It Takes Allorts - Giant Sweet Shoe at McArthurGlen's East Midlands Designer Outlet

April 17, 2012 - PRLog -- On 16th April a Bassett’s sweet maker and a Style Consultant at McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet, put the finishing touches on the UK’s tallest, most desirable accessory – a giant, two metre high, sweet shoe, created in partnership with the confectionery brand Bassett’s based in Sheffield.  Made up of 22,000 Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts, the shoe marks a bumper first quarter for Spring/Summer accessory sales at the designer outlet.

Donna Goodwin, Marketing Manager at McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet, says: “We’ve seen a 9% increase in accessories sales compared to the first quarter last year, with handbags and jewellery up an average of 8% and shoes up a huge double digit 10%, as shoppers prepare their Spring wardrobes.

To celebrate this boom in accessory sales, we joined up with much loved local brand Bassett’s, in order to create the outlets most desirable accessory, a giant sweet shoe, which can fit over 250 pairs of shoes inside - the same number of shoes sold at McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet every week during the first quarter of 2012.”

Michelle Fitton, Manufacturing Manager at Kraft Foods in Sheffield, which owns Bassett’s brand, comments: “The giant sweet shoe took over 160 hours to make, weighs over 125kg, used 22,000 Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts including 1,700 pieces of black liquorice to create the UK’s highest liquorice 39 inch heel. It’s been fantastic to team up with McArthurGlen’s East Midlands, the project encapsulates the fun filled moments that Bassett’s are all about.”

Shoppers craving allsorts of on–trend fashionable treats can choose from over 70 fashion and high street brands, including top shoe retailer LK Bennett, Fiorelli and Phase Eight - all at up to 60% less at McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet.

The giant shoe will be situated outside LK Bennett in the designer outlet until 10th May.

For further information on McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet, call 01773 545000 or visit www.eastmidlandsdesigneroutlet.com

Follow McArthurGlen’s East Midlands Designer Outlet at www.facebook.com/EastMidlandsDesignerOutlet

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NOTES TO EDITORS                                                          
McArthurGlen Group
McArthurGlen Group is Europe’s leading developer, owner and manager of designer outlets. The Group, which currently has 20 Designer Outlets, introduced the concept of designer outlet retailing to Europe in 1995. The 75 million consumers visiting McArthurGlen’s Designer Outlets annually are attracted by the year-round savings of 30-70 per cent on the top names in luxury, designer and mainstream fashion. McArthurGlen’s portfolio currently offers more than 500,000 sq m of retail space with a further 120,000 sq m under way, including the new McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Neumünster, near Hamburg, due to open in autumn 2012. For more information, please visit www.mcarthurglengroup.com

McArthurGlen in the UK
McArthurGlen has seven Designer Outlets in the UK. As well as the UK’s largest and Europe’s first, Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet near Chester, these are Ashford Designer Outlet, Bridgend Designer Outlet (Wales’ largest designer outlet), East Midlands Designer Outlet, Livingston Designer Outlet (Scotland’s largest designer outlet), Swindon Designer Outlet and York Designer Outlet.

Background information about Bassett’s
•         1842 The first Bassett’s sweet are made when George Bassett founded confectionary company in Sheffield
•         1899 Liquorice Allsorts are discovered by accident when salesman Charlie Thompson tripped up mixing all the different sweets he was carrying, creating the weird and wonderful mix of sweets that we know and love today as Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts
•         1929 Bertie Bassetts born
•         1932 Liquorice Allsorts are exported to other North European countries
•         1987 A unique Bertie only sweet is created
•         2007 Allsorts ingredients only made with natural colours and flavours