Chapelfield is Santa's Little Helper

PRESS RELEASE                                                                               

CHAPELFIELD IS SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER THIS CHRISTMAS

A bumper set of initiatives to help make Christmas shopping

more convenient and enjoyable than ever before

According to a survey carried out by Chapelfield Shopping Centre, 16% of men say they loathe Christmas shopping and more than half (55%) of men and women surveyed said they have mixed feelings about the festive shopping experience.  This week, Chapelfield is launching an innovative package of Christmas shopping advice, services and freebies to make Christmas shopping in Norwich as enjoyable and stress free as possible.

Sheridan Smith, Marketing Manager at Chapelfield said: “In 2009 we questioned over 1300 people living in Norfolk on their views of Christmas shopping, which confirmed there is a very definite divide between people who love the experience and those who find it a chore.  16 percent of men said they actually loathe it.  In response to this we took a number of steps last year to make Christmas shopping in the centre easier; and this year we are going even further.”

As part of its mission to be ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ this year, Chapelfield has produced its first ever glossy gift guide which is free to all shoppers.  The gift guide contains lots of tips and advice for shopping for friends and family members as well as vouchers for money-off in the centre.  Customers can also use the gift guide to access free parking after 3pm on Mondays to Wednesdays, as well as a stylish linen shopper bag. 

City centre parking can often lead to a stressful start to shopping so Chapelfield has brought in additional parking attendants who will be showing people where there are available spaces, using large ‘Space Here’ signs.

Sheridan Smith continues; “We believe that a highlight for many people will be our personalised gift advice service.  We have a team of trained Christmas Shopping advisors who will be on site every day between now and Christmas.  Based at two pods located at the Chapelfield Plain and St Stephen’s Street entrances, customers can make a brief visit to ask for quick tips, directions or advice, or book a more in-depth session with our shopping expert Chrissi Rix who can accompany people on a shopping trip to help find the perfect present.”

“We believe that our range of Christmas Shopping services for customers, are ground-breaking; we really have tried to provide way more than people might expect this year.  Our aim is to ensure that when we next do our Christmas survey, more people will love Christmas shopping than loathe it,” concludes Sheridan Smith.

For a range of gift ideas or to book an accompanied shop, email chapelfield-information@capshop.co.uk.  See the Chapelfield Gift Guide, available from within Chapelfield, for details on how to take advantage of the free parking offer, plus obtain a free limited edition shopper bag.  Follow @shopchapelfield on twitter plus find Chapelfield Norwich on facebook, for latest shopping news and special offers.

ENDS

For all press enquiries please contact:

Amber Davis or Pippa Lain

Plain Speaking PR: 01603 487 291

amber@plainspeakingpr.co.uk / pippa@plainspeakingpr.co.uk

Amber: 07956 124 833 / Pippa: 07810 751 527

Notes to Editors:

About the special initiatives at Chapelfield this Christmas:

Chapelfield’s Christmas shopping advisors:

For the first time, a team of trained Christmas shopping advisors will be on hand helping customers in the centre with all festive queries.  Anyone stuck for gift ideas, to those needing directions or tips on special offers available at stores within Chapelfield, should visit the team at either of the two desks located at the St Stephen Street and Chapelfield Plain entrances to the shopping centre.  Personal accompanied gift shops, led by centre stylist, Chrissi Rix, can be booked by emailing chapelfield-information@capshop.co.uk.

Late night opening hours:

Open until 7pm throughout November; and until 9pm on Thursdays*.

Open until 8pm throughout December; and until 10pm on Thursdays*.

*except Sundays 11am to 5pm

Free parking offer:

A new festive free parking offer is available for shoppers, from 3pm onwards on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the lead up to Christmas; throughout November and until Wednesday 7 December 2011.  Car park tickets must be validated at the Chapelfield Information Desk located on the Lower Ground Mall of the shopping centre on the same day of parking while the centre is open.  Customers need to complete a form on the back of the Chapelfield gift guide to take advantage of this offer; this voucher can be used up to 10 times.  Please see the Chapelfield Gift Guide, available from the Chapelfield Information Desk, for more details.

Car park attendants

For the first time, parking attendants will be on hand to show people where there are available spaces; using large ‘space here’ signs.

Limited edition linen shopper bag:

New limited edition ‘Have a field day’ linen shopper bags are being given away at the Chapelfield Information Desk on the Lower Ground Mall of the shopping centre.  Customers must pick up a gift guide from the Information Desk, fill in the shopper bag form and hand this to staff on the Information Desk to collect their free bag.

Chapelfield Christmas Gift Guide

A brand new, 44-page, glossy guide packed full of ideas, from gifts under £5 to blow the budget buys, helping to provide inspiration for shoppers.  Available to collect for free within Chapelfield shopping centre, at the Information Desk on the Lower Ground Mall of the centre, as well as at the Christmas shopping desks near Chapelfield Plain and St Stephen’s Street entrances.