Imagine That! has opened a second site in Greater Manchester, inside Wigan's Grand Arcade Shopping Centre, after attracting families in Liverpool for almost 20 years.
Boasting 40 attractions spread across three floors, the venue covers 30,000 square feet and promises the 'ultimate day out' with activity stations that mix science with play.
Three themed levels
Areas include The Big City, The Village and the Entertainment Pavilion, each offering different role-play opportunities. The Big City level lets children experience a busy environment with services like Downtown Dispatch emergency services hub, City Live 24 News, Spin City Launderette and City Eats fast food delivery.
The Village level features Sunshine Patisserie, Village Supermarket, a giant construction site and an Ice Cream Van. The Entertainment Pavilion offers a Slime Factory, bath bomb making workshops, a gym and a bank vault.
Facilities and pricing
The site, which took over the former M&S store, has two cafes for refuelling. Sessions last three hours and can be booked online. Tickets cost £24.95 for children, £9.95 for adults and £18.95 for under threes.
Managing director Abby Wallace said: “We can’t wait for families to experience the next generation of Imagine That! First created by my parents with my sister and me in mind, it’s been great to see all of our hard work come to life, with a bigger site to explore.”
Other developments at Grand Arcade
The opening coincides with other leisure developments at Grand Arcade. FunParx is taking over part of the old Debenhams store with an indoor adventure park featuring inflatable assault courses and Ninja challenge zones. STACK Wigan, a leisure development with six food outlets, five bars, an outdoor terrace and big screens, will open later this year across two floors of the former Debenhams.
Mike Matthews, centre manager at Grand Arcade, said: “Together, STACK, FunParx and Imagine That! add a completely new dimension to the centre, complementing our existing retail offer and creating more reasons for people to spend time in the town centre throughout the day and into the evening.”
He added that with over 150,000 sq ft of new leisure space between them, these openings 'represent one of the most significant leisure investments seen at any UK shopping centre this year'.
