A group has been set up to target millions of pounds of Government high street funding for Hull – and is readying its first bid.
The City Centre Future Visioning Group, set up by Hull City Council and made up of city’s private businesses, stakeholders and partners, met today at The Guildhall.
The group will lead a push to revive the city centre – starting with a bid this month for more than £10 million from the Government’s £675 million Future High Streets Fund.
It includes big plans for Whitefriargate, the city’s historic shopping street, which is the local authority’s next major regeneration project and a key pedestrian route between Hull’s Old Town and city centre
A successful bid would see funding spent on ensuring ground-floor shop frontage in Whitefriargate matches the striking and historically important first-floor architecture.
How a revamped Whitefriargate could look under plans.
It is hoped that the work will help to attract a diverse mix of food and drink, boutique, commercial and leisure outlets to the street, which boasts 30 Grade II listed buildings and three Grade II* listed buildings.
See how Whitefriargate could look under new plans
A successful bid would also see support for Albion Square, improved transport links, further marketing of the city and boost city centre events.
Councillor Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said: “Major investment in the city centre, including at the Fruit Market, Trinity Market, Bonus Arena and the public realm works, is really driving up footfall, creating jobs and delivering social value.
“The proposals for Albion Square, the planned cruise terminal and housing on the east bank of the River Hull will provide continued momentum on what we have already achieved.
“However, despite this, Hull is not immune from the major retail changes impacting upon the British high street, but we are committed to bold plans which will help the redesign and future use of historic listed buildings on streets like Whitefriargate.
“As Trinity Market shows, there is clear demand for niche, bespoke retailing, where the products you buy are not generic and harmonious, but are particular to a place or city, like ours.”
