First glimpses inside Chill Factore snow dome
These are the first photographs released of the inside of the massive snow village Chill Factore currently being built by Sir Robert McAlpine next to the Trafford Centre, west of Manchester.
The images show the main ski slope and tobaggon run ahead of being deluged with snow when the centre opens in November.
Bookings for the 250,000 sq ft, £31m attraction designed by Faulkner Browns started this month, one year after construction work began.
Chill Factore will feature the UK's longest and the world's widest real snow indoor ski slope (180m long and 100m wide). It includes three separate but interconnected real snow slopes, including a dedicated nursery area just for beginners. The main slope – lined with a mountain scene mural – is column free and has roof-suspended Poma button lifts to enable unobstructed activity. There is also a luge run and a separate children's area where they can play in real snow all year round.
Chill Factore will include specialist shops, bars and restaurants with panoramic windows and balconies offering stunning views over the real snow slopes.
Chill Factore will itself operate the main restaurant, sports bar, creperie and a coffee shop. The 16 units – which range from 270 sq ft to 10,010 sq ft – are almost fully let by brands such as the UK's leading wintersports and outdoor specialist retailer Snow+Rock, Dare2B, which has selected Chill Factore as the venue for its first ever dedicated store, Subvert, Adrenaline Junkie, Evans Cycles, Wetherspoons, Nandos and North-West ice cream manufacturer Frederick's Icecream.
Chill Factore was founded by Peter Moore, former managing director of Center Parcs, and David Sterland, one of the men behind the Xscape indoor snow concept.
