Meadowhall to move Christmas attractions to boost 'quiet end' following shop closures
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Insiders at the mega-mall say a ‘Winter Wonderland’ feature will take over the empty TopShop unit on Park Lane next to the former Debenhams.
It marks a shift from previous years when festive activities were on High Street, near the Oasis Dining Quarter and The Arcade.
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Park Lane, traditionally thought of as the ‘posh end’, has been quiet since the closure of a giant Debenhams anchor store, a combined TopShop and TopMan and Miss Selfridge last year.
It led to a string of closures and relocations and today there are about 10 empty units of varying sizes.
They include Neal’s Yard Remedies, snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan’s, Whistles, Printed By Us and Tessuti - which has relocated to High Street.
Park Lane’s quietness - especially in the evening - is in contrast to the other end, High Street, which features Wilko, Ladbrokes and Poundland.
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Hide AdLast year, Meadowhall had a Santa Express Train which set off from the Oasis and daily ’snow flurries’ in the Oasis Courtyard outside.
In 2019, a Christmas Post Room and Santa’s Grotto were in the Upper Arcade.
In February this year centre director Darren Pearce said he was ’90 per cent’ confident of signing occupiers for his two biggest empty units.
And in August, a spokeswoman said talks with a potential occupier for the former Debenhams were ‘progressing well’.
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Hide AdEarlier this month she said they expected to open ‘many more new stores’ before Christmas.
Meadowhall was contacted for comment.