The Trafford Centre has seen remarkable transformations in its near three decades of existence. Since opening on September 10, 1998, it has continued to grow with major additions including the Great Hall and the revamped Barton Square. In that time, there has been an ever-changing mix of shops, bars, and eateries, with some favourites from yesteryear sadly no longer around.
Nightlife and Bars of the Early Days
Manto, one of the first bars on Canal Street, also had a location at the Trafford Centre. Kitted out in red leather, Manto spread across three levels with a restaurant and bar playing R&B and house music. It was there from the centre's opening in 1998 but closed just a few years later.
Before Frankie & Benny's took over, there was a pub called the Orangery. Designed to resemble the outbuildings of a stately home, it was located just outside the main complex near a Travelodge hotel and Wilderspool Wood. In the early days, the Orangery formed part of a thriving bar scene alongside Kro, Tiggis and Manto.
Tiggis, situated on the first floor of The Orient, was a large and popular Italian restaurant and bar. It is remembered for having a vibrant, infectious atmosphere where customers would often stay to "dance the night away". Giraffe and Pizza Express later took over where Tiggis once occupied.
Trafford Tavern was an early pub inside The Orient, a popular American-style bar and grill fitted out by the same team behind Manto. After being open from the very start, Trafford Tavern closed in 2005 and was later taken over by Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
Kro bar brought sophisticated Scandinavian hospitality to The Great Hall eating zone. According to interior specialists Dawnvale who fitted the venue's out, Kro secured the "final space" in The Great Hall to complete the zone's initial lineup. Kro's laid back Danish style sported an L-shaped central bar, a fully illuminated glass back bar, and a continental deli area. The venue closed its doors in 2014 and was soon transformed into a Five Guys burger restaurant.
Restaurants and Eateries Lost
Ma Potter's was a taste of the American 'Old South' on the first floor, serving home-cooked food off the chargrill, from burgers and steaks to seafood and swordfish. It later transitioned to Potter's Bar & Kitchen, and after its closure, the venue was taken over by All Bar One.
Bradwell's was an English restaurant and tea room harking back to the 1920s and '30s, selling everything from steak and kidney pie to ice cream sundaes. Also there from the start was the Exchange Bar & Grill, an American style diner offering classic US inspired dishes, now consigned to history.
The Rainforest Café, part theme park, part restaurant, had real life parrots, a giant aquarium, an animatronic alligator and a talking tree. It was taken away in 2003 after only a few years, and it used to be situated where Nando's now sits.
Attractions and Shops That Disappeared
Festival Village, situated at the end of Peel Avenue, was a market-themed area home to quirky stalls from independent traders, including its own resident fortune teller. Popular stalls included Pink Parrot, Sock Shop and the Beanie Baby stall. Despite being many shoppers' favourite part of the complex, Festival Village was replaced by John Lewis in 2005.
The old McDonald's restaurant, originally part of Festival Village, had an entrance shaped like a giant carton of fries next to an enormous soft drink cup. Inside, moving figures of Ronald McDonald and the Hamburglar travelled around an overhead track. A much smaller McDonald's can still be found in The Orient food court.
The Adventures of Dreamieland was a kids' ride next to the old UCI cinema, now the Odeon. The interactive, animatronic attraction was set in a world where Dreamies create dreams for children and guard them against the evil Dream Guzzlers, led by Queen Gazella. Passengers helped the Dreamies by zapping the bad guys with 'guzzler torches' as they made their way around the five minute ride in one of 10 four-seater cars. Sadly, the attraction only lasted a few years before it was removed.
Barton Square's animatronic singing bears are best remembered for their renditions of Time Warp. They 'went on holiday' according to a tweet from the Trafford Centre's official Twitter account in 2015, and haven't been seen or heard from since.
The Disney Store was a staple part of the Trafford Centre shopping experience and a must-visit in the build-up to Christmas. In 2021, it was reported that all Disney stores in the UK were set to close by September that year, except two flagship stores in London's Oxford Street and Dublin. With that, both the Trafford Centre and Manchester Arndale shops closed later that year.
