Trafalgar Square is Whanganui's only fully undercover shopping centre, and it has been open on Taupo Quay since 1989. It is a covered mall rather than a street of separate shops, so the whole centre sits under one roof, which matters on a windy Whanganui day when a walk along the river would be wet or cold. Inside, the mix is practical. There is a department store, eight food and drink outlets, a shoe shop, three health and beauty businesses and three home and kitchen shops, so one visit can cover a new pair of shoes, a bite to eat, a personal care stop and something for the house without moving between streets.
That is the real job of a centre like this. Many small shops share one entrance, one set of footpaths and one reason to come in, so a single trip replaces several errands around town. The food and drink outlets are the largest group, which makes the centre a natural place for a lunch break between shopping stops, and the department store anchors the rest of the walk. The covered walkway is what holds the whole thing together, because it keeps people shopping in the rain as well as the sun.
Trafalgar Square sits on Taupo Quay, close to the river and the town centre, and it serves shoppers in Whanganui and the people who come into town from the surrounding area. Our pick in Whanganui when you want to cover several errands in one place and stay dry while you do it.