Trago Mills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founder | Mike Robertson |
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Number of locations
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4 (Falmouth, Liskeard, Newton Abbot, Merthyr Tydfil) |
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Area served
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South West England and South Wales |
| Owner | Bruce Robertson |
Trago Mills is a chain of four large stores. You can find them in south Cornwall and south Devon in England. There is also one in south Wales. These stores are like big department stores. They sell many different things.
Trago Mills is known for selling items at low prices. They offer a huge variety of products. One of their locations near Newton Abbot even has a fun amusement park!
Contents
How Trago Mills Started
A businessman named Mike Robertson started Trago Mills. He bought the land for the first store in the early 1960s. Before that, he worked in the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The Trago Stores
The main buildings at Liskeard and Newton Abbot look like castles. They have white towers and black-framed windows. Charles Hunt designed these unique buildings.
Liskeard: The First Store
The very first Trago Mills store was in Liskeard. It began as a small shed. Mike Robertson sold things he bought from bigger towns there.
Today, the Liskeard store is much larger. It is about five miles west of Liskeard town. The site has big parks and lakes. You can also find other local businesses there.
At the entrance, you will see many statues. One statue shows a person saying a famous quote. It is about looking at your own faults before judging others.
Newton Abbot: The Biggest Store
The Newton Abbot store is the largest of all four. It covers more than 100 acres of land. This site also has many other businesses.
A huge garden centre opened here in 2009. It is the biggest in the south west of England. A new restaurant also opened in 2010.
In 2004, a big fire happened at the main building. Over 200 firefighters worked to put it out. The damaged buildings were completely rebuilt.
In 2017, a new DIY (Do It Yourself) and Trade centre opened. It cost about £3 million to build.
In 2022, the petrol station at this store became very famous. It sold fuel at the cheapest price in the UK. This caused long lines of cars on the nearby road!
Trago Family Fun Park
| Location | Trago Mills, Newton Abbot, Devon, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°33′25″N 3°39′58″W / 50.557°N 3.666°W |
| Owner | Trago Mills |
| Operating season | All Year (Most Rides Closed In Bad Weather) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 11 |
| Website | http://www.trago.co.uk/ |
The Newton Abbot store has a fun park next to it. It is called the Trago Family Fun Park. This park opened soon after the main store was built. It now covers over 100 acres.
Here are some cool things you can find at the park:
- Bickington Steam Railway: This is a small train ride. It goes from the middle of the park to the car park. The train loops around three lakes.
- Trago Mills Model Railway: This is a huge model train set. It was finished in 1989. At that time, it was the largest model railway in the UK! It is 88 feet long and 14 feet wide.
- Other Fun Activities: You can ride Eagle Go-Karts. There is an indoor ice skating rink too. You can also try a shooting gallery. There are remote-control trucks and boats. Plus, you can jump on trampolines or play crazy golf.
- Animal Park: The park also has an animal area. You can see horses, donkeys, pigs, and other animals.
- Food and Shops: Near the park, you will find small shops and cafes. You can buy fish and chips or fresh fudge.
Falmouth: The Smallest Store
The Falmouth store is the smallest of the four. It is located near the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
Merthyr Tydfil: The Newest Store
Trago Mills opened a new store in Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. Work on this big shopping centre started in 2016. The store has 17 small towers. It officially opened in April 2018.
Trago Mills and Airplanes
In the early 1980s, Trago Mills decided to design its own airplane! They hoped to sell it to the British military. The plane was called the Trago Mills SAH-1. It flew for the first time in 1983.
The military did not choose this plane. But the design has been used by other companies since then. The latest version is called the FLS Sprint.
