Affluence in Trafford- Vibrancy and Exciting Future Developments

Vibrancy and Exciting Future Developments

Trafford is one of Greater Manchester’s most affluent boroughs, homing an estimated population of 235,493 people in 2017. It encompasses four town centres; Altringcham, Sale, Stretford and Urmston, and has a vast scale of leisure, sporting and cultural attractions. Our brand new digital screens on the outer facades of Hotel Football in Old Trafford are nearing launch, so we’ve put together a post summarising why Trafford is a premium advertising spot. From its thriving visitor economy to exciting new developments like Trafford Waters, Trafford’s affluent economy is about to propel even further.

 

Vibrancy in Trafford

 

Economy

Trafford boasts the lowest rate of unemployment in Greater Manchester with a rate of 2.7%. This is lower than the Greater Manchester average of 3.6% and the national average of 3.3%. The area also has the highest productivity per head in Greater Manchester, with a £7.1 billion GVA. What’s more, a study by Grant Thornton that assessed ‘vibrancy’ through measuring socio-economic metrics including sense of belonging and prosperity, ranked Trafford in England’s top 20% with a vibrancy score of 103.2 against the national average of 100.

The following attractions lure many visitors to the Trafford area. Each year Trafford has over 40 million visitors, and future developments are bound to attract yet more visitors and investors.

Old Trafford Stadium

Nestled in the borough of Trafford sits Old Trafford, located beside our Hotel Football screens and home to the infamous Old Trafford Stadium and Manchester United Football Club. The stadium is one of only two in England with the prestigious UEFA five star rating and it was one of the venues for the renowned 1966 World Cup, where England took home the trophy. Naturally, the stadium is a massive selling point for the area, with fans travelling from all corners of the world to see the home of MUFC, making it the most popular venue for foreign visitors to watch a football match in the UK.

Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground

The Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground is another major sports attraction in Old Trafford. Its huge redevelopment was completed in 2017 and its footfall is high due to its sports and leisure facilities. It not only houses Lancashire County Cricket Club but hosts high profile music concerts, such as 2017’s One Love Manchester concert, which had 50,000 attendees. All this is located just a five-minute walk away from our Hotel Football screens.

Trafford City and Intu Trafford Centre

Trafford City is the destination brand name given to the area encompassing a range of leisure and retail complexes, such as the Intu Trafford Centre, iFLY and Chill Factore. It’s described by its developers, The Peel Group, as ‘a unique city within a city’, which sees 44 million visitors each year. The Intu Trafford Centre alone attracts 31 million visitors annually.

Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey is a National Trust property, incorporating a manor house, parkland and even a 400 year old working sawmill. The site is incredibly popular with both locals and tourists, seeing 340,000 visitors in 2014/2015 and ranking in the top 10 most popular National Trust houses in those years.

Altrincham Market Hall

In recent years Altrincham Market Hall has helped the historical market town of Altrincham to prosper. The reinvention has seen the market as a finalist in the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards for Best Food Market 2016, and the winner of an Observer Food Monthly Best Market Award. The market’s success has seen an influx of visitors from outside the borough and continues to flourish year on year.

 

Transport Links

 

A massive selling point for the Trafford area is its impressive transport links. This makes it easy for both locals and visitors to travel around the area as well as providing links to the rest of the world.

Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport is minutes away from Trafford and has routes to many areas of the UK and worldwide. The airport has been given the title of ‘Best UK Airport’ and not only offers passenger services, but holds the World Freight Terminal, which imports and exports goods to 160 countries worldwide, with daily flights to the Far East, Middle East and North America.

Manchester Ship Canal

The Manchester Ship Canal is the only ship canal in the UK and the eighth longest in the world. It dates back to the 1890s and was the reason behind Trafford Park Industrial Estate’s development in the early 20^th century. The canal links Trafford to the Atlantic Gateway and provides important trade links. Additionally, the Atlantic Gateway plan proposes to link trade between Liverpool and Manchester, creating “the most dynamic and economically sustainable region in the UK”. Read on to find out more in the future developments section…

Metrolink

The Metrolink runs directly through Trafford, making the borough highly accessible. What’s more, a new Metrolink line through Trafford Park is currently being constructed and will be open in 2019/2020. Even better, this new line has a stop directly overlooking our premium Hotel Football digital screens.

Rail Networks

Trafford homes both passenger and freight rail networks, with Trafford Park housing the UK’s biggest inland freight terminal. Moreover, there is a brand new HS2 rail network planned to run through the area by 2032.

 

Trafford’s Exciting Future Developments

 

Atlantic Gateway Project

The Atlantic Gateway Project is a proposed redevelopment strategy for the North West. It is one of the biggest developments in UK history and will involve redeveloping the Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal, enabling goods to be brought to the middle of Northern England via ship.

The project is led by Peel Land and Property and is backed by a £50 billion investment over 50 years. Peel chairman John Whittaker has stated that the linking of Liverpool and Manchester will create “the most dynamic and economically sustainable region in the UK”.

Trafford Waters

Trafford Waters is a development by Peel Land and Property that plans to bring to life a new neighbourhood. It includes 3,000 new flats, almost 1 million sqft of retail and office space, a hotel, care home and primary school.

The development director, James Whittaker, commented “Trafford Waters will bring a unique neighbourhood to Greater Manchester, which will not only provide much needed residential housing but also office space which will help unlock business and employment opportunities.”

Metrolink

Work on the new Trafford Park Line began in January 2017, and is due to be complete in 2020/2021. The line will run from Pomona to the Intu Trafford Centre, with the Wharfside stop right by our Hotel Football digital screens, providing brilliant dwell time for passengers and those waiting to board the tram.

The development of Greater Manchester’s rapid transit network is synonymous with keeping the area’s economy thriving. Other potential options for the future include train-tram services and a metro-style service running underneath the city of Manchester.

University Academy 92

UA92 aims to ‘accelerate careers in the worlds of media, sport, business and psychology thanks to a curriculum inspired by the experience and connections of the class of 92, developed by respected academic pioneers Lancaster University, and supported by industry-leader Microsoft.’

The UA92 campus will be opening in September 2019 and will be a few minutes walk away from Old Trafford Stadium and located next to Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground. This means that an influx of young people will soon be descending on the area, offering prime advertising opportunities for relevant brands.