Nottingham city centre has once again seen higher footfall figures compared to nearby regional cities as well as other towns and cities in the UK, according to the latest information from Springboard. This is great news says Neil Fincham, a director of the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID).
Footfall in Nottingham city centre was up 4.7% in April compared to April 2012, outperforming the East Midlands as a whole which saw footfall up by 1.7% for the same period as well as all towns and cities in the UK which experienced a 3.4% increase.
It’s a similar picture with regards to the average annual percentage change in footfall for the last twelve months to the end of April. Nottingham fared better than elsewhere experiencing an increase of 0.9% compared to the rest of the East Midlands which declined by 2.5% and all UK towns and cities which were down by 2%.
In April the Nottingham BID organised 48 Hours of Fashion, a two-day event in the Old Market Square to highlight the city’s broad mix of high street, designer and independent fashion as well as to showcase Nottingham itself – a city that offers an unbeatable visitor experience. Over the Friday and Saturday of the event, footfall was 16% higher than for other Fridays and Saturdays in the month.
“Marketing activities like 48 Hours of Fashion that the Nottingham BID delivers for its members – retail and leisure businesses in the city centre – are vital to attracting more visitors and shoppers to Nottingham and are exactly the type of initiative that our members have said that they want,” said Neil Fincham. “They help to enhance the whole visitor experience whilst also helping to deliver additional sales, particularly when coupled with complementary in-store activities.”
Amanda Dammers, Managing Director John Lewis Nottingham said: “We noticed a positive impact on our trade over the two-day event which we reinforced with additional activity in store. We are very supportive of any events that drive footfall and highlight Nottingham as a key retail destination.”
Councillor Nick McDonald, Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for jobs, skills and business, adds: “High footfall figures show that the focus on growth and the support that the BID has given to the retail/leisure sector is working. We need to keep working hard to ensure our city centre develops and remains healthy for traders.”
In line with its business plan the Nottingham BID is organising a number of other events including a Food and Drink Fortnight in August when people can eat out at many city centre venues for just £10, and a special initiative aimed at highlighting the strength of the city’s independent retail and leisure businesses in the Autumn.
It is also delivering a range of initiatives to improve the environment in the city centre including the Floral Trail which will grace streets across the Summer, a new city centre map and an App as well as initiatives specifically for the licensed trade. This includes the Best Bar None scheme which promotes the responsible management and operation of licensed premises in the city centre. Venues are currently being assessed for accreditation under this scheme.
