RETAILERS are forming a campaign to attract visitors into Chester to combat the impact of the Hoole bridge closure in the New Year.
Store managers were hit when Grosvenor bridge closed for essential gas works at the beginning of the year.
And they fear a 10% loss of trade or £5m a month when Hoole Road is blocked off for up to 12 weeks to allow for bridge strengthening work from February 11.
The threat is giving 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 is being amassed from the private and public sector to help pay for the initiative which aims to get customers returning to Chester again and again.
Among the ideas being considered are:
Promoting first class street entertainment akin to that found in Barcelona’s iconic Las Ramblas street,
More staff training to build on Chester’s reputation as a customer-friendly place,
Working with rail operators to provide the right the number of trains at the right time,
Ensuring Park & Ride operates over the right time period,
Making sure alternative road routes are well signed.
Businessman David Pickering, chairman of the city centre management board, said: “We want to see why we can’t turn a potential problem into an opportunity.”
Mr Pickering said there was no reason why Chester could not attract visitors from as far afield as London, given Virgin will increase its direct service with the capital from three to 11 trains a day in the New Year.
He would also like to work closely with Chester City FC to maximise the economic benefits of fans passing through the city.
John Barton, general manager of M&S Chester, said: “We have got a fantastic city whose unique selling point is its diversity.
“We don’t have a lot of national chains, but we have lots of niche shops that people will travel to which offer a very personal service. We want to maximise that and really drive the service culture through the shopping experience.”
