Have a go at our Summer Treasure Hunt and you could bag yourself one of 100+ prizes including £250 worth of shopping vouchers, a portable dvd player, a LCD television, Nintendo DS, a meal for two or a fabulous new hair style & treatment.

Simply pick up a treasure map from the Ridings Customer Services desk or any of the stores in the centre from 1st August and using the clues look out for the bucket and spade in store windows.  Once you have all the clues, post your entry in the competition box at The Ridings Customer Services Desk before 14th August.

You can also join in the Treasure Hunt fun on Saturday 7th August when Real Radio's Patrol Team will be in the centre to hand out treasure maps with their mascot Barry.

So remember we have 100+ prizes to be won including:

• £250 worth of shopping vouchers
• Panasonic portable dvd player from Perfect Home
• 19" LCD television from Argos
• £80 Marks & Spencer vouchers
• £50 Bank Fashion vouchers
• Nintendo DS from Argos
• £50 Beaverbrooks vouchers
• Meal for two with wine at Ruby Lou's
• Goodmans karaoke machine from Argos
• Original Steiff teddy bear from Past Times
• 5 family suncare packs from Boots
• Luxury cut, blow dry and hair treatment with head massage at Hair Express
• £25 gift voucher for Azuri
• Ben 10 child's bike from Argos
• MP3 player from Argos
• Five £20 Primark giftcards
• £20 gift voucher for Mojo
• Philips hair straighteners
• Black and white identity watches
• £20 Hype voucher
• Lego Star Wars
• Selection of books from Waterstones
• £20 Dorothy Perkins giftcard
• Five goody bags from Claire's Accessories
• Complimentary Burger King meals
• Foot massager
• £10 gift voucher from Labels
• Body Shop gift set
• Hair cut, blow dry & luxury treatment at Supercuts
• Yankee Candel gift set from Peter Jones
• Gift set from Ann Summers
• Babyliss Hairdryer
• Key ring & pen from Timpsons
• Five complimentary breakfast meals at Cafe Select
• XBox games from Morrisons
• Giftcards from  WH Smith, Topshop, Evans and Boots
• Free Dine for £10 meal from Marks & Spencer

Good luck and happy hunting!

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Each Friday throughout August, the Ridings Shopping Centre invites families to learn about some interesting creatures as the centre plays host to animals including monitor lizards, baby skunks and gophers.

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THE FORCE is coming.......to The Ridings this Spring Bank Holiday from Saturday 29 May - Saturday 5 June.

Star Wars Week will see the shopping centre transformed into a galaxy far, far away when it is invaded with intergalactic characters from George Lucas' epic film series. Plus there will be a chance to see a display of original props, models, vehicles and costumes from the entire saga.

So it's lightsabers at the ready and watch this SPACE for further information on the full week's events.

 

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The Ridings Shopping Centre is celebrating after winning a commendation certificate in the best refurbishmen category at Wakefield Civic Society's 2010 Annual Design Awards.

The centre won the commendation for it's recent £2.5m refurbishment, which included the installation of stylish, glass fronted entrances, two new state-of-the-art central lifts, two new mall cafes and a whole raft of interior cosmetic works.

Wakefield Deputy Mayor, Councillor Tony Wallis, presented Ridings Centre Co-ordinator, Eileen Holroyd with the certificate infront of a large audience of Civic Society members, guests and nominees at Bishopgarth, the West Yorkshire Police Training Centre.

The Wakefield Civiv Society is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the built heritage of the city.  

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KAPOW!  The Ridings promises to kill boredom this Half Term with a host of well known hearthrobs and superheroes that are sure to add action and adventure and even make your heart PANG!

From Saturday 13 to Saturday 20 February visitors to The Ridings will find themselves shopping with the likes of Spiderman, Lara Croft or even Cinderella and her very own Prince Charming.

