Fifteen years ago, a trip out to the desolate rail yards to the north-west of Wroclaw would have been difficult to forget, mainly because of the stench of the slaughterhouse that dominated the area.

Take the same trip today and the slaughterhouse has been replaced by Magnolia Park, a gleaming shopping mall where workers are busy setting up a skating rink next to a Christmas crèche while well-heeled shoppers hurry by.