As uncertainty about the economic conditions continue, organisers of Leeds Loves Shopping, an annual retail festival, say that event led marketing can attract shoppers to the city centre. 

Marketing Leeds and City Centre Management of Leeds City Council have released footfall figures for the period of Leeds Loves Shopping and say that by working together, retailers and businesses in the city have cause for optimism. 

Average footfall in the city increased by 12.5% on the festival’s opening night, which saw retailers across the city open late into the evening, offer discounts and host events. 47,452 people passed through the city centre between 4pm and 9pm. Marketing Leeds and Leeds City Council coordinated and promoted the late night experience through national advertising, a dedicated website, social media and point of sale. They also provided on street entertainment from Capital FM. The opening evening coincided with the stunning Victoria Quarter's annual Shopping Affair, which saw 8,500 people through the door to see treasure troves and aerial performances throughout a pirate themed evening. 

Jean Dent, Director of Marketing Leeds says: “Leeds Loves Shopping has developed over the last six years into an important part of the Leeds calendar. There’s no doubt that economic conditions are tough but the Leeds retail sector is resilient and it’s clear that when retailers come together to market their offer through events, not only does the customer benefit from a fantastic experience but the results are positive too.” 

The 2011 Leeds Loves Shopping calendar also featured a day dedicated to Leeds’ unique independent shops on Saturday 15th October. It alone attracted footfall of 247,160, an increase of 8% based on the previous Saturday’s. Shoppers from independent retailers including Culture Vulture, Jumbo Records, Kiosk 78, Mummy and Little Me, Teddy and Co, Bird's Yard, Mad Elizabeth and Leeds Kirkgate Market claimed prizes from Capital FM’s Street Stars team and Leeds Guide, who were also out style spotting stylish Leeds shoppers.  Fashionpony and Capital FM hosted a grand fashion show on Briggate, ‘The Fashion Stop', which showcased independent and emerging designers. 

The festival also included a retail industry day at which industry specialists, property developers, architects and shopping centre directors came together to discuss how the city should prepare to move up the UK’s retail rankings when Land Securities’ open Trinity Leeds in Spring 2013. The bold consensus reached was that Leeds should aim to be – and can be - the best city centre destination in the UK.  

84 Leeds businesses participated in the festival, delivering events and promotions during the 14 day period from 13-23 October. Other events hosted by retailers and businesses included Leeds Fashion Show’s Dress Me Beautiful, an extraordinary fashion showcase and the Corn Exchange’s Conucopia event offering customers the chance to sample and buy some of the finest produce from Yorkshire. 

Angela Knight, Manager of Mummy and Little Me based at the Corn Exchange says: “As a small independent company, it is critical that we market our brand and ensure our name is heard loud and clear. Leeds Loves Shopping has genuinely given us a platform to do that, the festival gives us a reason to engage with customers and to reach out to customers that we wouldn’t usually.”  

Cath Follin, Head of City Centre Management and Markets says: “The retail industry is incredibly important to the city of Leeds. We have a vibrant retail sector and the arrival of the major development, Trinity Leeds, as well as a new Arena which also opens in 2013, will help to ensure the city continues to be renowned as a premier destination nationally and internationally. The Leeds Lights switch on and opening of the Christmas market last week attracted visitors who contributed to the busiest footfall week of the year to date which demonstrates when retailers and businesses join forces to enhance the experience we all benefit.”  

Leeds offers a unique combination of shopping with over 2msq ft of retail space and 971 outlets and hundreds of traders to date. The £350m Trinity Leeds scheme is also well underway in construction and is the first major retail led development to start outside London since the downturn, creating 3,000 new jobs. Its opening in 2013 will take the city to fourth in the country’s retail rankings, where it currently sits at seventh. Together with the development of Eastgate Quarters, which was granted planning permission in July, an additional £1bn will be invested in the city’s retail sector in the coming years.  

Leeds Loves Shopping is organised and delivered by Leeds City Council’s City Centre Management team and Marketing Leeds and is supported by the Leeds Retail Association and Marketing Leeds champions. City colleges as well as retailers and traders also contribute to the events calendar and communication. Together, the partnership also lead other city events and have recently announced dates for the Leeds Loves Food festival from 25-27 May 2012. 

For more information and to view an updated calendar of events, visit leedslovesshopping.com.

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