Look out for the following daily appearances between 11am and 3.30pm:

Sat 13 Feb    James Bond Living Statue

Sun 14 Feb    Indiana Jones Look-alike

Mon 15 Feb   Superman

Tues 16 Feb   Spiderman

Wed 17 Feb   Cinderella & Prince Charming on Stilts

Thur 18 Feb    Johnny Depp Look-alike

Fri 19 Feb      Sleeping Beauty

Sat 20 Feb     Lara Croft

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Ridings shopper, Mrs Terri Rumgay of Durkar, will be watching all the top movies and television programmes this Christmas on a brand new, state-of-the-art flat screen LCD TV after scooping first prize in the shopping Centre's grand Christmas draw.

Not only has Terri won a fabulous new tv kindly donated by Argos, one of the major retailers in The Ridings, but she also takes home a matching DVD player.

"I was so shocked when I got the call from Arogos that I had to ring up myself just to double check I really was the winner and it wasn't just a joke", said Terri who had been looking to make the switch from an analogue to digital television.

"We've always wanted a flat screen television and this is just a dream come true", she added.

The competition, which featured in The Ridings Centre's Christmas magazine was extremely popular with Argos receiving hundreds of entry forms. 

Mrs Terri Rumgay is pictured with Argos sales assistant, Caroline Leonard.

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Come along and celebrate the start of Christmas on Saturday 7 November when we turn our fabulous new lights on.

A fun filled programme of family entertainment starts at 11.30am with an eye catching parade of festive characters including Frosty the Snowman, Jack Frost and the Snow Queen, Minty the Polar Bear and two walking snowballs.  Funky jazz percussionists, The Ski Band, will lead the parade before dance troupe, Fusion, take to the stage for some energetic festive routines at 11am, 2pm, 1pm and 2pm.

Santa will be arriving at 3pm for the official countdown to the Light Switch On, which is followed by Santa's showtime.

Commenting on the event, Marketing Manager, Pippa Farrington said:

"Our Light Switch On event is such a wonderful day for shoppers and retailers to come together and celebrate the true magic of Christmas".

 

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Congratulations go to the two lucky winners, who entered competitions in The Ridings Summer 09 magazine.

Melanie Bollen, 37 years of Wakefield can now look forward to a year of free hairdressing appointment's at Hair Express in The Ridings Centre. 

Meanwhile Suzanne Stead, 32 years, of Ackworth will be able to treat herself to a new summer wardrobe with the £300 worth of Top Shop, River Island and Marks & Spencer vouchers.

To all those who entered but didn't win this time, please don't lose heart as we shall be running a competition in our Winter Magazine, which comes out at the beginning of November and who knows, next time it could be you!

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The Ridings Customer Services Team will be vying with five others for the coveted title of Shopping Centre Customer Services Team of the Year at the prestigious national SCEPTRE Awards to be held at a ceremony at the Dorchester in London.

The Sceptre Awards recognise the best practice and the best people in the shopping centre industry.  Over the past 10 years, the Sceptre Awards have put the spotlight on mangement teams, individuals, retailers and suppliers that demonstrate real excellence.

The Ridings Customer Services Team has been the warm and friendly face of the Ridings since is first opened over 25 years ago.  The staff  work closely with the marketing department to provide shoppers with the best possible customer care and on many occasions, have been known to go beyond the call of duty.

Marketing Manager, Pippa Farrington commented:

"It is a great honour for the Customer Services Team to be shortlisted for a Sceptre Award and this really puts The Ridings and Wakefield on the map.  Whether we win or lose out to other centres, the Customer Services Team will continue to be the pride and joy of The Ridings".

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Nicole Stretton from Thornhill is looking forward to some retail therapy after winning £100 worth of Ridings Shopping Centre vouchers in the centre's Spring Fashion Free Prize Draw.

Nicole, 38, who works in Wakefield will be treating herself to some of the latest fashions from River Island, Top Shop and Marks & Spencer. 

