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Stevenage Town Centre

News & Press Releases


Christmas Cheer for Winners!

The Comet 10 Dec 2009

Christmas came early for the winners of a recent Stevenage town centre competition! Over 100 entries were received by Comet readers in a bid to win £100 Wilkinson shopping vouchers and Tanya Barr from Stevenage was the lucky participant to scoop the top prize.

Lynn Larkin collected a luxurious Christmas hamper, kindly donated by Marks & Spencer, as second prize and Brenda Morris of St Albans picked up a family ticket to see the Stevenage pantomime Aladdin.

Stevenage town centre manager, Tracey Parry, said “All of these prizes were donated in support of the Stevenage town centre Christmas campaign and featured as a competition in the Comet and the Christmas magazine”.

On the night of Stevenage’s Christmas lights switch-on event, shoppers were full of festive generosity and over 200 people took part in a competition to support the Stevenage town centre’s chosen charity, Macmillan. Three lucky winners picked up some tasty Christmas treats and over £400 was raised throughout the evening for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Christmas in Stevenage is now in full swing, with carol singing performances by local schools and the Hertfordshire Youth Choir, funfair rides and a synthetic ice rink between 19-24 December.
 


Vicky to Light Up Stevenage!

The Comet 19 Nov 2009

Christmas is a magical time for children, especially if Christmas Day is also your Birthday! And not only does 8 year-old Vicky Tiffin of Stevenage celebrate her ninth birthday on Christmas Day but she is also the lucky winner of our competition to turn on Stevenage’s Christmas lights this year!



Vicky will join John Altman (Nasty Nick from Eastenders), The Mayor of Stevenage, Cllr Sue Myson, Sharon Taylor, Leader of the Council, and Heart Breakfast presenters Gaz and Babs this Thursday, 26 November, to turn on the lights at 6.30pm and watch a spectacular firework display through a flurry of snow!

The fun starts on stage in the town square at 4pm and will be non-stop right through to 6.30pm. Live music, games and the cast of Aladdin performing guarantees a great night out for the whole family! Santa’s Sleigh will travel through the town centre with free sweets and there’s a whole host of prizes and balloons up for grabs too! Face painting is on offer in Wilkinson and The Entertainer Toy Shop from 4-8pm and if you visit the Comet marquee outside the Baker’s Oven, you could be in with a chance of winning a fabulous hamper full of Christmas goodies, some luxury Christmas fudge and £50 worth of Body Shop products too!

The shops and St Georges Indoor Market are open until 8pm and car parking is FREE from 5pm, giving shoppers a little more money in their pockets for Christmas presents.

The Stevenage Christmas Lights Switch-on, this Thursday. Don’t miss it! For more information, visit the Events page or call 01438 74084.


Stevenage's Parking Gift for Christmas Shoppers!

The Comet 5 Nov 2009

STEVENAGE Borough Council is spreading a little Christmas cheer this year by offering shoppers FREE car parking from 5pm during Thursday late night shopping evenings in the town centre.

The Stevenage Christmas Lights Switch-On takes place on Thursday, November 26 and traditionally marks the start of Thursday late night shopping in the town centre, with most stores and the Westgate Centre open until 8pm.

"Free car parking is usually offered on the night of the switch-on," said town centre manager Tracey Parry, "so we thought we would approach the council to see if they would extend this offer for the remaining Thursday late nights on 3rd, 10th and 17th December."

The council was happy to oblige in a bid to lift the spirits of Stevenage people and help town centre businesses at the end of what has been a difficult and challenging year.

Sharon Taylor, leader of the council, said: "The council is pleased to support this move as it makes it easier for families to come along to Stevenage and do their Christmas shopping. This initiative will benefit both retailers and shoppers and will help to create a real festive feeling in Stevenage in the run up to Christmas."

Plentiful parking and good public transport makes Stevenage town centre easily accessible and with a wide range of high street names, plus the opening of family favourite Wilkinson on November 25, Stevenage town centre is an ideal choice for Christmas gifts this year.

The Comet's Buy Local campaign is a great incentive to support your local shopping centre, with discount vouchers and special offers available in many stores.


Stevenage's Stirring Success!

26 September 2009

Stevenage town centre’s coffee morning last Friday in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support was a resounding success. The glorious sunshine brought the people of Stevenage out in their hundreds to enjoy a Fairtrade cup of coffee and some delicious cakes.



Costa Coffee and Nosh kindly donated flasks of coffee, teabags, cups and cakes, which were then sold to members of the public in town square by the Stevenage Town Centre Management team, staff and volunteers from Macmillan Cancer Support.

“It was a great day”, said Town Centre Manager Tracey Parry, “I lost count of the number of times we ran back and forth to refill the coffee flasks”. The fabulous weather meant that people were able to sit in the sunshine and enjoy a drink and some home-made cakes”.

A staggering £716 was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. “A number of people who we spoke to had been affected in some way by cancer, and were very keen to show their support for this worthy cause” said Tracey. “We are absolutely delighted with how much money the coffee morning generated and would like to thank everyone who supported it, especially Nosh and Costa Coffee”.

Macmillan Fundraiser Linsey Taylor said “We would like to thank everyone who attended the coffee morning. It was a huge success and enjoyed by all. Every penny raised will fund more of our vital services and help to develop new ways to change lives. And for that, we think you should feel good!’

