The popular shopping centre was full to the brim this Boxing Day
Trafford Centre car parks full on Boxing Day 2025
There was car park chaos at the Trafford Centre on Boxing Day as thousands headed out to bag bargains in the sales.
Digital screens set up around the car park’s estate warned motorists that many of its car parks were FULL just after lunchtime on Friday as crowds of shoppers descended on the giant shopping mall.
Many shops opened at 8am to start their Boxing Day sales, sparking big queues for some stores, including Zara, Boots, Urban Outfitters, Lush and Selfridges.
By lunchtime, there were even bigger crowds of shoppers at the Trafford Centre, with the car parks outside full to the brim. Motorists were being warned not to park on double yellow lines or on the kerbs in the car parks – as they were at risk of being slapped with a parking fine.
Motorists were being warned not to park on double yellow lines
But the Manchester Evening News saw scores of cars parked on double yellows on The Orient car park and outside John Lewis – with many having yellow Parking Charge Notices placed on their windscreens.
Some motorists tried to cheekily park cars in the coach car park area – which also resulted in yellow parking charge notices issued by parking attendants at the shopping centre.
Cars parked in disabled bays without displaying relevant blue disabled permits were also seen being issued with the yellow parking charge notices.
The digital screens around the Trafford Centre roads were encouraging motorists to use the overflow car park on Peel 7 instead of attempting to queue around the full car parks.
Digital screens warned of full car parks
It was a warning that fell on deaf ears with many motorists though, who continued to queue around the busy car parks to try and get a parking space closer to the shopping centre.
The Trafford Centre is open until 8pm on Boxing Day. Shop workers are bracing for an even busier day on Saturday, December 27 – given all shops will reopen to the public on that date.
On Boxing Day, some retailers chose not to open to give staff an extra day’s holiday. That included Next and M&S at the Regent Crescent end of the Trafford Centre. They will start their in-store sales on Saturday.