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Saturday 20th & Sunday 21 June

For Dads, who like driving, boys, who like big toys and men, who are mad on motors, The Ridings Shopping Centre is hosting a special Father's Day Scalextric weekend on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June.

Everyone is welcome to join in the free Formula 1 fun by taking part in the Official Scalextric Roadshow from 10.30am to 4.30pm on the Upper Mall next to Customer Services.

Shoppers will be able to test their driving speed skills on the giant, 16' x 8', four lane Brands Hatch replica circuit.  A series of knockout heats will determine the fastest lap and each day winners will receive prizes.

With over 100 stores, The Ridings Shopping Centre offers a full range of traditional and more unusual gift ideas for Father's Day. 

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From Thursday 26 March to Sunday 19 April, shoppers will witness a magical transformation in one of the shop units in The Ridings as it is modelled into an enchanting spring setting in celebration of Easter.

Visitors are invited to walk among the blossom trees, wonder by the wishing well and watch costumed bunnies enjoy their lunch in the animated picinic area.

Special guests Bertie Bunny and Charlie Chick will also be in the centre over the Easter weekend handing out mini chocolate eggs between 11am and 3pm on Friday 10th, Saturday 11th and Monday 13th April.  The Ridings Centre is closed on Easter Sunday.

The animated Easter display is located in the shop unit next to the Southgate entrance to The Ridings on the middle mall and is open for viewing daily from 26 March - 19 April.

 

 

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Pick up your FREE Ridings Bag for Life from our Customer Services Desk and help make a difference to the environment.

From 23 January The Ridings Centre is setting up a plastic bag amnesty, where shoppers can exchange 5 used plastic carrier bags from any of the shops in the Centre for a re-usable jute bag.

The stylish, eco-friendly jute bags carry the new Ridings green logo, which now graces all three new entrances and has been incorporated on signage throughout the Centre. 

Commenting on the new iniative, Ridings marketing manager, Pippa Farrington said:

"As our customers are showing an increasing interest in wanting to adopt a greener approach to life, we thought it would be a good idea to encourage people to be kinder to the environment by offering them a free bag for life".

All the plastic bags handed in will be recycled by Morrisons, one of the major stores in The Ridings, and only one jute bag is available per customer while stocks last.

For further information, please contact Pippa Farrington on 01924 787787.

 

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It's a healthy start to the New Year with smiles all round from the children at Heath View Community Primary School as they swing, jump and balance on their new playground apparatus after scooping the £5,000 cash prize in the Ridings Shopping Centre's 2008 Love Your School competition.

Based on Eastmoor, Heath View Primary rallied together with the support of staff, parents, governors and family friends to collect hundreds of receipts from the shops at The Ridings Centre to beat off stiff competition from more than 50 other participating schools in the Wakefield district.  After much consultation amongst the staff, parents and pupils, they chose to spend their £5,000 cash prize on upgrading the playground with a state-of-the-art trim trail and tyre park.

"We wanted to spend the money on something the whole school could benefit from and everyone agreed that new playground apparatus would not only be popular but would also keep the children physically challenged at play times", said Headteacher, Mr Deevy.

Commenting further, Mr Deevy said, "In fact, winning the Ridings' Love Your School competition has inspired us to initiate other projects, which will allow us to continue to upgrade the playground with board games, a climbing wall and marked netball court all planned for the future".

The Love Your School competition is to be run by The Ridings Shopping Centre again in 2009.  Starting on 11 February, the competition is open to all primary schools within the Wakefield Education District Council and works on a points system where every £10 spend on purchases in The Ridings equates to 1 point.  Receipts should be taken to The Ridings Customer Services to be exchanged for points and donated to the school of your choice.  The school with the most points at the end of the competition (Friday 10 April) will win £5,000 to spend on education resources.

For further information on how your school can get involved, please contact Ridings Customer Services on 01924 787789.

 

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Shopping Centre welcomes Burger King, Cafe Select, Cafe Lavazza and O'Briens

 

 

 

 

The first in a series of new food outlets has now opened at The Ridings shopping centre in Wakefield.

