Retail Archives - Page 3 of 6

Madison Draws Her Way To Breakfast With Santa

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Dec 112015

Breakfast with Santa

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

A Rosehearty primary school pupil has used her creative skills to win breakfast with a very special guest for her and her friends.

Madison Louise Stephen, a primary four pupil at Rosehearty School, came out top in Aberdeen shopping centre Bon Accord & St Nicholas’ Breakfast with Santa drawing competition.

Entrants were asked to draw a festive picture to adorn the walls of Santa’s Grotto which is currently present within the Bon Accord mall in the run-up to Christmas.

Madison’s picture was selected as the winner from over 100 entries from pupils throughout Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, with her Christmas time scene being praised by judges.

Her prize, along with a group of her friends, was breakfast with the man himself last Sunday (December 06) at Di Maggio’s Caffe in the Bon Accord mall before Santa started a busy shift meeting other children within the grotto.

Santa’s Grotto will be present within Bon Accord & St Nicholas on weekends December 5-6 and 12-13 from 10am to 4pm as well as each day from December 19 to Christmas Eve. All donations raised from the grotto itself will go to north-east charity CLAN Cancer Support.

Roselynn Birnie, head teacher at Rosehearty School, said:

“The entire school was delighted with Madison’s achievement and I’m sure that she, along with her friends, enjoyed their morning in Santa’s company.

“It’s fantastic that Madison has had her creative skills recognised in this way and she should be very proud of being selected as the winner from over 100 entries. It certainly is a bit of festive good news for everyone associated with Rosehearty School.”

Craig Stevenson, centre manager at Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“I’d like to congratulate Madison for her lovely drawing and I hope she and her friends enjoyed their breakfast with Santa.

“I’d also like to thank all those who entered the competition; the response from pupils from all over Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has really blown us away and they’ve all helped add something special to the grotto within the Bon Accord mall.

“We wanted to help create a bit of festive fun for our loyal shoppers this Christmas and our grotto is an integral part of our centre offering in December. It’s already proved popular with customers so far so I’d encourage you to pay Santa and visit and make sure your name is on his list for the big day itself later this month.”

Located in the upper mall on the Bon Accord centre, admission to Santa’s Grotto is £4.50 and includes a free gift for all those that attended. All proceeds are being donated to CLAN Cancer Support, Bon Accord & St Nicholas’ chosen charity for the year.

For more information and opening days, please visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com

Bon Accord & St Nicholas are at the heart of Aberdeen city centre’s retail sector, offering 840,000 sq ft of prime space and home to around 100 stores. Scotland’s largest Next, Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone store as well as the City’s largest New Look and River Island are among the key retailers.

The centres, which attract an average of 275,000 visitors a week, are owned by BMO Real Estate Partners and managed by specialist retail agency Savills. For further on the centres visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com

Christmas Spirit Arrives At Glen Tanar Estate

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Nov 262015

With thanks to Esther Green, Tricker PR.

A country estate on Royal Deeside is offering stressed out shoppers the perfect antidote to crowded shopping malls – a festive pop-up shop packed full of locally produced Christmas gifts. The store at Glen Tanar Estate, near Aboyne, is also selling Christmas trees and holly wreaths sourced from its very own nursery.

The cosy shop has been created in the Coats Room – a brand new multi-function meeting space within the main estate complex.

The shop opens on November 28 and will stay open until December 22.

It is the second year that Glen Tanar Estate has opened its festive pop-up shop. Estate owner Claire Bruce explains,

“For many years we sold our Christmas trees and holly wreaths down at the nursery, and we would get people making the trip to see us from quite a wide radius.

“When we opened the Coats Rooms late last year, we realised that we could actually use it to add to the festive retail experience and decided to launch the Christmas pop-up shop. It was a huge success and people have been asking for months if we would be opening again this year.

“The feedback we received was really positive, especially about the quality of the products on offer as they were all locally produced and not available anywhere else in the local area.

“We are continually striving to find new and interesting additions to what we offer here at Glen Tanar and we feel that the pop-up shop has been one of the most exciting yet. All we need is for the snow from the weekend to stay and we will be a real winter wonderland.”

