FOR CARDIFF’S CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN BRINGS IN THE FESTIVE CROWDS
More than 4.7m people made their way to Cardiff to get into the festive spirit this year, an increase of 9.3% on 2017, while the overall figures for the UK decreased 2.6% during November and December.
FOR Cardiff kicked Christmas 2018 off in style with their biggest campaign to date to draw in the masses. This included a Christmas television advert broadcast to audiences across Wales and the South West of England. The advert showcased the Christmas Market, the magic of Winter Wonderland and the wealth of shopping locations available, including smaller independents and big high-street brands.
Experiential activities were also popular with people of all ages, such as a sweet smelling giant Gingerbread Mun House that appeared overnight on The Hayes, playing host to entertainers including stilt walkers and the Melingriffith Brass Band. The house also gave the public an opportunity to donate to FOR Cardiff’s Give DIFFerently homeless fund through contactless payment points.
In contrast, footfall across the UK has been in steady decline over the past decade. The magnitude of the decline is significant, being the second largest drop since the recession in 2010.
Adrian Field, Executive Director of FOR Cardiff said: “Our goal is to make Cardiff city centre a vibrant and welcoming place for all, this is especially important over the Christmas period.
“We’re extremely proud to see that our efforts in making Cardiff an exciting place to visit in December have paid off as high-streets across the UK are facing a difficult period. We have already started to put the wheels in motion to make Christmas 2019 bigger and better and I’m looking forward to seeing everything coming together.”
Natasha Williams, Senior Operations Manager at SA Brains and Vice Chair of FOR Cardiff said: “December has been a fantastic trading period for the pubs and it’s very positive to see that reflected in the footfall statistics. Cardiff city centre sites experiencing such growth this Christmas, in comparison to the UK trend, is a testament to the variety of activities and attractions being organised here for all to enjoy.”