4 minute read
Campaign to welcome back Solihull shoppers
By Jessica Brookes
High streets up and down the country are getting ready for the ‘Great Reset’, according to Melanie Palmer, Solihull Business Improvement District (BID) chair.
And BIDs, in Melanie’s view, will be there to flick the switch.
She said: “The retail empire has collapsed against a backdrop of recession. The halcyon days of the 1950s when the UK had over 600,000 shops have been hacked to just half that number, and over 660,000 jobs were lost in hospitality alone last year.
“With shared ambitions, BIDs and local councils across the country are taking a pragmatic view to reshape our towns and local centres with a suite of improvements that we would not have seen pre-Covid.”
Solihull town centre has itself welcomed visitors back via a new campaign. The BID’s Solihull ‘Welcomes You’ campaign has urged locals to shop, dine and relax safely in the town centre again, and revealed a number of Covid-safe measures.
A new community seating hub has been installed on High Street, complementing a similar arrangement in situ in Mell Square.
The BID has also transformed the Theatre Square area of Touchwood shopping centre by the Core Theatre, into an attractive outdoor dining area with chalets and benches.
More than 50 benches have been brought in by the BID for use in Mell Square and the High Street for shoppers.
The BID’s street wardens are also on hand as a reassuring presence for the public, alongside Covid marshals to help keep visitors safe.
Looking ahead, Melanie is distinctly hopeful and optimistic for a great reprise of town centre shops and hospitality venues following months of disruption, and envisages greener, more open town centres are the pandemic ends.
“Recognising that shopping during the Covid restrictions seemed more of an obstacle course than a pleasure, we are now seeing our town centres transform into greener, more open, meeting spaces where the emphasis is less transactional, more experiential, people need people and high streets are essential playgrounds to support just that,” explained Melanie.
While optimistic, Melanie has made a plea to bakers, butchers, fishmongers and more to take a slice of the high street life.
She said: “As future residential blends with retail there should be a growth in the butcher, baker and candlestick maker which we have seen sadly melt away like a baked bean slice from the high street before.
“Calling all artisan bakers and butchers, fishmongers, cabinet makers, come into our towns and cities, make your passion your life, we will treat you so nicely you will never want to leave….”
Welcome back: Benches set up in Theatre Square
Consumer confidence will help revive Burton
Burton needs consumer confidence to return to help some of the hardest hit hospitality and retail firms in the town, writes Jessica Brookes.
That’s the view of Ben Robinson, chairman of the Burton Town Deal Board and also the town’s football club, Burton Albion. Mr Robinson is urging consumers to use the town’s businesses on a daily basis.
He said: “It’s vitally important for Burton’s prosperity that we have a thriving town centre with people using our shops, cafes and pubs on a daily basis.
“The pandemic has hit the retail and hospitality sector especially hard and pubs and brewing heritage are an important part of the character of the town and we need these businesses to bounce back.
“Government support has offered these businesses a lifeline and what we need now is consumer confidence to help them succeed going forward.
“I know these businesses will have customer health and safety as their number one priority and by providing the right environment for the return of customers we can make them feel secure and ready to come out and enjoy some brilliant shopping, dining and drinking experiences.”
After the pandemic, Burton’s town centre is set for a revival. In March, government awarded nearly £23m to improve the town.
Plans are in place to construct a new library in the town, community centre and enterprise centre, with the hopes of driving huge increased footfall into Burton.
On the cash injection, Mr Robinson said: “The town has been successful in securing £22.8m in funding from the Government’s ‘Stronger Towns’ fund and as chairman of the Burton Town Deal Board it’s my job to make sure we use this money wisely and make best use of this investment to secure our future prosperity.
“There is no doubt that it has been an incredibly difficult year, but if we work together there is now light at the end of the tunnel and a chance to show what’s best about Burton again.”
