A TikToker has gone viral after he visited the Trafford Centre recently. The content creator who is known for visiting obscure parts of the country for the first time and commenting about it from a Londoner’s perspective has racked up over 800k views on his video about the famous shopping mall.
In the clip, which is more than two minutes long, m.combe07 explores the Trafford Centre and is astonished with the architecture, size and quirks of the iconic building. He starts the video by declaring that Manchester owes the UK an ‘explanation’ and goes on to ask ‘why does your shopping centre look like this, bro?’ in an exasperated tone.
Continuing his commentary, he says that he has been left ‘bewildered’ by the interior of the Trafford Centre and says it feels like he’s in Dubai. Making more quips about what he finds, he says ‘You can’t tell me this don’t look like Tutankhamun’s lair’ and asks ‘why don’t we have nothing like this in London?’
During his visit he likens sitting on a bench on the second floor to sitting on a ‘throne’ looking over ‘plebs’ and marvels at one of the waterfalls, adding that it is not ‘normal behaviour.’
He manages to visit Toys ‘r’ Us and and Selfridges, before jumping back on the tram for his own good saying that if he stayed any longer, he would have started ‘spending recklessly.’
The official TikTok page for the Trafford Centre joined thousands in the comment section of the popular video and commented: “WE’VE BEEN FOUND.” While another TikTok user said: “Trafford Centre has no right being as good as it is, and we’re not even mentioning the fact that it has a cruise themed food court or that a giant waterpark is being built next door.”
The content creator said the inside of the Trafford Centre looked like ‘Tutankhamun’s lair’
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Another follower added: “Best shopping centre in England. Hands down, facts.” While another user left a comment bemoaning the traffic that comes with peak times at the shopping centre and said: “Trafford Centre is vibes and aesthetically pleasing but not when you’re a local and forever get stuck in traffic on a regular.”
The Trafford Centre officially opened 26 years ago on 10 September 1998. Back then it was the largest shopping centre in the UK, but it very nearly didn’t get off the drawing board as reported by the Manchester Evening News back in 2018.
Its flamboyant design is inspired by the Rococo and late Baroque style of architecture that was popular in Europe in the 17th to mid-18th century. More than just a shopping destination, it was built to be an entertainment and social hub while boasting the biggest food court in Europe.