This year there are even more local and Scottish gifts to choose from at the pop-up store. Shoppers can expect to find homemade jams, chutney and preserves from Glen Tanar’s own Liz’s Larder label, as well as small accessories and homeware in the estate tweed, including coasters, ties and purses.

There is a large selection of greetings cards, handmade jewellery, biscuits, fudge and Glen Tanar Estate’s own calendar, featuring images of the stunning landscape and wildlife that the glen is famous for.

The Glen Tanar Estate pop-up shop is open seven days a week 9am – 4pm.

Located on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, Glen Tanar Estate is close to Aboyne and is under an hour’s drive from Aberdeen. In addition to walking and cycling trails, it offers outdoor pursuits, Land Rover safaris, bird photography packages, pony trekking and fishing. For further information, visit www.glentanar.co.uk

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Santa Claus Arrives In Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Featured, Information No Responses »

Nov 262015

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

He has made the long journey from the North Pole and is now ready to spread festive magic in Aberdeen.

Santa Claus and his helpers have set up their new home from home in the Bon Accord centre, and their winter wonderland grotto will be open to the public from tomorrow (Saturday November 21).

For the first time in the mall’s history, all proceeds from the winter grotto will be donated to charity partner CLAN Cancer Support, which has helped organise the festive event.

The shopping mall’s support of CLAN is the latest in a host of events and activities that it has completed on behalf of the charity after it selected it as its chosen cause for the year.

Santa will be in his grotto ready to meet children and their families between 10am and 4pm on Saturday (November 20) and Sunday (November 21), as well as November 27-29,December 5-6, 12-13 and 19-24.

Santa’s Grotto – located on the upper mall of the Bon Accord Centre – holds pride of place in a snow filled seasonal scene. Children are invited to visit the centre to meet Santa and receive a gift from the man in red.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“The centre has a fantastic relationship with CLAN and we are delighted that proceeds from our Santa’s Grotto will go towards the invaluable work they carry out throughout the north-east.

“Santa and his elves have been very busy getting ready and are looking forward to meeting families in the run-up to Christmas. At Bon Accord & St Nicholas we work hard to make the festive period an enjoyable one for shoppers in our malls and what better way is there to get into the Yuletide spirit than by visiting Santa.

“Children are already getting involved with helping decorate the grotto’s walls through our festive picture drawing competition, which we have had a great response to. We are all looking forward to what is naturally our busiest time of the year – and we are sure Santa will be the star of the show.”

Colette Backwell, chief executive of CLAN, said:

“Bon Accord & St Nicholas have given us tremendous support this year and we are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with them on Santa’s Grotto.

“The festive season is an exciting and busy time for all of us at CLAN, and we are looking forward to playing our part in helping out at the Santa’s Grotto. I am sure those visiting the grotto in the build-up to Christmas will thoroughly enjoy it.

“We are so grateful to the people of the north-east, who are supportive of our efforts throughout the year, and we hope they take the time to pop along, meet Santa and help us continue our crucial work by making a donation.”

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Musicians Sought For Opening Of New Roof Garden

Articles, Information No Responses »

Sep 252015

With thanks to Paul Smith, Citrus Mix.

The new-look roof garden at the St Nicholas Centre is set to be unveiled with a special event on Saturday, October 3, and acoustic bands and singer/songwriters are sought to ensure the opening strikes the right chord.

Business organisation Aberdeen Inspired and Bon Accord & St Nicholas are on the lookout for acts to play acoustically within the area’s bandstand at the family friendly event to help form a programme of entertainment to welcome guests to the garden in style.

Plans for the roof garden were announced earlier this year, with over £200,000 in funding secured for the project, including support from Aberdeen Inspired, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Forward, Aberdeen Greenspace, Bon Accord & St Nicholas, Atkins and Creative Core.

The area has been earmarked for a number of additions in an effort to encourage more people to use the city space on a regular basis. At its heart will be a children’s play area, with environmental charity Aberdeen Forward committing £25,000 to this section of the garden.

Craig Stevenson (pictured), manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“We’re busy finalising plans for a family friendly event on October 3 which will officially relaunch the new roof garden and we want music to be a big part of the day.