Cafe Selct and Burger King are the first of the four new food retailers to open this year following a multi-million pound makeover at the centre. In the coming weeks, Cafe Lavazza is set to open, as well as popular sandwich retailer, O'Briens.

In addition to the centre's increased food offer, The Ridings has welcomed a further 8 new retailers in recent weeks, including Parchment Cards, Textiles Direct, The Works, Allsorts, Future Links, House of Leather, Jigsawrus and Calendar Club.

A host of structural and cosmetic changes are equally set to conclude at the centre shortly, including three striking glass entrances, a re-designed food court complete with new fearure lifts and improvemnts to the surrounding public realm at Cathedral Walk.  A new modern brand identity will also be unveiled for the centre in the coming weeks.

Speaking about the letting success and conclusion of works, Barbara Winston, Centre Manager at The Riding, said "The Ridngs has a long and successful history as a much trusted shopping destination in Wakefield.  I am delighted that we have seen so much letting activity at the centre, bucking the current trend, and feel that it is a positive reflection of retailer interest in the centre's fresh new look".

Located in Wakefield's prime retail area, with entrances to both Westgate and kirkgate, The Ridings represents the town's principal shopping centre,  In total, it provides some 24,620 sq m (265,000 sq ft) of retailing on three levels, together with parking for more than 1,000 cars.

 

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Ridings Shoppers enjoyed a fabulous day of silver themed events and entertainment to mark the Centre's 25th birthday last Saturday, 18 October.

A Marilyn Monroe look-alike kicked off the celebrations with a breathy rendition of 'Happy Birthday' before the Peace Artistes, an 11 strong band of brass, sax and percussionists lead a stunning parade of silver characters around the malls.

In addition to a walking birthday present, a silver comedy duo window act and various living silver statues, there were high energy dance displays from Fusion IV and amazing acrobatics from breakdancers, Zerolimit.

Visitors also enjoyed free cupcakes and had the chance to win a £250 share of the £2500 cash prize draw.

The Ridings originally opened in 1983 in a blaze of glory, winning several design awards and for a decade its two level entry system, glass fronted balconies and glazed roof were all concepts that had never been seen before and were to provide inspiration to shopping centres across Europe.

Commenting on the 25th birthday celebrations, Ridings Centre Manager, Barbara Winston said:

"We've had a fantastic celebration.  We've had big crowds watching the entertainment and everyone has really enjoyed themselves".

The Ridings is currently undergoing a £2.5m refurbishment and extension with a new Burger King opening together with Cafe Select, O'Briens and Cafe Lavazza also boosting the Centre's eateries.  A double lift is to be installed in the central atrium and all three entrances are currently being updated with internal decoration giving the whole centre a much lighter look.

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On Saturday 8^th November, shoppers in Wakefield are invited to celebrate the countdown to Christmas at The Ridings Shopping Centre Christmas extravaganza.

 

Transformed into a yuletide wonderland, festivities will kick off at 11am with a colourful cast of merry characters mingling and performing among shoppers. With acrobatic and mischievous elves, real-life Christmas Crackers bursting with popular cracker jokes, striking stilt walking Christmas trees and a troupe of dancers performing high energy routines to favourite festive anthems, The Ridings will provide a fun filled day out for the whole family.

 

At 3pm, Santa and Rudolph will lead a parade of festive characters to the stage, where the countdown to the grand switch on of this year’s [insert] themed lights and decorations will begin. Following the switch on, children will have the chance to share their Christmas wishes with Santa himself at ‘Santa’s Showtime’.  Younger visitors will equally have the chance to see Santa again every Sunday from 16^th November until Christmas, when he will be strolling throughout the centre.

 

For those who are struggling to find the time to pick up those last minute gifts for friends and family, the Centre will be open for late night Christmas shopping each Thursday until 9pm from 13^th November. 

 

 

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Barbara Winston has bagged the top spot of Centre Manager at the Ridings Shopping Centre.

