WORCESTER’ recovery from lockdown will be all of a flutter thanks to striking butterfly decorations in the heart of the city.
The unique addition to the city comes as new figures show Worcester is bouncing back well from the lockdowns which saw the High Street locked up on three separate occasions in the past 18 months.
Colourful bunting on shops and buildings, striking butterfly decorations in trees, and pop-up ‘parks’ where residents and visitors can unwind are all being installed across the city centre.
They are the latest initiatives in a packed programme of activities and events to entice people back into the city after the lockdown, and support the local economy.
The pop-up parks will be installed at Angel Place, South Quay and Cornmarket. Supported by the City Council’s Welcome Back fund, they will feature colourful seating and artificial grassed areas, creating locations where residents and visitors can rest while out shopping, or eat lunch and reconnect with the community and the city.
The butterfly designs, also supported by the Welcome Back fund, will bring extra colour and movement to the city centre’s trees, while the new bunting – funded by Worcester BID (Business Improvement District) and Worcestershire Regulatory Services – will help to make many of Worcester’s shops even more appealing and welcoming.
Coun Lucy Hodgson, chair of the Worcester City Council’s Place and Economic Development Committee, said: “Worcester is recovering well from the lockdown and the City Council and its partners are committed to doing everything they can to attract visitors and support the local economy.
“These latest schemes will help to make our city an even more appealing destination.”
Sam McCarthy of Worcester BID said: “Creating a vibrant place where visitors and residents can connect and relax in Worcester is a high priority for Worcester BID to support the city’s economic recovery, and we are thrilled to be supporting these initiatives.
“The pop-up parks, bunting and butterfly installations will provide a safe space to reconnect with friends and family while indulging in some of Worcester’s tasty treats. The bunting and butterflies should also help in deterring gulls from swooping down and snatching food.”
Worcester was recently listed as having the third highest footfall figures in the country in the Retail Recovery Index by IPSOS, and latest data shows that footfall in the city centre was up 15.9 per cent in the week of July 24 to August 1 compared to 2019.
Those numbers have been boosted by Worcester’s Big Parade – an art trail that has seen colour elephant sculptures pop up around the city centre in aid of St Richard’s Hospice – the Three Choirs festival, and the Same But Different festival, a week of art installations.
Salisbury beat competition from Harrow, Worcester and Merry Hill in Dudley to take top spot, as consumers continue to shop locally rather than visiting larger cities.
Visit www.visitworcester.co.uk for more.
