Our annual small business competition - The Retail Factor - is now open for it's fifth consecutive year.

The Retail Factor gives new businesses the opportunity to trade from a Retail Merchandise Unit (RMU) in one of our Malls, giving access to thousands of potential shoppers every day.  Its the perfect opportunity to start the business you've always wanted, get valuable exposure and test your product or service in a real shopping environment.

How the competition works

• the competition is running at The Malls: Blackburn, Camberley, Luton, Maidstone, Sutton Coldfield, Uxbridge, Wood Green, Walthamstow. It is not running at The Mall Norwich.
• Start-up businesses keen to trial new products in The Mall should submit an application form online or to the 'Ask Me Point' in The Mall by 12 February 2012.
• Entries will be judged on innovation, commercial viability and relevance of the product to the local marketplace. Businesses which make their region's shortlist will be given free use of a retail merchandising unit for two weeks.
• A panel of judges will then identify the trader or business with the most commercial potential, who will be awarded two months' rent free space to trade and the opportunity to market their business to millions of shoppers every week.
• After this two-month period, key business figures from The Mall including the Managing Director will identify an overall winner across its nine shopping centres. The trader will be provided with the opportunity to take a place at a prestigious week-long retail business course in Oxford at the BIRA.

 Click here to find out more and to download an entry form

2011's Winner

"Entering the Retail Factor 2011 competition was a great move for me. It has helped me get my business going in The Mall where it has benefitted enormously from the sheer numbers of potential customers, as well as from marketing and publicity. I would recommend the competition to others - the support I received has been amazing and I can't thank The Mall enough."