News

Thistles partners with esteemed poet Donna Ashworth to combat loneliness this ChristmasThis festive season, Thistles shopping centre, Stirling, is on a heartfelt mission to share the joy of the season with its Christmas card drive focused on spreading cheer and uplifting those who may feel lonely during the holidays.In the spirit of creativity and community, Thistles invited all primary schools in Forth Valley to participate in a competition to design the cover of the official Christm... Find Out More...

- Visit Santa and help raise vital funds for Strathcarron Hospice this Christmas at Thistles, Stirling –Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has announced the return of its enchanting Santa’s Grotto, opening from Saturday 30th November until Tuesday 24th December. Booking is now open, with every visit supporting Strathcarron Hospice.This year, Santa Claus will once again be welcoming families to his magical Grotto. With the help of Santa’s Elves, every child can enjoy a festive experi... Find Out More...

Scottish Cinnafans rejoice! World-famous American bakery, Cinnabon, is opening the doors to their new store at The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling on Friday 22nd November.Following on from successful launches in Livingston and Glasgow’s Silverburn and Braehead shopping centres, the new store in Stirling is the 4th Cinnabon outlet to open in Scotland this year.Shoppers will be able to enjoy Cinnabon’s full menu, including the Classic Cinnabon®, Caramel PecanBon, ChocoBon made with... Find Out More...

Stirling spooksters kick off Thistles’ 900km challengeThistles, the heart of shopping in Stirling, launched the inaugural event for its Thistles 900 campaign, aimed at bringing communities together to collectively travel a staggering 900km around the mall in celebration of Stirling’s 900-year anniversary. On Saturday, 26 October, Thistles launched the beginning of the campaign with its ‘Monster Dash’ where children completed a lap of the shopping centre while donning their spookiest Hallo... Find Out More...

–Stirling kids set for frighteningly good time as Thistles announce free holiday events –Thistles, shopping centre in Stirling, has announced a programme of spooky events across the October holidays, to give kids and families in Stirling free, spontaneous school break activities.Running from Monday 21 to Friday 25 October from 12-4pm, the events have been launched to give youngsters several days of freaky fun and to... Find Out More...

- First coffees will be served from Saturday 28 SeptemberThistles, Stirling has announced the opening date for the new Starbucks in the popular shopping centre as Saturday 28 September, with the first 200 customers receiving a complimentary reusable tumbler with any large (venti) drink purchased.To mark the highly anticipated addition to the centre, Starbucks will be hosting giveaways and a competition. On Friday 27 of September, the day before the official opening, vouchers will be h... Find Out More...

- H&M and Starbucks to open in historic city’s shopping centre - Thistles, the popular shopping centre situated in the heart of Stirling, has revealed that H&M will return to the centre and will occupy part of the former Debenhams unit. The 16,390 sq. ft store will open in Spring 2025 offering menswear, womenswear and kidswear. The store will be adjacent to Next and will represent the return of H&M to Stirling after an absence of five years. Works to create the new st... Find Out More...

- Shopping centre to host a fun-filled day of footie featuring coaching from Stirling Albion FC -Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling is giving budding soccer stars across the central belt the chance to improve their football skills with a masterclass from football freestyler, Ross Brown, and Stirling Albion FC, on Sunday 30 June.As part of the monthly Wolf Pack kids club, which runs between 12pm-4pm on the last Sunday of each month, football freestyler Ross Brown will be showing off ... Find Out More...

In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling is continuing its efforts to support the  local community by hosting its first ‘Zen Den’ to help shoppers relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.On 20 May between 11am and 3pm, free-to-attend interactive activities suitable for all ages will be available within the centre. Located outside of HMV, the Zen Den will include yoga and meditation sessions led by Amaroo Therapies Stirling.  T... Find Out More...

