A pilot project which will strengthen the resilience of local businesses in Aberdeen city centre through an autumn events programme including the development of a business toolkit has been agreed.
The £100,000 for the Vibrant & Sustainable City Centre Pilot which will test interventions to increase footfall to the city centre and spend within local businesses was approved today by Aberdeen City Council’s Finance and Resources Committee.
It will also include free parking at weekends in selected Council car parks to attract people into the city centre. The comes after a survey by property consultancy FG Burnett revealed shop occupancy figures on Union Street has improved back to pre-Covid levels. From August, the street level vacancy rate was down to 18%, back to where it was in February 2020.
Council Co-Leader Ian Yuill said: “It is great that Union Street occupancy levels are now back up to pre-pandemic levels - but much more still needs to be done
“The Council is committed to working with city centre businesses and others to drive up occupancy levels on Union Street and make our city centre an even better place to visit, work, shop, live , invest and do business.”
Committee convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: “While the return to pre-pandemic occupancy figures on Union Street is to be welcomed, the Council is continuing to develop ways to help local businesses by increasing footfall.
“This is being done in practical ways including fun events in the city centre along with providing free parking at weekends in selected Council car parks.”
An Aberdeen Inspired spokesperson said: "Aberdeen Inspired, as the city centre Business Improvement District, welcomes any and all initiatives that aim to increase footfall and boost businesses in the heart of the Granite City and help in the much-needed regeneration of our city centre."
Bob Keiller, who heads up Our Union Street, said: “We welcome these projects and any others that encourage people to engage with our city and spend time in the city centre. We look forward to supporting the City Council in these and many other future projects.”
The report to committee said as city centre activity is changing so local businesses are having to adapt to evolving consumer habits and new national policy directives.
A support package to increase businesses resilience to an evolving city centre will be developed alongside the events programme which will support businesses to expand their offer and maximise their ability to benefit from city centre transformation.
The Vibrant and Sustainable City Centre Pilot will deliver:
· An event in October will encourage increased footfall to the city centre during the school holiday period. A trail and event programme will be developed and engagement with local businesses will take place to ensure that these businesses can capitalise on the increased footfall to the area;
· Business toolkit – This toolkit will develop resources and deliver training to local businesses with the intention of creating a more resilient High Street. These resources intend to develop the skills and create materials to enable local businesses to maximise the impact of local events programmes and adapt to an evolving city centre landscape;
· Marketing & communications – this campaign will actively target residents on the periphery of the city and in Aberdeenshire to highlight the vibrant events programme and diverse local business environment in the city centre through a variety of channels, including social media;
· Accessibility campaign - working with public transport operators, this intervention will maximise engagement opportunities with the local events programmes, including walking trails and creative art programmes, and will be supplemented by the Council offering free car parking at weekends in targeted city centre locations (Frederick Street and Denburn Multi Storey car parks) over a four week period;
· Improved city centre analytics – the procurement of a new system in the city centre will provide a more efficient and accurate method for recording footfall in the city centre by using mobile trace data and retail spend estimates, instead of cameras. This will enhance the resilience of local businesses by providing a more detailed and accurate study of footfall and consumer habits in the city centre, highlighting challenges and opportunities for local businesses.
The grant funding for Vibrant & Sustainable City Centre Pilot was awarded by the Council through its allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.