Keeping four million customers happy: the team behind Leigh's Spinning Gate Shopping Centre

Owned by a private company, the centre is headed up by the management triumvirate of centre manager, Karen Cox; operations coordinator, Carole Hurst; and dual services manager, Adam Khokhar.

“I joined the shopping centre industry 20 years ago; no two days have ever been the same, hence the reason I have remained in this career for so long!” said Karen, 44. “I have thoroughly enjoyed each day, although I often get challenged for living in Wigan! I have had the pleasure of meeting some great people and thoroughly enjoy the variety the role provides.”

Dual services manager, Adam Khokhar, 34, is employed by ExcluSec Group and manages the centre’s security and cleaning team.

“I enjoy the diversity at the centre,” he said, having joined last November. “I’m enjoying managing the on-site teams and I’m also enjoying the challenge, interacting with store staff, and working alongside the management team.”

Centre operations coordinator Carole Hurst, 59, has been at Spinning Gate for 16 years and said: “I manage over 100 contractors, from scheduling external high level painting to cleaning the centre’s 50ft high glazed atrium.

“I am also responsible for the centre’s promotional diary, booking in activities for local charities who fundraise on the mall,” she added.

Part of the security team in the CCTV hub, Craig Shaw, 34, said: “I enjoy the fast past environment the control room provides,” while security officers Gareth Stubbs, 27, and Stuart Grounds, 34, said that they enjoyed the variation and camaraderie of the job.