City centre events boost after major transformation works completed

City of Wolverhampton Council’s multi-million-pound transformation of the city centre will be showcased through another major event in new-look Victoria Street next week.

Extensive public realm improvement works have now been completed on Victoria Street and North Street as part of a £22million package of investment in the west of the city centre.

The scheme has created better public spaces that will attract more visitors and enable businesses to thrive and grow through a blended approach of retail supported by events and activities in quality public spaces and city centre living.

On Saturday, June 3 the new space in Victoria Street will host a Food, Drink & Artisan Market run by LSD Promotions, between 10am and 5pm.

It follows the first Wolverhampton Arts Festival in Victoria Street which attracted an estimated 2,000 visitors over the King’s Coronation weekend and will come hot on the heels of North Street welcoming a sell-out crowd to see Britpop legends Blur at the official opening of The Halls Wolverhampton on Friday (May 26).

Further improvement works to come in the west of the city centre include the development of a new Box Space entertainment venue - set to open just off Victoria Street in summer 2024, which combined with the reopening of The Halls Wolverhampton will bring more than 300,000 visitors a year to this area of the city centre and boost the local economy by £10million annually.

The works are being delivered through a combination of £15.7million secured from the Government’s Future High Street Fund and council funding.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Visitor City, Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, said: “We want people to visit and enjoy our city centre from the moment they arrive, and our public realm works will be transformational.

“They will deliver real, tangible benefits for businesses, residents and visitors to our city centre, supporting the development of our events strategy and the reopening of The Halls Wolverhampton.

“The Food, Drink & Artisan Market will kick-off a host of major city centre events that will make use of our new public spaces and boost footfall, including Krazy Races and PRIDE.”

The Victoria Street Food, Drink & Artisan Market will host live entertainment featuring a talented DJ and street performers, an eclectic array of stalls offering everything from meticulously handcrafted accessories to one-of-a-kind gifts, irresistible homemade treats, and tantalising street food.

Admission is free and no tickets are necessary.

LSD Promotions Director, Dermot McGillicuddy, added: “LSD Promotions are looking forward to bringing a collection of traders to the newly created space on Victoria Street. The council has done a magnificent job of the regeneration of the street. We’re excited to bring our free-to-attend event that includes family entertainment, and a range of food, drink & artisan products.”