The Cambridge News and Grand Arcade are looking for a Grand Hero to be given the honour of officially opening the Centre on 27 March.
Perhaps you know someone whodoes incredible work for charity, has overcome terrible personal circumstance, or perhaps has just been a great neighbour or support. It could be a relative, colleague or friend, but has to be someone who is truly deserving and would love the opportunity to officially open Cambridge’s hottest new shopping destination.
Not only will they open Cambridge’s exciting new retail development in front of hundreds of eagerly awaiting shoppers and press, have access to the Arcade before anyone else but also, courtesy of John Lewis, they will be given an exclusive appointment with one of the store’s Fashion Advisers and will win up to £250 worth of clothes! (Check today’s paper for entry details)
The much anticipated opening promises to be a visual spectacular! Aerial ribbon dance performances from the world-wide acclaimed Viva Dance Group, made famous on the BBC programme trailers promises to mark the opening in style. Madam Mayor Jenny Bailey, and local designer of the Grand Arcade Gates, Lida Kindersley, will also join our Grand Hero winner for the opening ceremony.
10am – Grand Gates opening and ribbon cutting ceremony with Madam Mayor Jenny Bailey, gate designer Lida Cardozo Kindersley and two members of the University Constabulary.
11am – A performance from the world acclaimed Viva Aerial Display Team in the main Atrium, followed by a balloon release
11.10am – Formal speech by Madam Mayor Jenny Bailey, who will also be joined by the winner of the Grand Hero competition.
And, there are plenty of events planned at Grand Arcade over the first four Saturdays after opening including, Beauty Makeovers in the Atrium, Fashion workshops throughout the day and even the chance to win a Jaguar VIP experience and a £3,000 diamond necklace courtesy of Fraser Hart!
WIN FREE PARKING AT GRAND ARCADE EVERYDAY FOR A YEAR!
With two weeks to go before the Grand Arcade opens its doors we have teamed up with the Cambridge News and city council to provide a free parking pass for its new 890 space car park.
Stephen Simonett, of the council’s parking team, said: “It is a unique pass. Businesses can purchase season tickets to park in the city, but that facility is not available to the general public – so this is something really worth winning.”
Lidia de Luca, Grand Arcade marketing manager, said: “We are delighted to be working with the council and the Cambridge News to offer this terrific prize, as well as developing other joint initiatives to help people shop in Grand Arcade, including one of the most successful park and ride bus facilities in the country.
“Grand Arcade will also have a new cycle park which will be one of the largest in the UK providing a much needed facility for Cambridge shoppers.”
Editor of the Cambridge News, Murray Morse, said: “A free car parking space in Cambridge is something money can’t buy, and this pass will be one of a kind.
You can walk there, hop on a bike, or hop on a bus into the city centre. Cambridge has five park and ride sites which all operate Monday to Saturday, and three of them – Trumpington, Madingley Road and Newmarket Road – also operate on Sundays, 9am-6pm. All the sites are staffed during opening hours but overnight parking is not permitted.
“It’s a great way to get Grand Arcade off to a flying start.”
(Check today’s paper for entry details)
SADDLE UP WITH £275 SUPERBIKE
Taking the car is not the only way to shop at Grand Arcade.
Park and ride day return tickets cost £2. The new Grand Arcade car park will offer hundreds of cycle spaces too- and we have a new bike to be won as park of Grand Arcade’s opening celebrations.
It is a Saracen Venture 2, worth £275 – and comes complete with aluminium frame, mounts for rear luggage rack, mudguards and disc brakes, as well as Shimano Easifire 24-speed shifters, multi-stitch saddle and double density soft handlebar grips.
To get in the running for the bike prize, simply send your name, address and contact details on a postcard to Grand Arcade Cycle Competition, Newsdesk, Cambridge Evening News, Winship Road, Milton, Cambridge CB24 6PP.
Details of park and ride bus services are on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk
SURVEY REVEALS SHOPPING IS MORE OF A THRILL THAN SEX
A nationwide study conducted by Cambridge’s newest retail outlet Grand Arcade, has found that a third of the country believe their work productivity increases after a good shopping therapy session, and a phenomenal 78 per cent said they found hitting the shops more pleasurable than hitting the sack with a loved one.
Over 2,000 people were questioned about their shopping habits and the effect this has on the brain and general wellbeing. The surprising results revealed have prompted Grand Arcade to name 27th March as National Shopping Therapy Day. The company is also calling upon Grand Bosses across the country to allow their staff to go shopping for an hour during the day... all in the name of work productivity!
Grand Arcade centre manager, Tracy Hulme, comments: “We all know just how therapeutic a good retail therapy session is, so I wasn’t that surprised to find that it increases productivity. There’s a lot of research which indicates it’s good to step away from your work throughout the day to relax and recharge, and shopping is a fantastic way to unwind.
“Discovering that nearly 80 per cent of those questioned who were in a relationship, found a shop more enjoyable than making love to their partner is a real coup for anyone in the retail industry.”
The research conducted also revealed that just under 50 per cent of people find shopping for a new outfit as challenging and stimulating for the brain as problem solving at work. It would appear to most the finding that perfect outfit is a task that takes a lot of time and thinking to perfect.
For more information on Grand Arcade log onto www.grandarcade.co.uk
GRAND ARCADE TEAMS UP WITH TCT
With the launch of Cambridge’s Grand Arcade just a couple of weeks away, the much anticipated new shopping destination has chosen to support Teenage Cancer Trust as one of its designated charities.
Currently there are no specialist facilities in East Anglia for teenagers with cancer. TCT is building a new unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, which will serve the whole of the region. It will cost £2million to build, with £1million of that hoping to be raised locally.
Work on the TCT unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital is set to get under way this summer, treating patients aged between 13 and 22 from East Anglia and surrounding areas. The design will incorporate lots of innovative ideas about space and décor provided by teenage cancer patients themselves.
Grand Arcade is planning a series of fundraising and awareness building activities to help raise much needed funds for the new unit. Lidia De Luca, Marketing Manager for the Centre, said: “TCT do such incredible work to support young people with cancer. There was no doubt in my mind that Grand Arcade should fully support the new TCT unit at Addenbrooke’s.
“With the support of the Centre’s staff and customers we’ve got some really exciting projects planned including a VIT - Very Important Teenager Day – giving one local teenager, who is being affected by cancer, the chance to receive VIP treatment for the day at Grand Arcade!”
Simon Davies, Chief Executive of TCT, said, “Six teenagers are diagnosed with cancer each day, but these young patients don’t stop being teenagers just because they get cancer. TCT ensures that young cancer patients get the best possible care in hospital and the chance to do all the things that other teenagers do. Each unit costs around £2 million to build and so we are delighted that Grand Arcade has decided to support us and help us work towards this important goal.”
The equivalent of £1 from every adult in East Anglia is all that is needed to give every teenage cancer patient in the region access to a TCT unit.
Progress at Grand Arcade is moving swiftly with a raft of exciting stores signed up for opening day and more to come in the months to follow.
For more information about the work of TCT visit www.teenagecancertrust.org or call 020 7612 0370.
Notes to Editor: Any funds raised in excess of development needs will be re-distributed to support young people with cancer through existing or new services in the local area or elsewhere.
The Addenbrooke’s TCT unit will provide 10 in-patient beds plus out-patient and day care facilities, open-plan social and recreation areas, a kitchen and dining area for patients and parents, digital lighting systems, broadband connectivity and cutting edge computing, gaming and entertainment equipment.