Deadline Sensitive. High Quality. Reputation Building.
“Their attention to detail and proactive communication make them stand out.”
-Jennifer Nee, Assistant Marketing Manager, Metrocentre, Gateshead
Managing signage and print installations in a high-traffic, dynamic environment like Metrocentre requires a partner capable of meeting tight deadlines and maintaining consistent quality, all while observing health and safety requirements.
With over 270 shops and 60 eateries and leisure attractions occupying 2M sq ft of retail space, Jennifer Nee, Metrocentre’s Assistant Marketing Manager, has a lot of territory to cover. Her mission is to keep families and shoppers coming back, creating a current, welcoming space regardless of occupancy.
“Our asset team occasionally sets tight deadlines for us to turnaround hoarding graphics”, explains Jennifer. “Sometimes they’ll tell us about a big hoarding that needs doing ahead of a big centre visit, and we have to say to the printer, ‘How quickly can you turn this around?”
Jennifer also faces constraints imposed by a structured procurement process that requires multiple quotes for projects over a certain cost. This can delay approvals and add complexity to the decision-making process.
Adding to the challenge, past experiences with less reliable vendors led to missed deadlines, disappointing quality, and even health and safety issues.
Jennifer recalls, “There was a printer previously where some of the vinyl on the hoardings were peeling almost immediately. I’ve also had vendors who have crashed into escalators, smart desks, even into the displays they are putting up. That makes you question, is it good quality when it peels up or the health and safety standards are non-existent?”
For Jennifer, Bigger Scene has been the trusted partner for fast, high-quality signage. Over the years, they’ve proven their ability to deliver under pressure while maintaining exceptional standards.
“I’ll pick up the phone to Rob and ask, ‘Is this achievable? Can you do this?’ And they always manage to pull it out of the bag,” Jennifer says. “They’ll move jobs around to speed up the process.”
Jennifer appreciates their thorough approach: “Bigger Scene always keeps me informed at every stage, and their follow-through is what stands out. When they send photos after installation, it gives me proof to share with my team and upper management—it’s one less thing I have to worry about. There’s not one other vendor for us at Metrocentre that does this. It really shows that they care not just about the installation, but also about how well they function as honorary members of the Metrocentre team.”
On top of that, “I don’t have to walk the length of the largest indoor mall in Europe to check that it’s been done. I can get to work on my next project.”
Bigger Scene’s collaborative approach with Metrocentre’s creative agency ensures smooth execution. “Sometimes I get our creative agency and Bigger Scene to just talk together so everything is correct. It makes the process much easier for me because I don’t have to be the middleman,” Jennifer adds.
Bigger Scene’s reliability has raised the bar when it comes to Metrocentre’s operations and internal relationships:
Jennifer sums up her experience with Bigger Scene: “From start to finish, they care about the work they do. Their attention to detail and proactive communication make them stand out. That’s why I turn to them first.”
For clients like Metrocentre, Bigger Scene is more than a supplier—they’re a dependable partner. Let us show you how we can deliver exceptional signage solutions on your timeline.
