Trinity Leeds

The new Trinity Leeds project opened yesterday in the heart of the city centre. It was great to see it finally open as they have been working on it ever since I moved to Leeds over three years ago. It's the only major retail development to open in the UK in 2013 and thus is quite prestigious.

Of course, it has the usual medley of high end chain stores and eateries, but a TGI Friday's and two new sushi restaurants in the heart of town are always going to be appreciated. An Apple store and a Lego store is going to boost the prestige of the city and many of the outlets are chains we don't already have. Of course some chains have moved from elsewhere in the city to be there, leaving empty shops, and the Core shopping complex is not even half full so the council need to encourage more retailers to move in. Not easy in the current economic climate.

The One Direction pop up store puts Leeds in the same league as Vancouver and Sydney, particularly as it's the first such store in the UK, even before London. As much as I dislike this "band" and Simon Bowell Movement's marketing machine, I can't deny that this three week store will again boost the profile of Leeds, which is no bad thing.

The Trinity is fantastic architecturally, with a giant glass dome rising above its three floors. It's like a shopping centre in Bristol I once visited whose name I cannot remember. The centerpiece of the centre, in the main atrium, is a giant silver horse showing its butt, it's most pleasant.

The place has been built around the existing streets so it's a bit of a labyrinth. I was there for half an hour but as it was busy, didn't get chance to amble due to the crowds. Anyway, it's an impressive development and the Everyman Cinema, which opens next month and where you can drink beer while watching a movie, is going to be a nice addition. Coupled with a cocktail bar and the restaurants that are there, it's going to be a fantastic place to visit in future. Bravo!

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