Following a highly successful run last year, Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling has relaunched its community Wishing Well initiative, giving visitors the chance to submit a wish to be in with a chance of it being granted by the centre, and having their dreams come true. Raising vital funds for Make a Wish UK, shoppers are encouraged to pledge a donation to the charity while making their wish.The centre granted a total number of six wishes throughout 2023, with notable wish winners inclu... Find Out More...

Residents of Abbeyfield House in Stirling spent a fun-filled morning with pupils from Riverside Primary School where they enjoyed playing with building bricks as part of Thistles, Stirling continuing #ThistlesHelps initiative.Thistles, Stirling will play host to some of the largest brick creations from the upcoming BrickLive Ocean trail which is taking place across Stirling from 29th March until 21st April, but mindful of the fact that not everyone will be able to vi... Find Out More...

F.Hinds have been nominated for not one, not two, but THREE awards at the UK Jewellery Awards this June. These nominations demonstrate their outstanding commitment to their customers and the UK high street. Good luck to F.Hinds! Find Out More...

Thistles is helping to lift the lid on male incontinence issues by installing sanitary waste bins in all male toiletsThistles, Stirling is Scotland’s first shopping centre to support the ‘Boys Need Bins’ campaign, led by Prostate Cancer UK, which calls on the government to change existing legislation so that sanitary bins are provided in all men's toilets. A survey of men living with incontinence revealed that 95% feel anxiety due to a lack of sanita... Find Out More...

eurochange marks the shopping centre’s first new retailer of the year following a successful 2023Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has welcomed its first new retailer of the year, eurochange to the mall, expanding the centre’s existing travel offering. Following a travel and tourism boom in 2023 Thistles is the perfect one stop shop for all holidaymakers, offering travel agents, fashion outlets and now a new foreign exchange provider.Open now, eurochange joins the ... Find Out More...

F.Hinds have celebrated a new milestone, with their first store in Scotland opening in Stirling on Thursday 30th November.The family run jewellers, established in 1856, already boasts 117 stores across England and Wales, and can now be found in the Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling. The branch saw a lively and successful opening, with a range of popular lines available to shop just in time for Christmas.Shoppers can browse stunning ranges of jewellery for all budgets inc... Find Out More...

Shopping centre to host two fun-filled days of sport, including coaching from Stirling Albion FCThis weekend, Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling is hosting an exciting array of sports activities, giving shoppers of all ages the chance to get involved and embrace their athletic side this summer.The Thistles Family Sports Day will run across Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th of June from 12pm-4pm. The two days will be packed with free sporting events to encourage everyone of all ages and ... Find Out More...

- Shoppers at Thistles, Stirling are invited to dream big to raise money for Make a Wish UK - To mark World Wish Day 2023 (29th April), Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling has today introduced a community wishing well for visitors to have the chance of making a wish which Thistles will then turn into reality as part of its #ThistlesHelps initiative with various wishes being granted throughout the year. It also aims to raise vital funds for Make a Wish UK to help cre... Find Out More...

- The Little Sprouts Gardening Club is free for green-fingered kids to enjoy this Easter - In the run up to Easter, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling is set to launch five fun-filled days of free events for families during the school holidays. From 3 – 7th April, budding gardeners can let their creative side flourish at the Thistles Little Sprouts Gardening Club. Taking place outside Next, the Little Sprouts Gardening Club will host a different activity each day b... Find Out More...

Thistles’ Wolf Pack returns with ten free events for children championing creativity and sustainability Thistles’ popular Wolf Pack kids’ club returns for another year on February 26 with a brand-new schedule of free unique monthly events that encourage the next generation to lead by example and take the sustainable steps required in order to save the planet. Over the course of the year, the Wolf Pack will bring ten exciting events to the kids of Stirling, with a foc... Find Out More...

Thistles shopping centre, Stirling has partnered with Transition Stirling to offer warm clothing to those in needThistles shopping centre, Stirling has announced the opening of its Winter Warmers Community Hub, in partnership with Transition Stirling to offer a helping hand to the Stirling and Forth Valley community. The Hub will offer pre-loved but excellent condition outerwear and knitwear to those who cannot afford to purchase new and will operate on a ‘pay what you can’ basis.Open... Find Out More...

