News
News
Merrion Centre launches new student food tours and over £12,000 of prizes up for grabs
Thu 11 Sep, 2025
Leeds’ Merrion Centre, the established shopping and leisure destination, has unveiled its line-up of activities designed to welcome the city’s student community this year.
Students can look forward to over £12,000 worth of prizes through the popular ‘Shop, Show & Win’ initiative, as well as the launch of brand-new guided ‘Food Tours’ to showcase the Centre’s vibrant dining scene.
Exclusive Prizes for Shopping Local at Merrion
Building on the success of last year’s activity, ‘Shop, Show & Win’ will once again reward students for shopping at the Merrion Centre with a bumper prize pool worth more than £12,000, including vouchers, free meals, and gift cards.
The activity will once again be supported by the digital Student Shopping & Discount Guide, making it even easier for students to discover the wide mix of brands available on their doorstep.
For the first time, 2025 will also see the launch of student-specific ‘Food Tours’ in partnership with a number of major accommodation providers within the immediate vicinity including iQ Altus House and Symons House.
Eat, Meet & Explore
These guided tasting experiences will give students a flavour of the Merrion Centre’s eclectic food and drink offer, with participating venues including Konga Coffee, La Fiesta, Chilli Shop, Meet Fresh, Pho 37, Tenpin and Hook & Line.
The tours have been designed to showcase the diverse range of international flavours available within the Centre, while also providing students with a sociable way to explore the city and meet new people.
Joanna Rafferty, Customer Service Advisor at iQ, said:
“We’re really excited to be teaming up with the Merrion Centre in a big way for the first time, introducing our residents to a buzzing mix of food and leisure right on their doorstep. The food tours are a brilliant way for new students to dive into life in Leeds, make new friends, and discover all the amazing local spots. We’re going all out to make sure our residents have their best year yet and what better way to kick things off than by showing off everything the Merrion Centre has to offer!”
With more than 9,000 apartments already completed in the immediate area and thousands more currently under development, the Merrion Centre continues to attract a fast-growing student population from across the city’s universities and colleges.
Connecting with Students on a Global Stage
As part of its ongoing commitment to engaging with an increasingly international student audience, the Merrion Centre will also continue to grow its presence on Chinese social media platform Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu).
This channel has already proved highly successful in helping the Centre connect with students arriving from overseas, particularly those from China, by introducing them to the Merrion Centre’s authentic eateries, international brands and vibrant leisure offering.
James Broughton, Head of Marketing Communications for Town Centre Securities PLC, owners of the Merrion Centre, said:
“Students are an integral part of the growing Merrion community, and every year we look to innovate with fresh, engaging ways to welcome them to the city.
“Alongside the return of our hugely popular ‘Shop, Show & Win’ and Student Discount Guide, our new Food Tours will give students the perfect opportunity to experience just a taste of the incredible mix of international cuisine available right here at the Merrion Centre. Our ongoing work with Little Red Book further strengthens our ability to connect with a truly global student audience.”
The Merrion Centre remains a vibrant destination where students can shop, eat, drink and be Merrion throughout the academic year.
