Day in the Merrion Centre with lots of fun with Free face painting for kids and free chocolates for everyone!!
Winning our competition Charlotte Howarth winning Chocolates and flowers courtesy of Daydreamers flowers and Thorntons.
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VALENTINES LEAP TRADE FAIR AT THE MERRION CENTRE
Posted on 14th Feb 2012
The Valentines Leap Trade Fair was held at the Merrion Centre on the 4th February 2012. There were 22 stalls which were run by students from a range of schools and colleges based in Leeds and Harrogate.
The stalls sold a range of products including chocolates, jewellery, fudge, soap, chutney and phone gadgets.
Each of the students had to raise their own share capital, choose and make or buy a product, write a business plan and market the product. The Best Trade Stand was judged on its presentation and marketing.
In first place Embrace, second place was Delicious and third place was Miss Monroe.
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Valentine’s Day treats and half term fun at the Merrion Centre next week
Posted on 09th Feb 2012
Love is in the air next week at The Merrion Centre in Leeds with cupids dishing out chocolates to shoppers on Valentine’s Day.
Love is in the air next week at The Merrion Centre in Leeds with cupids dishing out chocolates to shoppers on Valentine’s Day.
There will also be a prize draw to win a special Valentine’s gift for a loved one, packed with chocolates and flowers courtesy of Thornton’s and Daydreamer flowers.
It’s also half term so the rest of the week will be devoted to free activities for children from 11am – 3pm including face painting, card and craft workshops on 16th, cup cake decorating on 17th and a chance to see and touch birds of prey, reptiles and snakes on Saturday 18thFebruary.Grown-ups can also get creative on 16th and 17th when the Leeds College of Arts will be holding free workshops in the centre.
Merrion Centre Manager, Andrew Stringer said: “We couldn’t let the most romantic day of the year pass without marking it in some way with free giveaways, prize draw and great entertainment all week. With half term here, we’ve laid on free activities which always prove popular. In addition having the Leeds College of Arts here for the first time is great and we hope people will take part and discover new talents.”
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Valentines Day and Half Term Events at The Merrion Centre!
Posted on 04th Feb 2012
Cupid will be pointing his arrow towards The Merrion Shopping Centre this Valentine’s Day with entertainment and a great hamper to be won for romantics of all ages.
Romance and chocolates will be plentiful on Valentines Day with “real” Cupids who will be here to spread the love around the Merrion Shopping Centre. You will also be in with a chance to win a lovely hamper courtesy of Thorntons Chocolate, Daydreamer Flowers, Paper Kisses and Bayliffe and Lupton.
For the rest of the half term week there will be loads of FREE activity and entertainment for kids and adults.
For the KIDS - between 11am - 3pm
14th, 15th, 16th, 17th - FREE Facepainting fun for kids
16th - Craft and Cardmaking workshop for kids sponsored by Fabrication
17th - Cup Cake Decorating workshop for kids
18th - Come and see your favorite wild birds, reptiles and snakes at the MerrionFor the ADULTS - between 10am - 4pm
16th & 17th - Adult Art workshops with the Leeds College of Arts
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Fabrication Launch Night - Wednesday 1st Feb
Posted on 01st Feb 2012
Fabrication is holding a launch night for the public on Wednesday 1st Feb 2012
Come along from 5.30 - 8pm and find out all about the classes held during the day and at weekends. Lessons include traditional craft skills from basic sewing, dress making, leather work, crochet and patchwork to more advanced sessions. This term there’s also a range of wedding classes from bridal lingerie to making wedding favours, fascinators, corsages, ruffles, bows, flowers, hair and make-up.
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Super League Champions Leeds Rhinos unveil their New away kit for the 2012 season
Posted on 30th Jan 2012
Super League Champions Leeds Rhinos have unveiled their new away kit for the 2012 season with the club retaining the popular pink alternative design that was so well received by supporters last season.
The club revealed the new design to supporters on their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/leedsrhinosofficial with a lighter shade for the new season as part of a pink and grey bands across the shirt.
The kit went on sale on Saturday 28th January at 9am at both the club stores at Headingley Carnegie and the Merrion Centre.
Rising Rhinos stars Ward and winger Jamel Chisholm were at the Merrion Centre Store from 12.30pm until 1.30pm signing autographs and getting their photos taken with their fans.
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New craft shop at the Merrion Centre offers creative classes
Posted on 27th Jan 2012
Fabrication Crafts Ltd, a social-enterprise set up three years ago to provide a workspace for designers and crafts people, has found a permanent home on the Georgian Mall at the Merrion Centre in Leeds city centre.
As well as offering a wide range of classes for individuals who want to learn a new skill and groups such as hen and birthday parties, Fabrication also works with Leeds City Council to run weekly classes for adults with learning difficulties and other community groups.
In addition to the classes, Fabrication also showcases and sells work by local craftspeople, designers and makers including clothing, lingerie, artwork, soaps, jewellery, homewares and leather goods. The makers contribute to the running of the shop allowing customers to meet the people who designed the goods they buy. The shop, which opens on 1st February, will be open from 10 – 5.30pm Monday – Saturday and 11am – 4.30pm on Sundays.