- Thistles get ‘rooted & booted’ in recent #ThistlesHelps campaign, installing new footpaths at local community garden -Throughout 2022 Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has continued to carry out sterling work benefitting the local community through its #ThistlesHelps campaigns. Started in 2021 as the world started to deal with the impact of covid, the #ThistlesHelps campaigns are a way that the centre can do its part to give back to charities and benefit everyone from the Forth V... Find Out More...

- Emma Russell won Thistles Christmas story writing competition and will see her story published -Just in time for Christmas, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling, has crowned Emma Russell, aged 10 from P6 at St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane, the winner of its Christmas story writing competition.Emma’s story was one of over 100 entries to the competition from local children across Stirling, Falkirk, and Clackmannanshire. The festive competition was part of Thistles ongoi... Find Out More...

- Leading trainer and sports fashion retailer expands offering at Thistles, Stirling -On Saturday December 3 sports-fashion retailer JD Sports will open the doors to a new 5,241 square foot store in Thistles, Stirling to meet the demand of the brand’s popularity in the city. The new home for the store will stock even more ranges across fashion, footwear and accessories from brands including Nike, Adidas and The North Face to provide customers with an even larger choice of their favourite ... Find Out More...

- Budding storytellers from local schools have the chance to become published authors thanks to Christmas story competition from Thistles, Stirling -As the countdown to Christmas begins, Thistles shopping centre, Stirling has launched an exciting Christmas storytelling competition open to all local primary schools as part of its ongoing #ThistlesHelps campaign, which aims to give back to the local community.Just in time for Santa arriving, aspiring authors across Stirling and Forth Va... Find Out More...

The Beastie Boo-tique event is free for kids across Stirling and beyond to enjoy this half termWith October half term almost here, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has announced a spooktactular free five-day event for families looking for some frightful fun to keep the kids entertained.Taking place between Monday 10th and Friday 14th October, the Beastie Boo-tique can be found outside HMV every day between 12pm and 4pm.With a different activity each day, the Beastie Boo-tique ... Find Out More...

Thistles welcomes life-sized basking shark made from second hand electrical devicesThistles shopping centre has unveiled a new art installation, Betty the e-waste shark, which has been making a splash with shoppers. Betty is a life-sized basking shark made entirely from second hand electrical devices including over 200 keyboards and water cooler panels that have been saved from landfill. Shoppers brave enough to stand at Betty’s mouth will see two projector lenses and TV screens showing a... Find Out More...

Thistles in Stirling has welcomed a brand-new soft play area following recent additions to the centreThistles shopping centre is continuing to expand its offerings to shoppers as it has installed a brand-new  soft play area open in line with centre times. Located in the heart of Stirling, Thistles is bringing new additions and maintaining staples of the centre.Taking over the former Debenhams Café site, the brand-new jungle themed soft play creates a space where parents can watch thei... Find Out More...

Thistles welcomed charity, Scottish Sports Futures to an exclusive opportunity to have the first play of its new nine-hole courseThistles shopping centre in Stirling has officially opened its brand new, free to play ‘Around the World’ nine-hole mini golf. Open each day until 31 July between 12noon – 4pm, keen golfers can come along and try their hand at the latest golf course in town.Thistles has partnered with Glasgow based charity, Scottish Sports Futures who work with communities a... Find Out More...

People of all ages are invited to play a brand-new nine-hole mini golf course at Thistles shopping centre, Stirling, this JulyExplore some of the world’s most iconic landmarks and monuments this summer at Thistles with the addition of a new, free, nine-hole mini golf course.Coming to the shopping centre in the heart of Stirling from 4 – 31 July, the Around the World mini golf course will be open from 12noon – 4pm each day, inviting people of all ages to try their hand at conquering th... Find Out More...