Barbara, 57, from Gildersome near Morley, joins The Ridings with a wealth of retail experience, having been instrumental in the opening of the Corn Exchange in Leeds in the early nineties.  Since then she has managed centres in Birkenhead and Nottingham,

Commenting on her new role, Barbara said:

"I am looking forward to the challenge, especially as there is so much happening at the Ridings right now.  I've been coming to the centre for 25 years and it's good to see new life being bought in with the redevelopment. We are currently getting a lot of interest from businesses wanting to be part of the expansion so when it has finished it's going to look fantastic".

As well as overseeing the management of The Ridings, Barbara will liase with customers, retail partners, suppliers and other business contacts to take the Centre through the key stages of the 2.5 million pound redevelopment.

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The Ridings Shopping Centre is to sponsor MetroConnect WakefieldCityBus.

 

Passengers travelling on the Wakefield FreeCityBus on Yorkshire Day, Friday 1 August 2008, will be treated to curd tarts and folk music in celebration of the new sponsorship agreement between The Ridings Shopping Centre, Metro and Wakefield Council.

 

To celebrate the partnership between the three key Yorkshire businesses, a parlour maid will travel on board the new Ridings liveried bus between 10am and 12 noon and hand out traditional curd tarts, while local folk musician, Tim Moon, entertains passengers with a guitar medley of well known Yorkshire tunes.

 

Commenting on the sponsorship announcement, Ridings Centre Manager, Barbara Winston said,

 

“We are vey excited about joining forces with Metro as we feel there is a great match between our two companies.  Wakefield FreeCityBus provides an invaluable public service as it certainly makes it much easier for many of our customers to access the centre.  This joint initiative comes at a very exciting time for The Ridings as we are already expanding and improving our shopping offer with a major £25m development currently in progress”.

 

The fleet of three low-floor, 29 seat single-deck Free City Buses run every ten minutes from 7.30am to 7.00pm Monday to Friday and from 8.30am to 5.00pm on Saturdays.  The 2.7 mile route's 12 stops link key locations around Wakefield City Centre including the City's Westgate and Kirkgate train stations, the bus station, shops and retail parks, the Ridings Centre, Ings Road and the Cathedral and Westgate Retail and Leisure Parks.

 

For further information on the Wakefield Free Bus routes, pick up a leaflet from the Ridings Centre Customer Services Desk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Local rugby league legend, Peter Fox, will be signing copies of his biography:-

The Player's Coach

at The Ridings' Shopping Centre branch of Waterstone's on Saturday 19 July from 12-2pm.

For more details or to reserve your copy contact Waterstone's on 01924 387613.

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The children at Heath View Community Primary School on Eastmoor clapped and cheered with delight when they found out they had scooped the £5,000 top prize in competition run by The Ridings Shopping Centre.

 

Headteacher, Mr Deevy, sang the praises of parent governors, teaching staff, office and support staff, cleaners and all the friends and family of the pupils in the school, saying the competition had “pulled everyone together as a huge team that could now reep the rewards of their efforts”.

 

The ‘Love Your School’ competition, run by The Ridings Centre, invited all primary schools within the Wakefield Education District Council to collect shop receipts and exchange them for points with the possibility of winning £5,000 to spend on educational resources.   The six week long competition was launched on Valentine’s Day and each week schools taking part could monitor their progress by checking the leader board on The Ridings’ website.  For every £10 spent in any of the stores within The Ridings Centre, 1 point was donated to a nominated school of choice. 

 

More than 50 schools took part and, in the final weeks, as the competition was nearing the end, the winning position was closely fought out with Heath View just pipping Walton Grove Primary to win by 500 points.

 

Heath View Community Primary School has yet to decide how it will spend the prize money but has opened up a suggestion box for parents to post ideas and the school council will be discussing options at its next meeting. 

