MORE THAN JUST A SHOPPING CENTRE (Meadowhall)

Member Name: snappy

Product:	Meadowhall
Date:	05/02/02 (403 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: over 270 different stores, Oasis food and entertainment court, Warner cinema on site

Disadvantages: it all costs money!

Ask anyone what their hobbies are. Chances are that if you are asking a female, she will quote 'Shopping' as one of her hobbies. But lest I get accused of being sexist here, OK I confess, I like to go shopping too.

So we're all agreed that shopping can be Fun. By that I do not mean the trapsing around your local High Street in the rain - dragging the kids with you...oh No. These days there are out of town Shopping centres galore and then there are the Mega Shopping centres. Lakeside at Thurrock, just off the dreaded M25. Bluewater - the other side of the river in Kent. Both huge and both within a pretty easy hour or so's drive from me.

But, I prefer an older established Shopping centre in maybe a less fashionable area of England - the North. Sheffield, to be precise - Meadowhall Shopping Centre (easy to access off the MI - Junction 34).

I believe that at one time it was the largest Shopping centre - under one roof - in all of Europe. I'm certain that it must have been overtaken by now. But like many other of it's competitors, Meadowhall remains a true 'Cathedral of Shopping'

When it was first built, around 10 years ago it was enormous. It now house 270 Stores - I will not run through the list otherwise you will be reading this until Christmas! For a full, up-to-date list of stores go to www.meadowhall.co.uk. There is more info on the Centre there too, plus Special offers available to people who register 'on line' to receive product emails. Suffice to say that all of your High Street favourites are there AND More.

One of the beauties of Meadowhall for me - and my wife - is that it is open and airy. As you drive into Meadowhall, parking is easy in the underground and overground car parks. An escalator will take you up to the Shops level . From there you will notice the wide open spaces. The greenery in the centre - plenty of huge floral displays and wrought iron give it a slightly ol
d fashioned feel, despite the fact you know it is modern.

There are plenty of Cash point machines around at the entrances, and around the Centre, so you can always get a refill out of your account if you run short after your wife decides to get that 'must buy' pair of shoes. And quite obviously, if you want to pay by plastic - everyone will take your money that way too.

At one end of the Centre and a real godsend after - or during - a day of shopping - is the 'Oasis'. A Food court by any other name, but beautifully laid out with all kinds of take away outlets from Baked potatoes, to Chinese, Indian, Pizzas, right through to the ubiquitous KFC and McDonalds. In the centre of the 'Oasis' there are seats and tables for you to eat your food and up above in front of you is a huge TV Screen which displays all kinds of promotions and other 'shows' put on by the centres on site TV studio.

Also on the lower level of the Oasis are some eat-in restaurants/cafes which continue on the second level above. The last time we were at Meadowhall, just a fortnight ago, we had a nice, inexpensive meal in the 'French Café' up on the second level. Sitting overlooking the throngs down below, we had good service, decent food and change out of £20 for two, due to the 'specials' board offers. Other restaurants to look out for are Mamma Amalfi's - excellent Italian eaterie (see my op elsewhere of their fine dining at great value prices), Ma Potters Chargrill - for those of you looking to 'chow down' and Margaritas - for Tex Mex fare.

There is a Warner Village cinema in that part of the complex too, so you could catch a movie after your meal - or vice versa. A multiplex, of course, with a total of eight screens.

I'm sure many of the other Shopping Centres have also got this kind of entertainment added on too. But I have to make a couple of journeys to cover events in Sheffield each year
and so I make a point of 'indulging' myself at Meadowhall while I'm in the area.

So, as you can see, it's easy to make a day of it at Meadowhall. A spot of shopping, a nice meal and a movie. Now you can see why I like this kind of Shopping!

Once again - any more questions go to the excellent website www.meadowhall.co.uk.

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