The city comes ‘Alive after Five’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newcastle city centre offers great shopping, hotels, bars and restaurants. Our theatre, museums, galleries, music and dance venues are world class and everything is within easy walking distance but as we all know there is only one ‘late night shopping day' and that's Thursday. This presents a fantastic opportunity to develop the early evening economy further on other days.

Newcastle NE1, a limited company based in the city, is charged with the role of delivering the Newcastle Business Improvement District (BID), a business-led initiative which aims to drive the city centre forward by enhancing its physical and business environments. This in turn will lead to millions of pounds of additional investment over the next five years, increasing the competitiveness of Newcastle and ensuring its position as one of the UK's leading cities.

 In practice, this means a fully coordinated project involving:

• Extended retail opening hours;
• An expanded leisure offer, with restaurants and bars putting on "specials" appealing to new audiences including families;
• Revised public transport and free parking arrangements;
• Enhanced security coordinated with the Police and included an extended Street Ranger service; and
• The provision of world class street entertainment.

NE1 commissioned leading retail research consultants Explain to gather insight on the propensity of the public to use the city centre more often on all weekdays between 5pm and 8pm. Phase one of the research consisted of on-street interviews, not only in Newcastle but surrounding areas within a 30 minute drive time of the city. Phase two included an online survey with the aim of increasing survey responses, particularly from those that work in the city.

For the ‘Alive after Five' concept to work Explain wanted to completely understand current public behaviour, including potential barriers to increased shopping and leisure trips and elements of the initiative that would most appeal in drawing increased footfall into the city.

Kim Davis, Explain research director commented,

"We know from other shopping centre research that extending opening hours alone is not enough to sustain the new business model. Changing long term behaviour needs a long term, concerted programme of other elements acting as a magnet in drawing consumers into the city centre. Retailers respond to footfall and once they see the sales benefit they will justify the additional costs of opening".

Sean Bullick, Chief Executive of Newcastle NE1 commented,

"The market research conducted by Explain demonstrated a clear consumer demand for the "Alive after Five" concept and in particular the propensity of consumers to visit Newcastle city centre more frequently to take advantage of the improved early evening offer. Eldon Square businesses have voted overwhelmingly in favour of extended opening and from 25^th October Newcastle will be "Alive after Five"."

For further information about Explain please click here to visit their website.