As window displays go, a ball pool with upturned legs protruding through a sea of bright pink plastic balls, each brandishing a pink roller skate, is quite the eye-catcher. This vivid photo opportunity from Archie’s Atomic at Trafford Palazzo, a skate and arcade complex launched in November, highlights the renewed vigour at this annexe to the Trafford Centre shopping mall on the outskirts of Manchester.
It was Merlin Entertainments that planted a flag for leisure at what was then known as Barton Square when it opened the UK’s first Legoland Discovery Centre in 2010. This was followed two years later by a Sea Life aquarium. Since the site was taken over by Peel Retail & Leisure (PR&L) in 2021, it has been relaunched as a standalone retail and leisure destination. The Palazzo name is a nod to the Roman-inspired surroundings.
“In a rapidly changing market, traditional shopping and retail destinations are evolving as consumer lifestyle preferences change,” notes Mark Whittaker, PR&L executive director. “They are increasingly becoming multi-purpose leisure destinations where consumers come not only to buy but also to relax, socialise and have unique experiences.”
The Trafford Centre: more than a shopping mall
“Shop, Eat, Play”. These are the categories under which the Trafford Centre’s many tenants are now listed on its website. With over 200 stores, shopping is still the number one activity.
However, there is now a greater emphasis on play at Trafford Palazzo. Over the coming months and years, the adjoining venue, linked to the Trafford Centre by a footbridge, will serve as the gateway to ambitious new developments. This will include Therme Manchester and Modern Surf.
The 207,000 square metre mall that acts as the nucleus of this opened its doors alongside the M60 motorway for the first time back in 1998. It is one of several major projects developed by The Peel Group together with MediaCityUK, and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Clik here to view.
From the start, a 20-screen cinema, arcade and large food court/restaurant quarter were part of the Trafford Centre mix. Over the years, the surrounding entertainment offer has steadily increased. Fairground rides and circus shows frequently appear in its expansive car parks. Just recently, Jurassic World: The Exhibition completed a six-month stint.
The most conspicuous attraction overlooking the mall is Chill Factore. The UK’s longest indoor ski slope also features a snow park. Later this year, it will open the largest padel club in the north of England. The neighbouring Trafford Golf Centre is home to Dino Falls Adventure Golf. Alongside this sits an iFly indoor skydiving centre. Further sporting facilities in the years to come will include an ice rink.
TraffordCity and Trafford Palazzo
While the Trafford Centre is now owned by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Peel Waters (Peel’s waterside regeneration company) owns much of the surrounding land. The wider 500-acre site (approximately two square kilometres) – now designated TraffordCity – attracts 44 million visits annually.
A mixed-used residential neighbourhood is part of the vision. Two-and-a-half miles away, there are also plans to regenerate the area around Manchester United’s Old Trafford football ground.
“TraffordCity is becoming one of the most exciting regions in the country,” says Whittaker. “We can only see further increases in visitor numbers and experience seekers, which will aid our ability to bring even more next-generation offerings.”
In the short term, Trafford Palazzo appears to be hitting the target for reaching new markets. As well as a 7% increase in footfall in 2024, over 81,000 square feet (7,525 square metres) of fresh lettings were secured. A large Primark store remains, and Sports Direct is on the way, but most other units are now leisure-based. In addition, 16 events were held last year, including Summer Sport-Fest and Halloween Havoc.
This, says Whittaker, transforms “what could be a traditional shopping mall into a multi-dimensional experience.”
Since the pandemic, a surge in online shopping has only heightened the need for ‘experiences’ for such venues to thrive. It may have filled them quicker than other places, but even the busy Trafford Centre has recently had its share of empty units.
Retail vs. leisure: changing fortunes
Regarding rents, British landlords used to be mindful that retail commanded a higher rate per square metre than leisure. Due to this and other factors, including a tradition of shopping in the town and city centre and other attractions, the UK has taken a long time to embrace the concept of ‘retailtainment’. Certainly compared to those regions, including many Middle Eastern nations, where a family entertainment centre (FEC) is a staple of almost every shopping mall.
An anomaly for many years was Metroland at the Metro Centre in Gateshead near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. When it opened in 1988, it was Europe’s largest indoor theme park, with a full-size rollercoaster running through the middle. It closed in 2008 to be replaced by a giant Odeon cinema. Once one of three Xscape-branded indoor ski slopes around the UK, the Snow Factor at Glasgow’s Braehead shopping centre shut in 2022. But it’s not all downhill.
Much as Brits now love the convenience of ordering goods online, they’ve also warmed to out-of-town shopping malls and retail parks, with their free car parking and late opening hours. Snowzone outside Leeds, another former Xscape site, continues to drive traffic to the neighbouring Junction 32 outlet park. The original in Milton Keynes, a standalone site but with shops nearby, is also still in business.
Whether it’s Nickelodeon Adventure at Lakeside near London, various other FECs, or pop-up events, retail landlords are increasingly looking to attractions to bring in extra footfall.
Archie’s Atomic: burgers, shakes and skates
Influencers gathered for the launch of Archie’s Atomic back in November. The VIP guests enjoyed DJ sets and a performance by local rapper Aitch as they roller skated, played arcade games, and tucked into burgers, chicken, milkshakes, and waffles.
