[11
OCT 00] CITY
CENTRE COMPANY NEWS
City Squares Up To
Face Its Rivals
Car
parking costs for shoppers in Coventry are to be slashed in the run-up to
Christmas as part of an £800,000 marketing strategy to promote the city.
The
campaign will be launched next month to stave off competition from
developments in Solihull, Birmingham city centre and Leicester’s Fosse
Park.
Coventry
City Council, the City Centre Company, which is responsible for the
management and promotion of the heart of Coventry, and key retailers are
to spend around £800,000 on marketing, promotion and car parking in the
lead up to Christmas and beyond.
An
agency which specialises in location marketing will be recruited to devise
a campaign to boost the city centre over the next two months and then
cover the next two or three years.
A
range of parking price offers are to come into force next month to support
the initiative.
The
first hour will be free in eight city centre car parks and free in those
car parks for Wednesday late night shopping.
The
car parks are West Orchards, Barracks, the ground floor of Leigh Mills,
Pool Meadow, Belgrade, Bond Street, Queen Victoria Road and Greyfriars
East.
Shoppers
will also be able to park free of charge on weekdays after 2pm in the
Barracks car park - an offer which will run into next year.
Mark
Nicholls, Customer Service Manager of the City Centre Company, said the
offers would be a strong incentive for shoppers.
"We
want to make things as easy as possible at a very busy time so we have
targeted those shoppers' car parks, which are very convenient for the
city centre.
"Coventry
is extremely accessible by car and we have geared these offers around
the popular shopping times. We have run free parking on Sundays for a
while and it has proved popular.
"At
the same time the move will be a welcome boost to traders at their
busiest time. We have a very vibrant shopping centre and we want to make
it as easy as possible for people to experience what we have to
offer."
The
offers will come into force on November 13, two days before late night
shopping begins.
The
Barracks will be turned into a pay and display car park before then. The
Argos ramp in Greyfriars Road will be re-opened and the reserved parking
section of the Queen Victoria Road car park will be removed.
Mr
Nicholls added:
"We
brought in some offers last year but nothing on this scale. It is a
major move for the council which is costing a six figure sum to
subsidise and we welcome it enormously - it is an early Christmas
present for everyone who uses the city and will hopefully attract some
newcomers as well."
Martin
Stockdale, commercial manager of the City Centre Company, said it was
vital for the Coventry to market its retail and leisure economy strongly.
He
said:
"Firstly
we want to make sure the message of what is available here in Coventry
is heard powerfully around the region in the run up to Christmas.
"Every
city centre has to compete for custom and that need is emphasised by
developments in our area.
“The
Lower Precinct development is still some way off completion and we want
to make sure that we attract people in increasing numbers.
"The
agency will devise a very strong, positive campaign which will boost not
only the retail appeal of Coventry but also the evening and leisure
economy.
"West
Orchards and Allders have agreed to support the drive and will pitch
their advertising and promotional campaigns in line with city centre
approach."
John
McGuigan, the council's Strategic Director (City Development) added:
"The
city council sees a vibrant and competitive city centre as vital to the
on-going regeneration of the city.
“The
fact is that we are in competition with other neighbouring towns and
cities and Coventry needs to be shouting about its own attractions.
"Given
the fact there is a period of disruption in the city centre due to some
major developments taking place, it is imperative that we do market the
city professionally and take a proactive approach to the changes and
threat of competition."
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