Panic in a shopping mall among survivors who, after taking refuge from a zombie apocalypse, try to flee from hordes of undead. Yes, it is the plot of a movie and a recurring image in the cinema.
If you are looking for an ideal setting for this type of film or fiction, without a doubt, the Wheatsheaf shopping mall in Rochdale Greater, in Manchester, seems the most suitable.
From the shopping mall to a potential zombie movie location
It may seem like an exaggeration, but the truth is that this is a relatively recurrent image left to us by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Fortunately, it has nothing to do with legions of zombies roaming the earth wanting our brains. We are referring to the sad feeling of abandonment of large commercial spaces, as in the case of the Wheatsheaf Shopping Center.
The final closure of this commercial space took place at the end of 2020. The economic impact of the pandemic greatly affected what was once a thriving shopping center with a great deal of foot traffic and business operations. So much so that it could not rebound from the costs of keeping the center’s structure operational.
In recent months, graphic reports have become recurrent, showing us the state of the interior of this space, one day full of life. The curious thing is that it is one of those images in which time seems to be suspended.
We still find stores with furniture, clothing, small appliances, and goods displays, all combined with the darkness and the obvious effect of keeping their doors closed for almost two years.
Many people immediately associate the scene with one of the great classics of zombie cinema at the sight of these images. In this case, directly with the mythical Dawn Of The Dead, directed by the master of horror George A. Romero.
In that film, a group of zombie apocalypse survivors took refuge in an abandoned shopping mall and tried to survive by fighting against the undead that invaded their shelter.
It is not only a classic horror film but also one of the pioneer films in using alternative scenarios, in this case, that shopping mall that we all fans of being scared in movie theatres to keep in our images.
What has been lost with the closure of Wheatsheaf Mall
It is important to appreciate that this was not just any closure; we are not even talking about the closure of a small shopping center or commercial space with a short history.
After its opening in 1991, it became a place with a high volume of shopping activity. The space had been a commercial environment throughout its history. There is talk of its use since the nineteenth century, through different types of trade ranging from selling tea to an iron foundry, wool mill, shoe stores, etc.
The announcement of the final closure in 2020 shocked the merchants and the general public accustomed to shopping in its stores.
Currently, the property is for sale at a price of around $3.5 million. The property has five floors with space to house many stores, cafes, etc.
On the web platform from which the property is offered for sale, in addition to the obvious uses, it recalls that this is a building with the potential to be dedicated to storage, event, community uses, etc.
Its use as a set for horror movies is not expressly indicated, but it is certainly another potential for future owners.