Ian Pratt has joined Ladysmith Shopping Centre following on from his previous role managing a large portfolio of retail parks across the Midlands. 

Ian has a plethora of experience within the Shopping Centre Industry, having worked in it for 14 years. Ian has worked his way up from being a security guard to an operations manager a role in which he worked for six years. As a Centre Manager, Ian will be taking over Lee’s previous responsibilities and is incredibly excited about the prospect of this new role. 

Ian’s extensive tenure in the industry has endowed him with a profound understanding of how to enhance customer experience. This is something that he hopes to pass on to Ladysmith Shopping Centre in the coming years. Ian is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work at Ladysmith Shopping Centre and he hopes to add social value for the residents and wider community. 

Outside of work, Ian is a devoted family man who cherishes moments spent with his loved ones. Beyond this, his weekends are often spent immersed in the world of motorsport, specifically Formula One and the World Rally Championship. Aside from this, Ian likes to spend invaluable time working on his own car with his son which he shows off at local car shows and rallies. 

Ladysmith Shopping Centre is an integral part of the wider retail offer in Ashton-under-Lyne and has credible and relevant retail offerings for the local population including a mix of national retailers such as Boots, Costa, Peacocks and Specsavers. Along with this, Ladysmith Shopping Centre has a wonderful independent retail offering, with retailers such as Lullabys, Rosies Cafe and Lady Joko offering a variety of products and services. 

Centre Manager Ian said: “We have a great mixture of independent and national businesses at Ladysmith which gives the centre a unique offering that suits the local communities needs. Over the coming months, we will be working hard to ensure that we can meet the needs of our customers and community. I am incredibly excited about starting my new role and I look forward to meeting the customers in due course.”

Over the next 12 months, a key part of Ian’s vision is to continuously showcase the range of retail products available at the centre, putting on an exciting programme of free, family events and providing a safe and clean environment that attracts regular and new visitors. 

The general feedback from the community is that they want to continue seeing Ladysmith offer a wide range of events throughout the year. Ian has said that he is looking forward to exploring opportunities within the community and is excited to see what the future holds for Ladysmith Shopping Centre.