Who are you?
Golden Square is at the heart of the community in Warrington. Not just a shopping centre, but a place to meet friends, have fun, bring the family and take part in events throughout the year. 140 stores catering for all your needs, plus the home to many of Warrington’s biggest events including Warrington Music Festival, the town’s Christmas celebrations and a whole host of summer activities to suit everyone, all taking place in the unique “Old Market Square”!
How many people do you employ?
Over 80 people
How long has your business been in existence?
Golden Square has been around for well over 40 years, and extended just over 10 years ago – but that only tells you half the story! The Old Market Square is a listed structure that hosted the original Warrington fish market, the Barley Mow pub dates back to the 1800’s and the building that is currently ASK restaurant was the original Town Hall. Old certainly meets new when you visit Golden Square.
Why Warrington?
Golden Square, despite its size, is still very much considered a local shopping centre by our customers and the people who work here. Everyday we see faces we recognise, people who have now become our friends, people who make Golden Square different to other Shopping Centres. Our team don’t just work here, they live in Warrington, shop here, and care about making Golden Square the best it possibly can be. They have pride in what they do, and they care what our customers think, and work together to try and make everyday special.
What is your ‘get through lockdown tip’?
My tip to get through lockdown is simple – keep in touch with those people who mean the most to you, remember what is important, and don’t listen to everything you hear on the news and social media – it will drive you nuts!
Who are the people most important in life to you?
We put families first at Golden Square – trying to make every visit the best and easiest experience for all members of the family. With that in mind family is the most important thing to everyone who works here too. We always put our families first, we ensure all of our team knows that if they have any family problems or issues they will always have our support. I have 4 children, 2 boys called Evan and Jude and 2 girls called Lola and Amelie – they are the most important thing in the world to me, and represent the reason I come to work, and what Golden Square is all about.
What job or achievement makes you most proud?
There are many things Golden Square are involved in that many people will not even realise. Every year we are proud to both host and continue to fund Warrington Music Festival – a unique event that allows emerging artists the opportunity to share a stage with headline acts that have included the Happy Mondays, Fun Lovin Criminals, Cast, Reverend and the Makers, Lightening Seeds and many, many more! More recently we have spearheaded “Warrington Cares” – a new initiative that has looked to bring a whole host of organisations together in the town who offer mental health support, to give them a platform to reach out to more people, offering help and guidance where it is needed most.
Like a 1:1 with Ian?
Email: ian.cox@gswarrington.com
