'Come to Wolverhampton!' An international hotel and better bars and restaurants are key to transforming the city's night-time economy, say council chiefs
Bringing an international hotel chain to Wolverhampton, improving the range of restaurants and bars, and boosting the city's profile will be the focus of a new strategy to bring in more visitors.
Wolverhampton Council's cabinet yesterday (Wednesday, September 3) approved a strategy for boosting the city's visitor economy, saying tourism will play a crucial role in the city's regeneration.
A report to the cabinet highlights six priority areas that the council will focus on in making the city a major visitor destination.
The report, by Ian Fegan, director of the city economy, says that Wolverhampton's leisure economy is set to grow at two-three per cent faster than the national average over the next decade.
But it says that a low national profile, and a lack of high-end hotel accommodation is holding the city back in its efforts to exploit this.
The plans also says the city also suffers from a reputation as the least welcoming destination for visiting football supporters.
Mr Fegan's report, entitled Making Wolverhampton a Great Place for Visitors, said more than 10.4 million visitors came to Wolverhampton last year, a four per cent increase compared to 2023.
"Wolverhampton is already a visitor destination, with significant investment made in key venues including the multi-million-pound refurbishment of The Halls,, the fantastic Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, the new Lockworks Cinema and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, home to the biggest pop art collection outside of London," he said. The city also had a five-year programme of events to attract visitors to the city.
Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of Wolverhampton Council, cited a television news report from 1973, which said that Wolverhampton had 6,000 visitors a year.
"We've now got 10 million," he said. "We've really go to take advantage of every asset we've got."
Mr Fegan said the visitor economy brought a record £506 million into the city last year, a 10.6 per cent increase compared to the previous year.JH
He said the tourist industry also supported 4,772 jobs in the city, an increase of 4.8 per cent.
"These results are particularly encouraging, highlighting Wolverhampton’s strong performance relative to the wider West Midlands Combined Authority area, where growth across all three key indicators was more modest," said Mr Fegan.
The council has drawn up a five-year plan which identifies six priority areas for improvement.
"The plan aims to get people thinking differently about our city by creating a vibrant destination and proposition that attracts visitors from near and far, day, evening and night, to enjoy our fantastic offer and celebrate the city’s diversity and heritage," said Mr Fegan.
The six priorities are to:
Create a vibrant and mixed evening and night-time economy
implement the council's five-year strategy for public events
Ensure the high streets are vibrant and attractive
Develop a distinctive destination
Develop an inclusive and accessible city
Improve the quality of the accommodation on offer.
Mr Fegan said the first priority would be dealt with through the council's new evening and night-time economy strategy, which will be presented to the council's cabinet later this month.
He said improving lighting and the quality of public spaces around the city will 'provide a fabulous and well-connected setting, making it safe and easy to move from one part of the city to the another after dark'.
"The need for greater quality and quantity of restaurants and accommodation, is also an essential part of improving our city offer," he said.
"Currently, the city lacks the presence of sufficient good quality hotels and demand is being displaced to hotels outside of the city.
"By growing the capacity and quality of our hotel offer especially within the city centre to encourage more visitors to make use of weekend and overnight stays in the city.
"Attracting major hotel brands is key to growing our visitor economy with a wider economic impact in the city including a positive influence on the evening and night-time economy."
The plan was presented to the council by Councillor Chris Burden, the council's cabinet member in charge of regeneration.
"The plan is a bold and inclusive vision that reimagines our city as a vibrant, welcoming and accessible place for all," he said.
"The plan celebrates Wolverhampton's rich cultural heritage, green spaces, and dynamic events programme by investing in a diverse evening and night-time economy, enhancing public spaces, and promoting active travel and cultural participation."
