Easter Fun and the Royal Wedding

We've got lots going on at the Guildhall this Easter so why not come and join in the fun? On Saturday 23rd April we have got the Easter Bunnies handing out FREE chocolates to all and we have Easter Craft Tables in the Guildhall Shopping Centre where you can decorate and take home your own plastic egg. Any donations will go to The Donna Louise Children's Hospice.

The only day the Guildhall Shopping Centre is closed is Easter Sunday. Good Friday and Saturday 23rd April are normal trading days and we will be open on Bank Holiday Monday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. As an extra help, we are offering FREE car parking on Bank Holiday Monday.

As everyone knows, The Royal Wedding will take place on Friday 29th April but for those of you who don't want to sit in front of the television all day, the Guildhall will be opening from 10.30am to 4.30pm and again, we are offering you FREE car parking. There are some fantastic sales and special offers in our stores at the moment so it is a terrific time to spoil yourself with something new for your Spring/Summer 2011 wardrobe.

Finally we will be opening from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May (with FREE car parking). So hurry on down to the Guildhall and bag a Bank Holiday bargain.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

THE CAT WHO WENT TO LIVE AT SHUGBOROUGH

A book signing will be held at Waterstone’s Guildhall Centre branch on Saturday 29 January at 11.30am. The story, ‘I Am a Cat’ by local author Louise Hudson, is about a girl who becomes a cat and who goes to live at Shugborough. It has been selling so well, after signings throughout the West Midlands and Birmingham, that Louise has been invited back to Waterstone’s to mark the second birthday of the book’s publication.

But this event will be rather different.

Louise has been searching to find two cats, who fit the description of her leading characters, in order to use their pictures for publicity purposes. She recently visited the popular Cat’s Whiskers Boarding Cattery, at Stowe by Chartley and was introduced, by owner Sarah, to the feline guests. Afterwards, Louise said, “They were all beautiful but just not quite right. I’m hoping someone will be able to help me on 29^th January.”

Every book will include an invitation for readers to get in touch with her if they think their cats might be able to help.

‘I Am a Cat’ (£7.99) is an unusual book, set around local villages, about a girl who becomes a cat but who still keeps her human mind. She meets other animals who are in a similar frustrating situation. After she falls in love and goes to live at Shugborough she writes her story to explain why some people feel their pets are almost human. How a cat can actually write her story is explained in the book.

Asked why she chose Shugborough, Louise said, “I love walking there and the House is wonderful. When I was working in Stafford we held annual functions there – it was magical. It just begged for a story to be set around it.”

"FREE Christmas Decorations

The Guildhall Shopping Centre is offering Christmas bar-swags to anyone that can offer them a good home. The Guildhall has recently purchased a new decorative scheme for the shopping centre and is now wanting to dispose of its old decorations. They are in very reasonable condition and each bar-swag is about 4ft in length and is decorated with Christmas baubles and lights. There are approximately 25 bar-swags that would be ideal for decorating shops, public areas, schools, restaurants, etc.

If anybody is interested, please contact Anne Graham on 01785 223107 or email anne@guildhallstafford.com. There is no charge for the decorations but they would need to be collected and transported at your own expense. If you are interested in all of them, or even one or two of them, then do get in touch before we make alternative arrangements to dispose of them.

Christmas Spirit comes to Guildhall

"Their was Christmas spirit in abundance at the Guildhall Shopping Centre on Saturday with a visit by the Comical Nun. The highly entertaining performer glided around the shopping centre with her piano and sang everything from rock 'n roll to Christmas Carols at the top of her voice. Customers and shop staff couldn't help but stop, stare and then collapse with laughter at the antics of the nun. "I can't believe what I've just seen" said one customer, "it was just so funny!!".

"Anne Graham, Marketing Manager for the Guildhall said, "this particular entertainer has gone down extremely well with our shoppers. On a very cold day, it has certainly lifted everybody's mood and helped people to enjoy doing their Christmas shopping".

Christmas Tree Festival in Stafford

We've been decorating our Christmas Tree in St Mary's Church in Stafford ready for the annual Christmas Tree Festival taking place from 1st - 7th December. Why not go along and take a look - with over 40 decorated trees it is quite lovely. the church will be open every day from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday 5th there will be a Victorian Christmas Carol Service starting at 4.30pm - all welcome and it's FREE.

Visit Santa in his Grotto

Visit Santa in his snow covered grotto at the Guildhall Shopping Centre this festive period. Santa will be visiting on Saturdays and Sundays and also from 20-23 December (11.00-4.00 each day). We charge a tiny 50p per child and all donations go to The Donna Louise Children's Hospice. Every child will receive a small gift from Santa.

Subscribe to our e:newsletter

If you would like to be the first to receive news of the latest offers from the Guildhall shops, then go to our website and subscribe to our FREE Newsletters. Our next e:newsletter will be sent out on Tuesday 8th November and it will contain details of Christmas offers as well as full listings of our Christmas trading hours and entertainments programme. Don't delay, sign up at www.guildhallstafford.com and be the first to know what's new and what's hot at the Guildhall this Christmas.