HullBID ballot success kick-starts city centre events programme

Fashion Week action in Hull City Hall

HULLBID is poised to hit the ground running with an exciting programme of city centre events following its success in a renewal ballot.

The BID will again support Hull Museums and Heritage Learning to present the Edwardian Easter event, which takes place in the Old Town on Saturday 26 March.

Businesses have also begun the build-up to HullBID Fashion Week, which will run from 16–23 April at venues throughout the city centre.

Edwardian Easter has become a big part of the holiday weekend, attracting more than 10,000 people to increase footfall throughout the Old Town and the wider city centre.

The activities and attractions can be enjoyed between 10am and 4pm and include traditional stalls, music hall acts, a helter skelter, Punch and Judy, children’s craft activities and horse and carriage rides.

Most of the activities are free but there is a small charge for the EYMS vintage bus which will operate between the transport interchange and the Museums Quarter and the land train which will shuttle between the event area and Queen Victoria Square.

The first 50 people to arrive in Edwardian attire will receive a free gift from the event host, Florence Sparks. Visitors can also enter the Easter bonnet and fancy dress competitions for a chance to win family tickets for swimming and ice skating as well as tickets for the Die Fledermaus Opera at Hull City Hall on Thursday 14 April.

The launch event for HullBID Fashion Week will take place in St Stephen’s Shopping Centre on Saturday 16 April and will be followed by a programme of shows, workshops and demonstrations presented by businesses from the city centre and further afield.

Independent operators including Bolo, Beasley’s and Chinese Laundry will be joined by big stores including Debenhams, M&S, BHS and House of Fraser and by the major shopping centres whilst event sponsor Hugh Rice jewellers will host a business breakfast networking event on Thursday 21 April.

HullBID is now planning a full programme of events in addition to its security and cleaning activities in the city centre after winning its renewal ballot with a majority of 80 per cent.

Around 1,130 voting papers were distributed to businesses within the HullBID area during February. Details of the count published by Hull City Council, the official ballot holder, showed that 656 votes were cast by the closing date of 17 March. There were 517 votes in favour and 129 against.

The total rateable value in favour was approximately £30.5 million compared with £7.2 million against.

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID city centre manager, said: “The job of building on HullBID’s success so far started as soon as the ballot result was returned. We were delighted to receive such an emphatic endorsement of our work and we are grateful to city centre businesses for taking the trouble to vote.

“We can now push on with our outline programme and deliver initiatives and events which will have a lasting benefit for businesses. This week we have involvement in a networking event for the retail sector, a presentation for businesses about the public realm works and the Edwardian Easter celebration.

“Fashion Week is just around the corner and there will be much more during the summer, and then making sure city centre businesses benefit from City of Culture.”