The Stevenage Town Centre Management Company will be raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support again in October during their Halloween event on Wednesday 28 October.


Winners Make a Splash!

20 August 2009

The Met Office may not have got the weather forecast quite right for August but the lucky winners of the Stevenage Town Centre free prize draw still had plenty to smile about!

Congratulations to Charlotte Reynolds-Furr from Welwyn Garden City, who scooped the first prize in the Splash Out in Stevenage draw featured in the Comet recently. Charlotte was the first name drawn from hundreds of entries and received £100 gift vouchers to be spent in Primark.

Helen Pardoe from Stevenage won a Panasonic digital camera; Barbara Hewitt, also from Stevenage, picked up a pair of designer sunglasses and Mrs Deboo won the latest Peter James novel, just in time for her holiday!

“Incentives like this are a good way of encouraging people to shop locally”, said Tracey Parry, Stevenage Town Centre Manager. “By offering shoppers something more, we are striving to ensure that Stevenage town centre remains a vibrant and viable shopping destination”.

The Stevenage Town Centre Management team will be teaming up with Macmillan Cancer Support next for the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. It will take place in the town square on Friday 26 September between 10am and 2pm. Join us for a cuppa to support this worthy cause.


Town Goes West!

9 July 2009

It was blazin’ saddles in Stevenage on Saturday as the sun beat down upon the Wild West Bonanza! Cowboys strolled into town in Stetsons and spurs to try their luck in panning for gold and test their lassoing skills in the Desert Duel!

Stevenage town centre’s third annual summer fun day was a rootin’ tootin’ success as hundreds of families enjoyed the glorious sunshine and some fabulous entertainment! Heart Radio’s breakfast DJ Gaz and Adam introduced live music and some great games throughout the afternoon on the roadshow stage, and gun-toting cowboys faced a saloon bar shoot-out as well as the challenge of staying in the saddle on the Buckin’ Bronco.

Stevenage Town Centre Manager, Tracey Parry, said “My assistant Becky and I have spent 3 months working with the team at Astrium to bring this event to the town centre and we are delighted with the success of the day”.

As well as providing an afternoon of free entertainment for the community, the event raised nearly £800 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Stevenage girls, Daniella Rich, Alicia Fieldsend and Larreisha Zealand each picked up a prize for their design of a WANTED poster and April and Tyler Butchart won prizes for the best fancy dress.


Charity Strikes Gold!

Thursday 16 July 2009

Stevenage town centre’s Wild West Bonanza on Saturday 4 July was a resounding success, attracting hundreds of visitors who enjoyed the many activities on offer throughout the day. Panning for gold proved very popular, with a number of children and shoppers trying to strike it rich and pick up a prize! Macmillan Cancer Support also struck gold thanks to the generosity of people who came to enjoy the day. Donations for face painting, the shooting gallery and the Buckin’ Bronco, as well as the charity tombola, raised a fantastic £771 for the Comet’s charity of the year!

“We were delighted with the money we raised”, said Tracey Parry, Stevenage Town Centre Manager. “Events such as this are funded by the Stevenage Town Centre Management Company and it is only in the last couple of years that we have asked for donations for the activities we put on so it’s fantastic that we are able to raise so much money for this worthy cause”.

Stevenage town centre’s next event will be the Macmillan Cancer Support World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 25 September, which will offer shoppers coffee and tea between 10am and 2pm, in the town square.


Stevenage Town Centre Gardens

The town centre gardens are set to be transformed, thanks in part to a cash boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund.  Through the Parks for People initiative, £1.7m of funding has been granted to the project.  New play equipment will be enhanced with additional planting, and better lighting and pathways will improve public safety.

While the project is underway, the Friends of the Town Centre Gardens group will be working closely with the Council and its partners to run events and activities in the gardens and to take part in hands-on activity days as the gardens are developed.  If you would like to be involved with this project, please contact the Stevenage town centre manager, Tracey Parry, on 01438 740884 or email tcm@stevenage-town-centre.co.uk 


Stevenage Shopper Cashes In

Thursday 9 April 2009

The winning entry in the annual Stevenage town centre Shopper Survey was recently drawn and Mrs Debra Walker, who lives in Stevenage, scooped the first prize of £200 shopping vouchers to be spent in Boots and shops in the Westgate Shopping Centre.

Mrs Walker was presented with the vouchers by Tracey Parry, Stevenage Town Centre Manager. Mrs Jennifer Moorcroft won second prize, collecting £100 Body Shop vouchers and Miss Jemma Green won third prize and picked up a £50 Waterstone’s gift card.



This year’s survey has generated an enthusiastic response from members of the public, with over 400 taking the time and trouble to complete and return the questionnaire. The responses are currently being analysed and a report will be compiled that will assist the Stevenage Town Centre Management Company in assessing its aims and priorities over the coming months.

Stevenage Town Centre Manager, Tracey Parry, said, “We know that all town centres are experiencing difficult trading conditions but Stevenage offers a good mix of High Street and value brands, as well as a wide range of activities and incentives to delight the customer, which we hope makes a difference to shoppers.”

The results will be published in the next few weeks; in the meantime, the Stevenage Town Centre Management Company will continue to focus on working in close partnership with the local authority, its partners and retailers to ensure Stevenage remains a vibrant town centre.


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