After a £10,000 grant from the High Street Innovation Fund, the Derby Road area is throwing open its doors to local agents next week (12 dec) to reveal the street’s huge potential.
There will be an agents’ breakfast and tour of the street on 12 December when Mona Walsh of Nottingham Regeneration Limited and Jonathan Jones of Nottingham City Council’s property department will show agents around.
They will learn about the area, the types of units available – and regeneration plans in place. Some retailers will be throwing open their doors to show agents inside the impressive properties along the road from Maid Marian Way to Canning Circus.
Councillor Nick McDonald, the city council’s portfolio holder for jobs, skills and business, said:
“What often differentiates one city from another is the quality of the independent shops. The most visited and popular cities, places like Bath and York, for example, have interesting and unique shops, good restaurants and quality tourist attractions. This is why we’re keen to promote areas like this stretch of Derby Road.”
As part of a pilot regeneration project, plans are in place to encourage new and existing retailers to move to or expand into the area’s available units. Advice is also being sought from city architect David Franklin to understand how to improve the look and feel of Derby Road’s buildings.
Stuart Isbister heads the Derby Road Regeneration Steering Group which is helping to organise the agents’ breakfast event. He also owns local business, The Worm That Turned which is one of the shops which will be open to agents next week.
Stuart said: “The Derby Road area of the city has been faced with a number of challenges and we are working with the council to try and address these. We want the Derby Road area to be an attractive, vibrant and accessible area to shop in and trade from, and we will be working with the council, businesses, landlords and prospective tenants to push this project forward.
“Many traders were attracted to set up in the area because of its boutique mix of businesses which include hair salons, pubs and restaurants and independent retailers selling vintage clothing, wines and home items.”
Under the umbrella brand ‘Derby Road NG1’, a series of events, marketing collateral and profile raising activity is planned to encourage take up of units for retailers, start-ups and businesses.
Alongside the newly announced funding, a bid is also being made to the European Development Fund which would focus on creating more shopper-friendly streets and road traffic flows in the area.
Stuart added: “We have been trading from Derby Road for nine years and regularly have city shoppers coming in who say they never knew we were here. There are many hidden gems in this area of town and we are pleased to have the backing of this scheme to help us shout louder about what is here and exactly how much we have to offer.”
Following the agents’ breakfast, there will be a ‘12.12.12 Derby Road Dot Day’ when some retailers will be offering discounts and offers. There will be mince pies and mulled wine for shoppers too.
The agents’ breakfast will start at 8am at the renowned Warsaw Diner with coffee and breakfast, with a tour following this. For more information about the event, or to register your interest, contact [email protected] or call her on 0115 8532110.
