It's been nearly 10 years since a 'fire sale' held for the closing down of a Manchester shopping centre saw scenes compared by many to looting as glass was smashed, televisions ripped from the wall and shop shutters prised open.
The Triangle Shopping Centre opened in 2000 and was based in the historic Corn Exchange in Manchester city centre. After the Second World War, the stunning Edwardian building had fallen into disuse, but in 1976 new life had been injected back into it by the arts.
It was used by The Royal Exchange Theatre Company and as a filming location for Granada Television in Brideshead Revisited. Over time, it became a marketplace again until 1996, when the building was devastated by the blast of an IRA bomb which exploded nearby.
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The glass dome was blown in and there was extensive structural damage, meaning many businesses were forced to move to new premises. The subsequent renovation involved replacing around 800 window frames and the use of 1,700 square metres of glass to repair the building’s famous glass-domed roof.
The renovation work, including extensive internal remodelling, cost £8 million with the building reopening as the Triangle Shopping Centre, filled with high-class retail outlets such as Jigsaw and MUJI. It was a far cry from the alternative marketplace that was previously housed there, which consisted of small stallholders selling clothes, jewellery and second hand record shops.
Many of the units were temporary structures on the Exchange's old trading floor, with other permanent shops and offices around the perimeter. In stark contrast, the renovation completely remodelled the interior with glass and chrome, and included the installation of an ultra modern 'sky bar'.
However, despite cosmetic attempts to boost trade, its detachment from the city's main shopping areas and poor accessibility failed to attract the right mix of brands to pull in shoppers. In 2011, the decision was made to build upon the centre's most successful businesses – cafes and restaurants – by attracting niche eateries and shops to re-create the feel of London's Carnaby Street, Covent Garden or Spitalfields market.
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The decision was also made for the building to revert to its historic Corn Exchange, signalling the end of The Triangle. In 2014, the owners decided to sell as much as possible from the building before it was redeveloped.
Doors to the amazing 'yard sale' were set to open for 9am with hundreds expecting to turn up looking to grab a bargain. Entry was free and everything inside was priced at £10, from shelves and shop fittings to 50 inch televisions, sofas and even the huge metal 'sky bar' structure itself.
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Other more unusual items up for grabs included a Hacienda-style picnic bench signed by legendary DJ Dave Haslam and a giant silver throne. Those looking to fit out a shop could also buy chandeliers, counters and shelving with all the money from the event being donated to charity.
But with so many expensive and sought after items on sale for just £10, there were fears pandemonium would break out as shoppers stripped the old shopping centre bare. And they were right.
Some people queued for more than 11 hours outside to be in pole position to bag a bargain. However, tensions ran high as soon as the doors opened as hundreds of people swarmed into the building with some ripping televisions and speaker systems off the walls.
Glass windows were smashed and shutters to some former shopping units were prised open. An MEN journalist who was covering the 'fire sale' at the time reported the event "brought out the worst in people."
They said: "It was nothing short of madness as hundred of people dashed into the building with one thing on their mind – grab whatever you can."
Adding: "For some reason, the event seemed to bring out the worst in some people. Almost immediately, people could be seen shouting and abusing each other in rows over who had claimed the item first.
"Then there were scenes compared by many to looting as glass was smashed, televisions and speaker systems were ripped from the wall and shutters prised open." As things descended into chaos, more than 25 police officers were called in to shut the event down.
A spokesman for the Corn Exchange management later said: "The numbers exceeded our expectations," but added they were proud of building staff who "handled the situation fantastically."
The Corn Exchange reopened in 2015 as a popular food outlet with a multimillion-pound transformation of four floors to turn the upper part of the building into a hotel starting a year later which opened in 2018. The launch of the hotel unveiled listed parts of the building unseen by the public which were covered up by the heavy restoration under the building's former use as the Triangle Shopping Centre.
In January this year, the MEN reported the iconic building was put on the market for around £43 million and had now been sold by its owners Aviva Investors to an unknown buyer. What's next in store for the historic Grade II listed landmark remains to be seen.
Do you remember the Triangle Shopping Centre? Let us know in the comments section below.
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