Thistles, supported by Coorie Creative, will run a #ThistlesHelps campaign in aid of Start Up StirlingThistles is launching a new #ThistlesHelps campaign to support those in need across Stirling and Forth Valley, working with social enterprise Coorie Creative to provide knitted goods to those moving into new homes with the help of Start Up Stirling, in a bid to combat the impact of rising heating prices.The latest community support initiative from the shopping centre will ask members ... Find Out More...

Following the centre’s Easter themed fun, Thistles’ Wolf Pack gets ready to do its bit to save the planet on SundayThistles shopping centre in Stirling is packing up its Easter basket after welcoming families to join in on its fun-filled Burrow Bakery events over the course of the Easter break, ready to welcome back the Wolf Pack on Sunday 24 April.The centre, which is known for its engaging kids activities, welcomed 562 children during the second week of the Easter holidays as they t... Find Out More...

Following on from February’s Superhero success, the Wolf Pack continues with a free event celebrating nature and ‘Plant a Flower Day’Thistles shopping centre is getting ready to welcome families from across Stirling and further afield to its Wolf Pack Kids’ Club event on Sunday 27 March between 12 – 4pm.Following a successful launch of its 2022 events series, this month’s Kids’ Club will see children of all ages come together to celebrate ‘Plant a Flower Day’ by creating their very ow... Find Out More...

Thistles’ Wolf Pack returns with ten free events teaching children to save the worldThe popular Wolf Pack kids’ club returns to Thistles this Sunday, 27 February, offering a fun-filled calendar of free events for children of all ages in the heart of Stirling. Taking place on the last Sunday of every month, the kids’ club will run from 27 February to 27 NovemberThis year the Wolf Pack is back with ten exciting events covering a range of subjects, from Earth Day to Ocean Day. Free to si... Find Out More...

- The latest initiative in the #ThistlesHelps campaign will see one local business benefit from a free unit in the centre, alongside additional business support from partner Go Forth -Thistles is offering one local business the opportunity to operate from its city centre shopping centre completely free of charge for six months, under its #ThistlesHelps campaign, in a bid to further support the local community.This follows the success of the inaugural business competition in 2021, whic... Find Out More...

Thursday 3rd February 2022Thistles shopping centre in Stirling is welcoming a new tenant, central Scotland’s leading arts centre, Macrobert. The latest name to join the centre, Macrobert follows in the footsteps of other creative businesses, including social enterprise Coorie Creative, by choosing Thistles to host its first expansion outside of the University of Stirling.Opening its doors to the public in the centre of the city for the first time on Friday 4 February, Macrobert will o... Find Out More...

- Thistles shopping centre in Stirling arranged Christmas cards for every resident at Abbeyfield House after partnering with Riverside Primary School and Our Lady’s RC Primary School under its #ThistlesHelps campaign -20th December 2021Residents of Abbeyfield House in Stirling received a surprise delivery from Thistles shopping centre in the form of handmade, personalised Christmas cards from the children of Riverside Primary School and Our Lady’s RC Primary School under the shopping ... Find Out More...

Thistles shopping centre has gifted local school, Alva Primary, with a dedicated ‘buddy bench’ for its sensory garden, created by the centre’s kids clubThistles shopping centre in Stirling is showing its support for local children by gifting a ‘buddy bench’ to Alva Primary School to provide a place for pupils who need someone to talk to, or who need a break from the stresses of everyday life, with a welcoming place to sit.The bench was created by the centre’s kids club, the Wolf Pack,... Find Out More...

- Thistles welcomes a new Santa’s grotto this year donating all proceeds to a local charity as part of its #ThistlesHelps campaign-Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling has today announced the opening of its brand new  Santa’s grotto, a festive experience which will be sure to get visitors of all ages into the Christmas spirit. This year the centre has partnered with local charity Strathcarron Hospice for the event, introducing a £5 ticket cost, with every penny of ticket sales donated to ... Find Out More...

