Positive vibes as customers make long-awaited return to favourite city centre businesses
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by Mike Smith, manager of Inverness Business Improvement District (BID)
While the long-awaited April 26 reopening of city centre retail and hospitality sectors had a gradual start, since then there has been growth in footfall on a daily basis.
Businesses’ feedback is that the public feel much more confident and relaxed about mixing with each other than previously, which certainly bodes well for the future.
And, they also say, there is a definite “I want to get away from online and feel what I am buying” mood amongst the customers who are coming through the doors.
Traders are reporting a good sales conversion rate (sales to customers) with their average sales transaction values higher than normal.
It was also nice to see the return of families out window shopping at the weekends.
Most of the public seem to be content to accept and work with the current hospitality restrictions but I am confident that bars and restaurants are going to get a massive boost with the next relaxation due in a week’s time allowing alcohol to be consumed indoors at bars and restaurants.
We all recognise that tourism is crucial to the city centre economy and, whilst the Highlands hasn’t yet seen the predicted explosion in visitors, there are promising signs that both the Scottish and UK trade is returning, initially for weekend breaks.
The recent Bank of England economic update estimated that UK households had been able to accumulate savings of £150 billion during the Covid pandemic, which shows the potential for growth in expenditure in the coming months with a good percentage projected to be spent on people’s wish to travel.
Our determination to attract an ever-increasing level of tourism to the area has led to the setting up of a joint marketing initiative involving the Visit Inverness Loch Ness BID, the Highland Council and ourselves, the Inverness City Centre BID.
With funding from the three bodies plus the Scottish Government the initiative will – for the first time – have the resources to promote of the city of Inverness, Loch Ness and the surrounding areas as an entity to visitors and local alike.