 

“We’re looking at a wide range of options like new playground apparatus, musical instruments or remodeling part of the outside area to create a ‘living’ garden.  There are so many possibilities we just want to make sure everyone is involved and benefits from this fabulous prize”, said Mr Deevy.

 

In presenting Mr Deevy with the £5,000 cheque, Ridings Centre Manager, Mr Peter Bolton said:

 

“On behalf of all the shops in The Ridings, I am delighted to award Heath View Community Primary the first ‘Love Your School’ prize and I’d also like to thank all the other schools for taking part.  This ‘Love Your School’ competition has been so successful, it is hoped that we will be able to give more schools the opportunity to win by running the competition on an annual basis”.

 

 

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Wakefield father of one, Phil Wainwright, of Dewsbury Road, punched the air in true Formula 1 style when he clinched the title for the fastest lap at the Ridings' recent Scalextric Roadshow.

Over the Father's Day weekend, the shopping centre played host to the Official Scalextric Roadshow where shoppers were invited to test their motoring skills on a giant four lane Scalextric track.  A bottle of champagne was given to the person recording the fastest lap on each day and there was also a free prize draw to win a satellite navigation system.

Commenting on his victory, Phil Wainwright said, "It was just a bit of fun with my 7 year old son, Lee.  We never thought I'd go on to win and now Lee's really keen to start building his own Scalextric track at home - I'm chuffed to bits".

 

 

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31/03/2008 :

The Ridings Centre is encouraging Wakefield shoppers to support their local primary schools by collecting their receipts to help them win £5000 worth of educational resources in its ‘Love Your School’ competition, which launches this Valentine’s Day.

The Love Your School competition, which is open to all primary schools in the Wakefield Education Authority district, works on a points system where every £10 spent on purchases in The Ridings equates to one point. Receipts can be exchanged for points at The Ridings’ Customer Services Desk from 14th February until the end of March and the school with the most points will win £5000 to spend on educational resources.

Shoppers wishing to track the progress of their nominated school can log onto The Ridings’ website www.ridingscentre.com, where a leader board will be updated weekly to show the top ten schools in the running for the £5000 prize.

Commenting on the competition, marketing manager, Pippa Farrington said:

“We’ve launched this competition in the knowledge that in one way or another everyone has links to a primary school, whether they live near to a school or they have young children, are grandparents or know friends or neighbours with primary school aged children. We’re just hoping people will show their support by collecting their receipts as £5000 could really make a difference to a school”.

The Love Your School competition runs from 14th February to 31st March and is open to primary schools in the Wakefield Education Authority district.

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For further information on the competition, please contact Pippa Farrington or Lynn Hazell on 01924 787787.

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If you hop along to The Ridings Shopping Centre this Easter you’ll find an eye-catching spring garden display with Easter bunnies picnicking under a giant toadstool.

The 20ft fully animated display, which is situated on the Upper Mall next to the Customer Services Desk until 30 March, also features a wishing well, spring flowers and various other woodland creatures at play.

Bunji Bunny, the fun loving bright purple Easter bunny, will also be hopping around the malls handing out chocolate mini eggs on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday.

The Ridings Shopping Centre is open Good Friday and Easter Saturday from 9am – 5.30pm, Closed Easter Sunday and open from 10.30am – 4.30pm on Easter Monday when car parking is 50p all day.


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For further media information contact Pippa Farrington/Lynn Hazell on 01924 787787

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The Ridings Centre Christmas Lights Switch On
Saturday 10th November

As a special Christmas treat Santa has agreed to take time out of his busy Christmas preparations to switch on The Ridings Centre lights on Saturday 10th November. The spectacular lights featuring Santa in his helicopter will be lit at 3pm with the help of 6 year old colouring competition winner, Megan Sokell.

There will be sparkling entertainment throughout the day from 11am with Minty the Polar Bear, Pip and Pop, the silver stilt Christmas trees, Billie and Bonnie Bear and the amazing flying crew. Music will be provided by Ridings FM and the ever popular Gawthorpe Brass Band.

Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun that marks the start of Christmas at The Ridings.

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EXCITING NEW PLANS REVEALED FOR THE RIDINGS, WAKEFIELD

- Moorfield Group to invest £2.5m in extension and improvement plans -

The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield is set to undergo a host of structural and cosmetic changes its owner announced today. These will include a 100,000 sq ft extension, re-designed entrances, a re-designed food court, a new café and other aesthetic improvements, its owner announced today.

Moorfield Group, the Investment and asset manager of Moorfield Real Estate Fund who acquired the Centre around eighteen months ago, has submitted plans to Wakefield Metropolitan District Council for the improvement works, which are expected to take place during the course of 2008 at an estimated cost of around £2.5m.

The plans include a three storey extension to the Centre, using land located between Rodney Yard and the existing service yard entrance of Southgate. The extension will provide modern retail space which will attract new retailers to the centre and create an opportunity for existing stores to take larger premises.

At the same time, impressive new images have been unveiled to show how The Ridings multi million pound makeover will give the existing centre a fresh and modern new look, with striking new entrances at Cathedral Walk, Almshouse Lane and Kirkgate that will use glass and natural light to enhance the shopping environment and improve interaction between the Centre and the public realm.

The Centre’s food offer will also benefit from the improvement works, with plans to not only re-design the existing food court and install new feature lifts, but also to create a new café at the Cathedral Walk entrance.

In addition to the proposals to extend and enhance the overall structural design of the Centre, a host of other general improvement works are planned, including new painting, re-cladding of the ballastrading and redecoration of the existing steel work at ceiling height.

Aside from works to the Centre, Moorfield will also build a new 12,000 sq ft building with its own dedicated car park for Johnston Press, home of the Wakefield Express, as part of the extension proposals.

Award winning, Leeds based architects, DLG, were appointed by Moorfield Group to draw up the proposals for the Centre which will help to improve the appearance of all three entrances. It will also encourage the use of Almshouse Lane, a road that has been identified by the Council as a key route between Wakefield’s Cathedral Precinct and the new Waterfront development.

Moorfield has worked closely with the Council in relation to all of the proposed works, and anticipates that work will commence early in 2008, avoiding the busy Christmas trading period. The construction programme will be carefully phased to prevent disruption for shoppers and retailers alike.

Speaking about the proposed changes, Mark Holmes of Moorfield Group said: “Wakefield is a city where we see enormous potential for growth, and we are really excited about the plans for its regeneration.

“When we first acquired The Ridings back in November 2005, Moorfield recognised the huge potential that Wakefield has to establish itself strongly as a retail destination, and we are committed to helping this process through further investment in the Centre.

“As we now move towards realising that commitment with these plans for The Ridings, we look forward to playing our part in the wider regeneration of the City and continuing to work closely with the Council.”

Speaking about their new offices, Helen Oldham from Yorkshire Weekly Newspaper Group, commented: “We are delighted to be staying in the City centre in new offices which will improve the working environment for all of our staff and customers. We will work with Moorfield Group throughout the design and construction process to ensure that the move from our existing building to our modern new premises is a smooth transition for all.”

Located in Wakefield’s prime retail area, The Ridings originally opened in 1983 and represents the City’s principal shopping centre. Since its acquisition of the centre, Moorfield Real Estate Fund has welcomed over 20 new retailers, including Bank Fashion, T Mobile, Sports Direct, Esquire’s Café, Newspoint and Hair Express. The new works are a further sign of the Company’s on-going investment in The Ridings, and reflect the high level of interest in Wakefield from a host of popular fashion retailers.

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Nickelodeon children’s TV character, Dora the Explorer will be putting Wakefield well and truly on the map when she makes a special visit to The Ridings Shopping Centre this August Bank Holiday Monday, 27 August.

Dora, the 7-year-old Latina heroine, who is best known for reading maps, solving problems and finding endless stashes of treasure, will appear on stage at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm on the Upper Mall. When she’s not on stage Dora will be posing for photographs and meeting fans as she explores the shopping centre.

