Glow opens at Bluewater
Published: 01 December, 2011
Lend Lease celebrated the official opening of Glow, Bluewater, the £60m events and exhibition venue, yesterday with the launch of Clarion’s Spirit of Christmas gift fair.
The adjacent Plaza, an entertainment-themed dining destination that opened on November 10, together with the 55,000 sq ft Glow represent the first major changes to Bluewater since it opened in March 1999.
Venue director, Rebecca Cardozo, said at the launch: “We have been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time and we are so pleased Glow is now open for guests, allowing them to experience firsthand a whole new dimension to Bluewater.
“Clarion’s first exhibition at Glow, Spirit of Christmas, is spectacular and indicative of the scale and quality of experience that we will be providing guests. Its delivery is also reflective of the close working relationships that Glow is enjoying with the key event organisers. This is a very proud day for Glow, and significant for the industry.”
Tim Hollands, assistant general manager at Bluewater, added: “Bluewater reported a very busy day of trading yesterday, with footfall figures confirmed as being up by 20 per cent when compared to a typical Wednesday in November.
“This was attributed to two key events - the public sector strike, which left many parents and children at home for the day, and the opening of Glow. Consequently, Bluewater was full of families making a day of it Christmas shopping, with all of Bluewater's retailers and restaurants experiencing the benefits.”
“Glow, Bluewater, is an exciting new addition to the industry and creates a completely new breed of events and exhibition space," said Simon Kimble, CEO of Clarion Events. "There is nowhere else like it, or with such an established loyal following as at Bluewater, which adds significantly to the overall appeal of everything that we will be organising.”
Visitors to Spirit of Christmas will be able to choose from 250 brands offering luxury and handpicked gifts.
