TURNING Chester into a “must see” destination could lead to an aircraft wing on Hoole roundabout, ceremonial gates under the Eastgate clock and cows on Cow Lane Bridge.

As events get under way in Liverpool as European Capital of Culture, Chester businesses and public sector bodies have been talking about how to tackle the city’s decline as a retail and tourism centre against a backdrop of increased competition.

Among the ideas mooted by new city centre management chairman David Pickering were to approach Airbus about the possibility of placing an upright wing on the Hoole roundabout, installing brightly decorated life-size fibre glass cows on Cow Lane bridge and gates under the Eastgate which could be opened on occasion by Roman soldiers.

Promoting world class street entertainment akin to that found in Barcelona’s iconic Las Ramblas street is another concept.

Mr Pickering wonders if Chester should follow Brighton’s lead in setting up a “charm school” for taxi drivers.

City Cllr Mike Jones, the Conservatives development spokesman, said expensive car parking charges were driving people away from the city and the new Tory administration’s budget proposals involved freezing charges.

There will also be an experiment with paying for parking on return rather than the upfront pay and display system, which means people cannot extend their stay without fear of getting a £60 parking fine.

The £400m Northgate Development, which aims to regenerate the city centre with a new department store and 60 retail units, hangs in the balance at the moment.

However, Cllr Jones said: “I am very confident the scheme will go ahead.”

He hopes there will be progress made around June or July – but this is well beyond the two-three month delay talked about previously.

Mike Dix, Distinctiveness and Place Marketing Manager, highlighted long term plans to improve the Chester experience including the regeneration of The Castle, Tower Wharf and Delamere Street areas, the implementation of a night-time strategy, better management of The Rows and the Chester Super Zoo project.

Business leaders have been galvanised into action due to fears about the impact of the closure of Hoole bridge for strengthening work from February 11.

The threat has given an added impetus to bring forward plans already in existence – called The Chester Welcome – to improve the marketing of Chester, public transport access to the city and the customer experience.

Hoole and Brook Street traders will also be affected so the idea is to work with shopkeepers in a linked campaign called Bridge That Gap.

Led by store managers, the three-month campaign is supported by the city and county councils and Visit Chester and Cheshire. A £20,000 fighting fund was amassed from public and private sectors to pay for the initiative.