- Thistles shopping centre in Stirling welcomes Coorie Creative, a social enterprise specialising in therapeutic weaving classes to those in need -This weekend Thistles welcomes Coorie Creative, a social enterprise which uses the art of weaving to support those who have experienced trauma, to its central Stirling shopping centre.Opening on Saturday 21st August and led by Mairi Breslin, a former trauma psychologist, Coorie Creative runs free workshops crafting blankets, scarves and thr... Find Out More...

Thistles opens after hours to make roller skating dream come true for local’s 50th birthdayOn the evening of Wednesday 4 August, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling kept its doors open after hours to help make the long-held dream of Stirling local, Kerry Anne, come true on her 50th birthday.Kerry Anne’s husband, Iain, contacted the centre to set up a surprise birthday gift like no other by arranging the out of hours experience. Having been a keen ice skater as a child, Iain explained... Find Out More...

- A free event for all kids this summer which allows them to become a vet for the day and learn about different animals has opened at Thistles shopping centre -Monday 5th JulyThe Littlest Pet Shop has opened its doors at Thistles shopping centre in Stirling. A free event for kids, it will run from Friday 2 – Thursday 29 July, offering visitors the chance to take part in fun animal-themed activities during the summer holidays.In what promises to b... Find Out More...

- Six free monthly events teaching children how to save the world -The Wolf Pack kids club is returning to Thistles shopping centre in Stirling on Sunday 27 June, giving children the opportunity to have fun while learning about wellbeing and how to create a more sustainable future for all.The Wolf Pack returns with six free events which will take place on the last Sunday of every month from 11am – 4pm, offering sessions full of creativity, excitement, and eco-friendly educational acti... Find Out More...

A free event for all kids this summer which allows them to become a vet for the day and learn all about different animals -Friday 18th June 2021With the summer holidays fast approaching and families looking for fun activities to attend with their children, particularly as foreign holidays are largely off the agenda this year, Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has announced a free event for kids in the form of The Littlest Pet Shop, which will run ... Find Out More...

One business will be given a retail unit in the city centre shopping mall to operate from free of charge for a three-month period ~Open to businesses across Stirling and Forth Valley, the initiative falls under the centre’s new #ThistlesHelps campaign ~Thursday 10th June 2021Thistles shopping centre in Stirling has launched a new initiative, #ThistlesHelps, aimed at helping the local community in its recovery post Covid 19. The first offering under the new scheme is the centre giv... Find Out More...

New Covid-19 safety measures ensure a comfortable and welcoming shopping environment in the heart of Stirling-Thistles shopping centre, Stirling, is getting ready to welcome back loyal customers and new visitors from Monday 26th April 2021. With customer safety at its heart, the centre has implemented a number of measures to protect visitors and ensure they can shop its fashion, lifestyle and beauty retailers with peace of mind, including late night shopping.For those who aren’t feeli... Find Out More...

Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise is making it easier to volunteer, or find volunteers, with the launch of the region’s first digital platform dedicated to local volunteering opportunities.Launching on Tuesday 1st June to mark the start of Volunteers’ Week, the new portal is a ‘one stop shop’ for volunteering in Stirlingshire, making finding opportunities and recruiting and managing volunteers much simpler.Stirlingvolunteering.org will give people free access to local volunteering op... Find Out More...

With the national lockdown having lifted, the UK high street is starting to thrive once again. Whilst it’s exciting for many that our favourite shops are now back open, others find the increased number of people, lights and sounds overwhelming and stressful.Family-owned high street toy retailer The Entertainer, has extended its much-loved Quiet Hour to run every day in every one of its 171 stores across the country. The initiative aims to create a calmer shopping environment for autistic ... Find Out More...

Stirling born former Scotland footballing legend, Gary Caldwell, attended Thistles shopping centre in Stirling today to launch a new interactive wall encouraging shoppers to have a go at playing Scotland’s national anthem. Unveiled the month before Scotland enters the Euros, the installation spans a whopping 35 metres and allows visitors to the centre to play Flower of Scotland. People of all ages can get involved by following the sheet music and pressing buttons with the corresp... Find Out More...