‘Our busiest hour for 25 years’: Hull BID events pull in crowds to city centre

PLEASED TO MEET YOU: Crowds enjoying Dino Day in Queen Victoria Square

By Simon Bristow

Businesses in Hull city centre are feeling the benefits from the big crowds which have flocked to a series of summer events organised by Hull Business Improvement District.

Feedback from families who turned out to enjoy street food nights and themed fun days demonstrates they have made the most of the free entertainment and spent their money with local businesses.

With two events still to come, Hull BID is hoping businesses will continue to enjoy a boost from visitors, including many who confirmed the events were the sole reason for their visit to the city centre.

Kathryn Shillito, Hull BID executive director, said: “We’ve consulted with the crowds at all our big events this year and it’s clear that, on each occasion, they were attracted because there was something exciting going on which fitted their family budgets in difficult times.

SUPERHEROES: Batman and Captain America at the Superhero Day

“We also checked with businesses, some of whom confirmed that their levels of trade more than doubled on days when we held events, which is really encouraging, especially as we start planning events for next year. We have some excellent businesses in the city centre and the events are vital for generating footfall.”

The BID team surveyed the crowds at three Hull Street Food Nights in Zebedee’s Yard and at the Superhero Day and Dino Day in Queen Victoria Square and King Edward Street.

The research will continue at Hull Street Food Nights on Thursday, September 28, and at the Hulloween Steampunk Festival on the weekend of October 20 to 22.

Around 90 per cent of visitors to Hull Street Food Nights, Superhero Day and Dino Day said they had come into the city centre purely to attend the events. More than 70 per cent of Superhero Day visitors said they visited shops and food and beverage venues in the city centre.

DON’T FEED THE ANIMALS: Hundreds gathered to watch the entertainment on Dino Day

The figure was lower for visitors to Hull Street Food Nights, who did most of their eating and drinking in Zebedee’s Yard, but 64 per cent said they planned to visit neighbouring Trinity Live in Trinity Indoor Market and 99 per cent said they would recommend Hull Street Food nights to others.

The vast majority of businesses reported big increases in trade from Superhero Day, with nine per cent saying it doubled and 55 per cent recording increases of between 20 per cent and 40 per cent.

Graham Williams of Dinsdales Joke & Trick Shop said: “It was a good event and I can’t wait to do another. The footfall was amazing – a buzzing day!”

For Dino Day, everyone surveyed said they had come in specifically for the event, and that they would all be visiting the shops and eateries while they were in the city centre.

FROM GOTHAM TO HULL: Two from the colony of Batmen who swooped into Queen Victoria Square on Superhero Day

One city centre food business reported that it enjoyed its busiest hour since 1998, from the volume of sales between 11am and midday, with overall sales nearly 20 per cent up on an average day in the school holidays.

Another food and beverage outlet reported an “unbelievable day” with business up 70 per cent on the average. Many experienced increases from between 20 and 40 per cent.

Steve Plater of Dinostar said: “It was a great success. As well as the hundreds who visited our pop-up mini museum at the event, we had higher visitor numbers to our Humber Street museum across the weekend.”

The Holiday Inn Hull Marina reported a full house for its free dino party, which featured games, a DJ, party food and a dino dig.

Daniel Reid, general manager of the hotel, said: “It was great. The city was vibrant and the event was a raving success. The feedback from the parents was great and we look forward to taking part in the next one.”

Kathryn added: “The feedback demonstrated that our events really are delivering what the public wants – and how that translates into increased trade for businesses.

“We also used the surveys to get an update on how people travelled into the city centre for the events, what sort of activities they would like to see and what sort of age groups attended. All of this information will help us plan future events and make sure they are even better.”