“We’re looking for any acoustic acts – both singer-songwriters and bands – to join us to play a set within the garden’s revamped bandstand. We want the day to be a real celebration of the work that has gone into the space over the last couple of months as well as a chance to showcase the space to its most important stakeholders – the people who will use it on a regular basis.

“This is a space for the local community to enjoy and we want as many people as possible to get involved with its re-opening. If you have any ideas for performances, food stalls or other types of entertainment, then we’d be delighted to hear from you.”

Interested acts are asked to get in touch with The Roof Garden team on theroofgardenabz@gmail.com. Further details on the garden’s opening event will be announced in due course.

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Name Sought For Part Of New Roof Garden

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Sep 182015

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus Mix

A competition has been launched for primary school pupils in Aberdeen to get involved with the relaunch of a popular city centre greenspace.

Plans for the roof garden near the St Nicholas Centre were announced earlier this year, with over £200,000 in funding secured for the project, including support from Aberdeen Inspired, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Forward, Aberdeen Greenspace, Bon Accord & St Nicholas, Atkins and Creative Core.

The area has been earmarked for a number of additions in an effort to encourage more people to use the city space on a regular basis.

At the heart of the space will be a children’s play area, with environmental charity Aberdeen Forward committing £25,000 to this section of the garden. Business organisation Aberdeen Inspired, along with shopping centre Bon Accord & St Nicholas are looking for the help of schools from across the city to come up with a name for what will be the focal point of the garden.

The revamp is set to be unveiled on October 3 at a family friendly open day, where the winning name for the play area will also be announced and marked with a special plaque.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“Work on the roof garden continues to gather pace and we really are delighted with the feedback we’ve received since we announced we were coming together with a range of partners to enhance what is a popular space in the heart of Aberdeen’s city centre.

“With the play area being a new addition, we want to involve as many local primary schools as possible in a competition to come up with a name for this aspect of the space. We’ll be sending information packs to every primary school in the city and we’d be delighted if a class managed to take some time out and put forward a couple of suggestions.

“The winner will be picked in advance of the opening in October and the victorious class will be invited down to the event to help play a part in officially opening it. It’s a chance for a school to be an integral part of a greenspace that is set to serve the community and its visitors for years to come.”

Alongside the children’s play area, vastly improved, modern lighting is also set to be installed to create a safe and welcoming area for families and individuals to enjoy.

An impressive array of wildflowers and plants are also set to breathe new life into the existing planters, with 18 flowerbeds in total aiming to enhance the area’s green space. Improved seating, including provision for picnics, is also part of the plans.

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said:

“The roof garden enhancement continues to move forward and we’re pleased with how things are shaping up; you can really notice a difference already to the aesthetic of the space.

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with a number of city centre businesses and organisations and this legacy project is a working example of how a joint project approach within Aberdeen can come together to the benefit of the wider city.

“The schools competition adds another element to the project as, with the new play area set to be a main focus of the garden, we are keen to let as many youngsters as possible know about the plans for the space. We want to help create a buzz of excitement in advance of the work being completed and I look forward to reading through the suggestions that are submitted.”

Interested schools that would like to take part in the play area naming competition are asked to contact The Roof Garden team on theroofgardenabz@gmail.com. Further details on the garden’s opening event will be announced in due course.

Picture Credit: “Inside the Bon Accord centre – geograph.org.uk – 1241608” by Stanley Howe. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Force Friday Arrives At Disney Store In Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Sep 072015

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

The force was strong at Bon Accord & St Nicholas on Friday as north-east Star Wars fans were able to get their hands on the official merchandise of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens film.

The Disney Store within Bon Accord & St Nicholas opened at 8am as part of the Force Friday global launch of merchandise for the highly anticipated film.

Wannabe Jedis snapped up the range of new toys, books, clothing and other products as Disney give eager fans a glimpse into the film which is set for release in December this year.