Classes are held during the day and at weekends, as well as a monthly Craft Club. Lessons include traditional craft skills from basic sewing, dress making, leather work, crochet and patchwork to more advanced sessions. This term there’s also a range of wedding classes from bridal lingerie to making wedding favours, fascinators, corsages, ruffles, bows, flowers, hair and make-up.Fabrication founder and owner, Dawn Wood, who is a tailor and designer said
“We’re a unique enterprise in Leeds, and since we established in 2008, have run hundreds of classes from everything from T-Shirt painting to making your own wedding dress. The recession has created a make do and mend culture, so learning craft skills has never been more popular as people revamp and recycle old clothes and jewellery or make gifts for friends and family. The shop runs alongside our classes and gives craftspeople and designer the opportunity to sell their work while offering shoppers the chance to buy one-off pieces that make lovely, affordable presents. ”
“We have found the hen party activities particularly popular. They allow groups of girls, who may have travelled from all over the country, to bond over bath bombs, pink fizz and chocolate cake, before heading out on the town in the evening.”
Helen Beckett, Associate Director at Town Centre Securities who own and manage the Merrion Centre said:
“This is a fantastic social enterprise that offers a range of fun activities that enable people to develop skills and be self-sufficient no matter what their ability. They also offer a shop window to makers, designers and crafters whose micro businesses would never otherwise have a presence in such a prominent city centre location. This business also complements another popular Merrion Centre tenant, Craft Wise, which is one of the biggest suppliers of craft materials in the UK and is opening a new shop on Wade Lane next month. ”
Hen party activities are for up to 12 people and a three hour session costs from £25 per person including champagne and cake. The bespoke session can be tailored to suit the group and any of the workshops can be adapted to suit the theme of the event including vintage hair and make-up and burlesque dancing.
To enquire or book classes or to arrange Hen Party activities call 0113 243 9140 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). For information on classes and activities offered by Fabrication visit www.fabric-ation.co.uk.
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Top arts and crafts suppliers secures new unit at the Merrion Centre
Posted on 11th Jan 2012
Craft Wise Ltd, one of the largest independent craft suppliers in the UK and a long-standing tenant at the Merrion Centre, will open a new store next month (February 2012).
In the immediate future the company will also be running its on-line business from this new base. As well as its own online shop Craft Wise also successfully sells through Amazon and Ebay.
The family-owned business, that sells a full range of arts and crafts products, has been based at the Merrion Centre since it was established in 1989 and relocated from Woodhouse Lane to the Merrion Market four years ago. The new shop is in a 2, 000 sq ft newly refurbished unit at the junction of Merrion Street and Wade Lane.
As well as card making supplies, plaster casting and an extensive range of children’s crafts, Craft Wise stock all crafts from needlework to candlemaking, glass painting to soft toy making.
Town Centre Securities (TCS), who own and manage the Merrion Centre, have helped Craft Wise relocate from the market following the refurbishment of the Merrion Street and Wade Lane frontages of the shopping centre.
Craft Wise’s owner, Andrew Haddock, said
“We’re very grateful to Town Centre Securities for their support in helping us relocate. As one of the most comprehensive independent craft supplier’s in the UK, we are a destination retailer with a loyal customer base. By expanding into this higher profile unit we hope to attract an even wider clientele and inspire many more people to be creative. We have a wide customer base from architectural students through to those young and old who enjoy creative past-times. Independent retailers like us give the high street much needed colour and character and offer a personal, friendly service that the larger retailers often find harder to deliver. We look forward to welcoming customers old and new when we open our doors next month.”
“We also have a very successful on-line shop and also sell through Amazon and Ebay, which allows us to sell our products all around the UK. We’ll continue to manage this side of our business from the new unit in the immediate future.” Mr Haddock added.
Helen Beckett, Associate Director at Town Centre Securities said:
“Craft Wise is one of our most long-standing tenants and it’s great to see them expand into this newly refurbished unit in a more prominent location. Our units on Merrion Street and Wade Lane have been significantly upgraded, giving the shopping centre, and the street outside, a much smarter and more attractive appearance. To have a good mix of local independents such as Craft Wise positioned right next to high street names such as KFC and Coral undoubtedly gives the Merrion Centre its unique character. I’m delighted that once again we’ve been able to play a crucial role in the evolution of the Craft Wise business. One of the great benefits of a shopping centre as large and diverse as ours is its ability to adapt to our tenants and customers, and respond to their changing needs and requirements as their business develops.”
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Merrion Centre reports strong Christmas performance
Posted on 11th Jan 2012
In the run up to Christmas, the Merrion Centre in Leeds city centre experienced increased visitor numbers compared to 2010
. Visitor numbers since October have shown an encouraging increase on last year with over 900,000 shoppers visiting the centre during December, an increase of 7.6% per cent on the previous year.
Andrew Stringer, Centre Manager at the Merrion Centre said: “We are really pleased with how we performed last month. This in part was due to a great deal of festive activity and entertainment in the centre including a free Santa’s grotto which was visited by thousands of children and the i-pad competition which attracted two thousand entrants. This year we have an even busier and varied calendar of events and promotions for our customers to enjoy. ”
Store manager Mike Green from Yorkshire Linen, a local family based company founded in 1993, said: “Trade was extremely encouraging over Christmas and it was certainly an improvement on the previous year.”
Store Manager, Sarah Holmes from Superdrug said: “Trade was good and we experienced like for like sales over the Christmas period, which was encouraging in the current economic climate.”
For more information on the Merrion Centre visit www.merrioncentre.co.uk and for more information on TCS visit www.tcs-plc.com.
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