How life in Plymouth City Centre has shifted
With millions of pounds being invested in Plymouth’s high streets, the Council Leader reveals the "serious changes" being made as part of our exclusive #LeadersInLockdown interview
The COVID-19 pandemic has incited a big shift towards online shopping, meaning fewer people using the high streets and more of us checking out our baskets from the comfort of our own homes.
But the lack of footfall has meant some businesses have suffered a lack of trade, and as a result have had to close their doors permanently.
Plymouth shoppers have been encouraged to "shop local" throughout, with schemes such as Shop4Plymouth giving consumers a chance to reconnect with retailers in the area.
The council are now looking at ways that they can revitalise our high streets, to entice the public back and boost cash flow to local traders.
As part of our exclusive #LeadersInLockdown interview, Plymouth’s Labour leader was questioned whether now is the time to build on plans to rethink or redesign the city centre.
Tudor Evans, says "millions of pounds" is already being invested:
"We could see the writing on the wall for traditional shopping - it was on the decline."
"Up until 1991, Plymouth did not allow anything other than shops and banks into the city centre. There weren’t any restaurants, there weren’t any bars, there weren’t any hotels, there wasn’t any variety in there at all; and of course, that has shifted over the last 30 years.
"We have our Future High Street project to restore and reinvent the Civic Centre and the Guildhall, and that’s going to get more people into the city centre to for live events, conferences, as well as shopping, eating, and drinking.
"The bringing in of hotels - the conversion of the old Wooly’s building into the Oyo and also the conversion of the Co-op into apartments and another hotel - drives footfall into the city centre.”
Cllr Evans also points to the West End of the city centre, where lots has been changing:
"We’ve taken the bridge away, and Frankfurt Gate is already looking brighter and airier.
"When the time comes, we want people to be there, sitting outside and enjoying some of the best independent food down there. The whole place is having a lift, the West End is buzzing."
The leader of the local authority adds that the top end of town has also seen a big transformation recently, with the opening of The Box Museum and The Barcode.
Cllr Evans says these destinations give people variety - not just for shopping, but for a load of other things:
"It’s not every city in the country that has put a £47 million arts and heritage centre in its city centre - we have, and there probably aren’t going to be many of those for the next five or 10 years, so it’s an important intervention.
"The plan is now that you can come into The Box, spend three or four hours there, then go into the city centre and spend your hard-earned cash and that’s why we wanted to see The Barcode open as well.
"You go to the cinema, you can go shopping, you can go have something to eat and drink, and it’s that kind of variety as a destination for people."