The Disney Store will continue its Star Wars theme this Saturday and Sunday, offering free Jedi training experiences for children, along with various giveaways to welcome the countdown to the film’s launch in style.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be the first film in the planned trilogy after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in October 2012 and will star British actor and actress John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

Craig Stevenson, manager at Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“The Disney Store has always been popular with shoppers at the Bon Accord mall and the addition of Star Wars to its product range will increase this even further.

“There was a real buzz of excitement this morning when the shop welcomed the first customers through its doors and with the free Jedi training for children and other giveaways taking place this weekend, it’s shaping up to be a must-visit for all north-east Star Wars fans.”

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas Celebrates Birthday In Style

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 282015

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

Thousands of shoppers came together at the weekend to celebrate a city centre shopping mall’s 25th birthday.
Bon Accord & St Nicholas celebrated the milestone on Saturday (August 22) with a day of fun filled events that saw staff, both old and new, retailers and visitors step back to the 90s to mark the anniversary.

Visitors flocked to the Bon Accord mall to join in the fun, with a pop-up 90s museum, retro games, competitions, and a throwback to the fashion of the times proving popular.

The party atmosphere continued throughout the weekend, with 90s films and music being played, helping visitors gain a glimpse of what life was like when the centre was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in August, 1990.

This weekend’s Celebrate Aberdeen event also rolled into the centre, with performances from the Tranquillity Wild West re-enactment group, Create Rock Choir, Sweet Adelines barbershop choir and folk singer Iona Fyfe adding to the celebratory atmosphere.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“We’ve had a fantastic weekend and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who visited us over the two days. The mall was a buzz of excitement and it was great to see so many help us celebrate our 25th birthday in style.

“The retro arcade games proved really popular with visitors, so much so that we’re keeping them within the mall for the next week. The Celebrate Aberdeen weekend also added something extra to our line-up of activities and there really was something for everyone.

“It’s not every day a shopping centre turns 25 and I think that we’ve definitely managed to mark this milestone in style. Bon Accord & St Nicholas remains at the heart of the city’s retail scene and we’ll look to continue to develop and innovate to ensure that this remains the case in the coming years.

The centre’s celebrations will continue throughout September, with a number of the retro arcade games and parts of the exhibition being present in the mall across the coming weeks. For more information, please visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com

Bon Accord & St Nicholas Celebrate 25th Birthday

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 212015

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

A city centre shopping mall will be stepping back to the 90s this weekend as it comes together with its shoppers to celebrate its 25th birthday.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas will celebrate the milestone this Saturday (August 22) with a day of fun filled events that will see staff, both old and new, retailers and visitors mark the anniversary.

Within the Bon Accord mall itself will be a pop-up 90s museum, with two 1990 Minis, along with a pinball machine and Street Fighter arcade game providing the focal point of the exhibition.

Visitors will also be able to get a glimpse into the fashion trends from days gone by, as well as a look back to some of the most iconic football kits from the time, including a range of Aberdeen FC tops and Scotland’s World Cup kit from 1998.

A host of 90s films will also be shown on a big screen throughout the weekend, with 90s songs, pop up celebrity cut outs as well as a host of competitions and prizes completing the retro event.

The mall will also be a venue in support of the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend which is taking place this weekend at various locations across the city centre.

It will host performances from the Tranquillity Wild West re-enactment group, Create Rock Choir, Sweet Adelines barbershop choir and folk singer Iona Fyfe at various times over both Saturday and Sunday.

The Bon Accord mall was officially opened in August 1990, by Her Majesty the Queen and has been at the heart of Aberdeen’s retail scene ever since. Throughout the last 25 years, it has continued to grow and innovate and is currently home to Scotland’s largest Next as well as the city’s only Topshop and Topman standalone stores. It most recently added leading brands Jigsaw and JoJo Maman Bebe to its line-up.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“Over the last few weeks, we’ve been working hard to finalise a programme of events that really will come together to help mark our 25th birthday in style.

“From Mini cars, to a Spiderman pinball machine, 90s films and even live performances from some of the city’s most popular acts, we’ve got so much for all the family to enjoy this weekend and we’re looking forward to taking people back in time.

“So much has changed since the Bon Accord mall officially opened in 1990 and it’s not every day that a shopping centre celebrates its 25th birthday. I’d like to invite all our loyal visitors and staff to join us for a day of celebration and we look forward to welcoming you along this weekend.”

