We're bidding to make city centre great

Mar 17 2010 by Chris Knox, The Journal

It is almost a year since Newcastle's Business Improvement District was launched. Chris Knox looks at the impact it has had on the city centre, its shoppers and its traders - and its plans to create parks and introduce late-night shopping all week.

NE1 hopes to increase its support this year with a series of measures which it believes will have a more immediate impact on trading conditions, the biggest of which is permanently extending shop opening hours beyond 6pm.

Mr Bullick said that he had already reached agreement with most of the centre’s major retailers and that he hopes to roll out the extended opening times in October in order to gain momentum in the run up to Christmas.

The initiative, which is being headed by Barry Blamire, managing director of the John Lewis store in Newcastle, is designed to help close the gap between the daytime and evening economy and will follow other major cities like London and Manchester, which have provided extended late-night shopping for a number of years.

NE1 is discussing the plans with public transport companies and parking providers to ensure that an infrastructure is in place to support the initiative.

The company said that the proposal has been well received by most retailers, however some are concerned that NE1 will once again fail to get its message across.

Lexi Inglis, store manager at the Orange shop on Grainger Street, said: “I think longer shop opening times would be great for trade and give people the chance to do their shopping after finishing work.

“However, such a big step would need to be backed up with really aggressive marketing to avoid shops being empty into the late evening.

“If people don’t know about the extended hours straight away then shop owners and managers may become frustrated and begin closing early again.”

Mr Blamire said: “I agree that a sound marketing campaign will be critical to the success of extended shop opening hours and we are currently in talks with retailers to see what is the best way of going about it.

“There is a lot of discussions to be had in order for us to get the offer right, from whether shops should open until 7pm to the possibility of reduced parking rates for motorists.

“I personally believe that extended hours will create a safer atmosphere in the city centre as the night-time economy only really kicks off between 7.30pm and 8pm.

“Also, there could also be a number of job opportunities if retailers struggle to cover the extra hours with their current staff.”

NE1 plans to create of a number of green spaces in the city centre known as ‘pocket parks’, which will give people the chance to take the weight off their feet as well as brighten up the area.

The proposed locations are St Nicholas Square, a vacant lot beside Flynn’s bar on the Quayside and a disused brownfield site based the Gallowgate end of St James’ Park.

The company also hopes to establish a pocket park in East Pilgrim Street and is currently holding talks with property development firm Brookfield, which is behind a scheme to regenerate the area and is currently looking to demolish a number of buildings including the former Odeon cinema to make way for the project.

The parks will be backed up by the roll-out of eye-catching signage and street maps which will be modelled on the florescent yellow displays used by the Quaylink bus service.

Mr Bullick said: “2010 is a big year for Newcastle NE1 as we have to deliver some of our biggest plans as well as iron out any concerns that our members may have regarding the services we already provide. We believe we are introducing services that will make a real difference.”

THE NE1 BOARD:

David Quinn, MD Fenwick, chairman of NE1
Gavin Black, Gavin Black & Partners
Barry Rowland, chief executive of Newcastle City Council
Sean Bullick, chief executive of NE1
Professor John Goddard, deputy vice-chancellor, Newcastle University
Erica Whyman, chief executive of Northern Stage
Adam Serfontein, managing director of property developer Hanro
Barry Blamire, managing director of the John Lewis store in Newcastle’s Eldon Square
International Centre for Life chief executive Linda Conlon