The Ridings Shopping Centre will be open on Bank Holiday Monday from 10.30am – 4.30pm, parking is 50p all day and the Dora the Explorer event is FREE.

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Now’s your time to get your thinking caps on as we’ve teamed up with Ridings FM to give you the chance to win a suitcase full of holiday goodies plus £300 worth of shopping vouchers.

All you have to do to be in with a chance is tune into Ridings FM on 106.8 FM on Monday 23 July and every day until Friday 27 July the presenters of the breakfast, mid-morning and drivetime shows will be asking listeners to ring in with suggestions as to what the 10 holiday items are in the suitcase. The first person to correctly identify all the items will win the suitcase full of goodies and a £300 shopping spree in the Ridings.

So get you thinking caps on and tune in to Ridings FM!

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All the way from the streets of London’s Notting Hill to the malls of The Ridings Shopping Centre, some of the most spectacular, award-winning costumes will go on display as part of the Centre’s Carnival Exhibition.

The exhibition, which runs from Friday 25th May to Sunday 10th June, invites shoppers to take a closer look at the theatre of carnival, which is reflected in the fabric, style and colour of the large scale contemporary costumes on display, which feature the Orchid Queen, the Giant Harlequin and the Gold Face.

Specially commissioned for the Notting Hill Carnival, all of the costumes have been designed by carnival specialists, Mahogany, under the direction of Clary Salandy, who has made costumes for some of the World’s most prestigious events including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Parade, the Mini Olympics of Asia/Africa, the opening of the Millennium Dome and Euro ’96.

Commenting on the exhibition, Ridings Centre Marketing Manager Pippa Farrington said:

“We’re delighted to be able to give our shoppers the opportunity to get close to the sheer volume of colour and intricate detail of these amazing costumes, which most of us only ever see on television”.

Carnival Exhibition is free of charge and runs daily from 25th May – 10th June, including Bank Holiday Monday when the Ridings is open from 10.30am – 4.30pm.

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Congratulations to our three lucky winners of the Christmas competition we ran to win various memberships at Green's Health Club in The Ridings Christmas magazine.

Maureen Raynor and Josh Brown (our third winner did not wish to be identified) will no doubt be pounding the treadmill or pushing iron as we write. Well maybe they're relaxing in the bar or chilling out in the spa area! Congratulations all the same and make sure you burn a few calories for us all!!

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Little builders looking for a new project to keep them occupied during the February half term holiday will be able to perfect their creative skills in the Mini Landmarks workshop at The Ridings Shopping Centre from Saturday 17th – Sunday 25th February 2007.

The Mini Landmarks workshop offers children a fun way of learning about the history and architecture of Wakefield by encouraging them to build mini models of some of the city’s most respected buildings.

The famous spire of Wakefield Cathedral, the impressive frontage of County Hall, Chantry Bridge and other buildings in the Civic Quarter will be recreated in 3D format using tissue paper to form the colourful display of Wakefield’s key landmarks..

The Mini Landmarks children’s workshop is free of charge and runs daily throughout half term from 11am – 4pm on the Upper Mall. When the 3D models have been built they will remain on display until 4 March

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Wakefield Orchestral Wind was one of many musical groups and choirs to entertain shoppers over the festive period. The back-drop of the colourful Santa Train and Christmas lights provided the perfect setting for the band to play a wide range of Christmas music, which helped to put Riding Centre visitors into a festive mood as they shopped.

The Ridings Centre Management would like to thank all the groups who helped to entertain shoppers over Christmas, including:

Gawthorpe Brass
The Community Entertainment Association
Methodist Junior & Infant School
Cliff School Choir
Wakefield Girls High School Choir
Horbury School Choir
Horbury Ladies Choir
City of Bradford Pipe Band
Wakefield Gilbert & Sullivan Society
St Raphael Singers

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