JUBILEE BOOST FOR CITY CENTRE TRADE
People dancing their way through weekend events
TRADERS have enjoyed a jubilee boom as visitors headed into the city centre for celebrations and a music festival.
Some businesses on Piccadilly opened earlier to accommodate the extra footfall.
On Friday and Saturday, dancers and DJS were all over Hanley for a ‘Dancing Through The Decades’ event to mark the Queen’s
Platinum Jubilee while the annual Your City Festival also continued. And eateries and cafes had Jubileethemed food and drinks, plus bunting to celebrate the landmark anniversary.
The dancing event saw seven areas devoted to eras from the 1950s through to the 2010s. Meanwhile the Your City Festival saw dozens of bands perform at various city centre venues.
Those events, coupled with a four-day break for many, has been a busy time hospitality businesses in Hanley.
Owner of The Corner on Piccadilly, Antony Turner, said: “On Thursday we were busier than usual. We have got the Your City festival on too so that’s helped.”
Manager of Gin Rummy, Alex Hannah-johnson said: “We normally get most of our trade between 2pm and 4pm. “We had Jubilee bottomless brunches and we had six booked on Friday. “Our outdoor seating gets busy - Thursday was busier.”
General manager at Klay Pizzeria, Dan Jarvis, said: “This is our first time opening in the day - we’re expecting to be busy.
“We are normally busier later on but with the Jubilee and Your City a lot of people have been to the events and then come for food after. We had some of the acts from the events come in.”
Manager at Bottlecraft, Chris Straughan, said: “It’s been really good for us. The Bank Holidays are always good. Piccadilly is a good place to come for food and drink. People want to go out.”