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas Looks Back In Time

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 132015

Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

A city centre shopping mall is looking to take shoppers on a trip down memory lane as part of its 25th birthday celebrations next month.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas will celebrate the milestone on August 22 with a day of special events that will see staff, both old and new, retailers and its visitors come together to mark the anniversary.

As part of these celebrations, the centre is appealing for help from local businesses, collectors and museums as it aims to install a pop-up 90s museum in the heart of the Bon Accord mall.

It is hoped that the focal point of the mini exhibition will be a range of 90s cars which will be on display on the big day in August.

To accompany this, the centre is on the hunt for quality pieces of 90s memorabilia that will help create a look back to life as it was when the centre was first opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1990.

From sporting memorabilia, to music collections, computer games and clothes, it is hoped that a selection of iconic pieces will be present to allow shoppers to reminisce about times gone by.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“We’ve been thinking of various ways that we can mark our 25^th birthday next month and we’ve decided to try and bring a bit of the 90s back to the Bon Accord mall to highlight the special milestone.

“We often speak to shoppers who have been visiting us for the good part of the last 25 years and many regularly mention shops they remember. From nipping into Woolworths for a pick and mix to visiting C&A, there is always a warmness shown towards looking back on what was within the centres before.

“With this in mind, we want to create something that gets people thinking back to the time when we opened and we think the pop-up museum will help do just that. We’re delighted that Alford Transport Museum has donated the car towards the exhibition and we’re looking for help from any specialist collectors, museums or businesses which may have items that could sit within the display.

“From football memorabilia to collections of 90s fashion, games and music, we’d be really interested to hear from you.”

Throughout the last 25 years, the centre has continued to innovate and grow to where it stands today. Currently home to a number of the UK’s leading retail brands, the Bon Accord mall includes Scotland’s largest Next as well as Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone stores.

At the heart of its future development are expansive plans to create a new leisure hub within the centres. At the core of the blueprint is a proposed 28,000 sq ft cinema complex and seven new restaurants totalling 30,000 sq ft.

Those interested in donating items or a collection to Bon Accord & St Nicholas, please contact the centre on 01224 647470 or email Customer.services@bonaccordcentre.com

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Last Piece In Place As Jigsaw Opens New Store

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 072015

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

One of the UK’s most iconic fashion brands has welcomed the first shoppers to its new store within Bon Accord & St Nicholas.

Jigsaw clothing has opened its first dedicated outlet in the north-east, giving shoppers visiting the Bon Accord mall the opportunity to browse its full range of stylish women’s clothing.

The fashion company, which has been a mainstay of the British high street since 1969, has over 40 stores throughout the UK and is the latest addition to Bon Accord & St Nicholas as the centre prepares to celebrate its 25th birthday later this month.

The popular mall was opened in 1990 by Her Majesty the Queen and has since cemented itself as a main stay of Aberdeen’s retail scene.

Currently home to a number of the UK’s leading retail brands, the Bon Accord mall is also home to Scotland’s largest Next, as well as Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone stores.

Craig Stevenson, manager of Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“The opening of the Jigsaw store within the Bon Accord mall is a fantastic addition to the centre’s retail offering and we’re delighted to welcome one of the country’s most established and respected brands to the city.

“The opening is timely as we prepare to celebrate the centre’s 25th birthday and I’m sure it’s addition will be warmly received by our shoppers. The store’s design has a unique look and feel about it and will further enhance our ground floor line-up as a go-to fashion destination.”

Peter Ruis, chief executive of Jigsaw, added:

“We are delighted to have arrived in Aberdeen, a long held ambition for the brand and in response to many requests from loyal Jigsaw customers. We have created a bespoke store that reflects all the confidence of the modern Jigsaw and reflects the proud values of the local area. In partnership with Bon Accord, and their ambitious plans around the future of the centre, we look forward to welcoming customers for decades to come.”

The centres, which attract an average of 270,000 visitors a week, are owned by BMO Real Estate Partners and managed by specialist retail agency Savills. For further on the centres visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com.

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Older Entries Newer Entries