Hull's St Stephen's spending £170k to point shoppers in the right direction
A HULL shopping centre is spending £170,000 on signs to attract more customers.
St Stephen's shopping centre will begin the first phase of increasing directional signage in the centre next month.
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St Stephen's shopping centre manager Jim Harris
The investment comes after a lengthy consultation with customers about how to improve their shopping experience.
Jim Harris, centre manager at St Stephen's, said the improvement will be a huge boost to the centre.
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"We are investing this money to update the appearance of the centre and to entice more people to stop and use our facility," he said.
"By investing £170,000, we are further reinforcing our commitment to Hull.
"It is about raising the profile of the centre and making it synonymous with the city."
Managers at the centre engaged in consultations with customers to get their feedback on how signage could be improved.
The changes will include a new sign above the Holiday Inn Express in Ferensway, as well as smaller signs that will be visible to people using Paragon Interchange.
Mr Harris said: "From the feedback we got from customers, we were able to establish what would help increase footfall.
"It was clear the centre, and especially its car park, were not being advertised well enough for people coming into the city.
"So, we have targeted certain areas in order to make more people aware that we are here."
Plans and designs for the new signs were drawn up last year and landlords approved the plans shortly before Christmas.
Hull company Total Sign Solutions have taken on the contract to construct the bulk of the signs.
The first phase will be completed during the first week of next month. The work is expected to be completed in time for the start of the Rugby League World Cup in October.
Councillor Terry Geraghty, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said Hull cannot afford to miss this chance to help boost its economy.
"Holding major sporting events like the rugby world cup present huge opportunities for businesses across the city," he said.
"The plans to make our attractions more visible could not come at a better time.
"Hull has so much to offer from new builds such as St Stephen's to the historic Old Town and I would welcome anything to increase footfall in these areas."
The council has been working hard to rejuvenate the Old Town and bring Whitefriargate back to the bustling thoroughfare it was for almost a century.
Whitefriargate was the first major shopping street to be pedestrianised in the city. The number of shoppers in the area has significantly reduced since the 1970s.
Hull City Council is currently looking at ways to drive shoppers back into the area.
A spokesman for the council said: "As part of the initiatives to develop Hull Old Town, we are looking at how we can improve way finding and gateway signage as well as interpretation.
"This will be linked to a wider review of how we navigate into and around the city."
Comments
by smartguy1
Sunday, January 20 2013, 12:20AM
“Does anyone know where the £170k is coming from. Anything to do with OUR money. The advert doesn't say.
It seems like a lot of money. Are they planning on changing every sign on every shop. Like others have said, if they want more people to come there then FREE PARKING is what everybody wants. Strange how we all take advantage of the free parking at Tesco's and how the Albion Street Car park is always full on a Sunday when it's free and the retail parks are all busy. Says it all doesn't it really. Free Parking is what Hull needs, like Meadowhall, White Rose, Xcape and possibly many more.
Pretty soon there will only be clothes shops left because we will all be shopping on line. It said on question time last Thursday, following the demise of HMV and Blockbusters that there are are something like 140 national chains in trouble as well.”
by fairway1
Saturday, January 19 2013, 1:46PM
“If car parking was made free for the first two hours on a weekend at the St Stephens car park, this would help take some of the strain off Park St and the Tesco car park.
Why not do this, then invest in some signs to advertise the fact?
This way, perhaps other shops in the vicinity of St Stephens would benefit if more customers where able to park nearby.
Having a free car park (Tescos) which is usually full to bursting, and a pay car park (St Stephens) which is usually less than 1/4 full right next door to each other is sheer lunacy and poor planning.”
by Col18
Friday, January 18 2013, 6:45PM
“Any remote chance theyre pointing to affordable, accessible parking where you're not stuck in the St Stephens compound for two hours to get on to Park Street?”
by PurpleParrot
Friday, January 18 2013, 5:40PM
“What a ridiculous waste of £170k, be better spent on heating St Freezings. My friend came over from Leeds and remarked on how cold the place was when we came out of both Tesco and Prezzo. Great cold white elephant only useful for cutting through.”
by charleswelton
Friday, January 18 2013, 3:48PM
“They could put some of the signs in emtpy shop windows..."this way to the shops that used to be here"”
by oldgoldone
Friday, January 18 2013, 3:16PM
“PS: I hope that we can all count on HCC to refuse the relevant planning application for the proposed signs!”
by oldgoldone
Friday, January 18 2013, 3:13PM
“Mr Harris might be better advised to forget about the advertising signs and, instead, concentrate on trying to turn his dismal and unnecessary tribute to 'St Mammon', which is filled by shops stocked with over=priced junk, into a moderately pleasant place.”
by Zola1984
Friday, January 18 2013, 2:26PM
“Advertising is the single largest psychological experiment ever carried out on the human race, yet its impact on us remains unstudied and largely unknown”
by darkchuck
Friday, January 18 2013, 1:57PM
“what a waste, why not reduce car parking costs or something sensible like that.”
by Ianm_hull
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:55PM
“I'd love to see what £170k of signage looks like.”