The venue was conceived by a fast food chain that prides itself on its vibrant decor and star-studded image. Famous faces through the doors of its seven Manchester sites have included Nas, Kevin Hart and Rita Ora. The latter even provided the inspiration for her own ‘celeb shake’.
The four brothers who founded Archie’s as a modest takeaway on the city’s Oxford Road in 2010 previously ran a car wash together. In addition to their city centre locations, they have an outlet at Manchester Airport. They also have a presence in Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham. But why did they decide to get into the attractions business, and why roller skating?
“We noticed a gap in the market for leisure experiences that offer truly exceptional food,” says Archie’s co-founder Amer Rafiq. “Too often, the activity takes centre stage while the food and drink feel like an afterthought. The inspiration for Archie’s Atomic came from the film License to Drive. In the movie, there’s a diner called Archie’s Atomic, where waitresses serve food on roller skates. It was the ultimate cool hangout. That energy and excitement stuck with us.”
Multi-generational fun at the Trafford Centre
“Roller skating has this incredible nostalgic charm,” adds Rafiq. “It’s a sport that transcends generations, plus it’s so accessible. Even if you’re new to it, you’ll soon see yourself improving. We have an amazing skate team on site ready to guide and support you!”
On a recent visit, I witnessed staff at Archie’s Atomic demonstrate another activity with enthusiasm. The Arena (pictured, top) is a multi-player experience from Game Volt, providing a choice of agility, physical, mental and skill games that players interact with on the floor and walls of a giant box. The first of its kind in Europe, it follows installations at Dave & Buster’s in the USA. It was developed just a few miles away at Game Volt and parent company Conductr’s Trafford HQ.
“With its retro arcade-style games that engage both the body and mind, The Arena was the perfect addition to Archie’s Atomic,” says Rafiq. “It’s exciting to partner with another local brand to launch something innovative that’s proudly made in Manchester.”
Clik here to view.
As well as a restaurant elsewhere in Trafford Centre, Archie’s established a foothold at Trafford Palazzo when it opened a fast food outlet within NERF Action Xperience in 2023. The UK’s first official NERF blaster attraction was created in partnership with Hasbro by the Rocafella Leisure Group. The family-friendly experience sits below King Pins, which offers a contemporary take on 10-pin bowling, curling and shuffleboard. Unlike Archie’s Atomic, it also features a licensed bar.
The competitive market for competitive socialising
Of course, not everyone wants to drink or for it to be the key focus of a meeting with friends. A recent survey found that 43% of British 18 to 34-year-olds have given up alcohol. This partly explains the growth of the competitive socialising sector. And Manchester is in on the game!
Five miles away in the city centre, those looking for an activity to accompany a night on the town can choose from such offerings as The Crystal Maze Live Experience, The Cube at Urban Playground, Flight Club, numerous adventure golf courses or even a competitive baking school.
Clik here to view.
“Competitive socialising isn’t just a trend,” says Matt Daly at Game Volt. “It’s the new standard for entertainment. The days of passive nights out are over. People now expect high-energy, interactive experiences that bring them together in exciting and memorable ways. Technology plays a huge role in elevating traditional games, making them more dynamic, engaging and competitive, while also increasing dwell time and revenue for operators.”
This is why some people will pay a premium to sample something they could otherwise enjoy in a pub for free, such as darts, shuffleboard, or carnival games they could play for a few pounds on a fairground. Game Volt, for example, intends to follow up its Supercharged Shuffle product with a souped-up shooting gallery. Rather than pay-per-play, typically, groups book these activities for a set amount of time, much as they would with 10-pin bowling (the original competitive socialising activity?)
Instagram opportunities and Archie’s Atomic expansion
Back at Trafford Palazzo, Whittaker notes that “Experience-led operators including Archie’s Atomic and King Pins [that] combine interactive activities with great food and drink have been key in offering fresh experiences to keep customers engaged and more likely to revisit.”
Archie’s arrival provides competition for pink photo opportunities to nearby EL&N (Eat, Live & Nourish). With its “theatrical” menus and gaudy fixtures and fittings, “London’s most Instagrammable café” opened at Trafford Palazzo in 2023.
While Archie’s Atomic functions as a standalone attraction, Rafiq believes it has a role in whetting appetites for the company’s core product. “Atomic offers us a platform to introduce the Archie’s menu to a new audience, building brand recognition in a whole new way.”
Having successfully diversified from cleaning cars to bringing a touch of showbiz to the humble hamburger, the Rafiq brothers now intend to continue their rollerskating ride.
“The success of our Manchester flagship has been amazing, and we’re already exploring exciting opportunities for new Atomic venues. London, Scotland and even Dubai are all in discussion,” confirms Amer Rafiq.
Other burger chains wanting to give Archie’s a run for its money had better get their skates on. In the meantime, TraffordCity looks like it will become a benchmark for the blurring of retail, leisure, and – when Therme Manchester arrives – relaxation.
Images courtesy of Owen Ralph, TraffordCity, Archie’s Atomic and other attractions featured.
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