London,
17
January
2012
|
23:00
Europe/London
Hackney Central fashion development to create 200 jobs
Hackney Council has secured £5.3 million to make major improvements to the Hackney Central town centre area. The funding will develop a new fashion retail hub which has the potential to create up to 200 jobs for local people whilst attracting visitors and investment to the borough.
The hub will be developed around Hackney s existing Burberry store in Chatham Place. The Burberry store will be used as an anchor to attract other fashion and design retailers to open outlet stores east of the town centre.
The development will be a key part of the development of Hackney s status as the creative heart of London and as a retail hub for the Borough s fast growing fashion industry.
Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said:
“Hackney Central has so much to offer in terms of culture, vibrancy and opportunity. This investment has the potential to create a unique attraction that can give the borough a significant economic boost, so I m pleased that our bid has been successful.
"Now we ll get on with the business of driving the development forward, attracting retailers, creating up to 200 jobs for local people and making the very best of this great opportunity for Hackney."
The Council is also planning to go into partnership with Network Rail in their development of twelve empty arches in Morning Lane. The new funding will ensure that the spaces are fitted out to a high quality specification suitable for fashion retail units, cafés and restaurants. Work will also be done to improve the arches’ connection to the wider town centre.
The plans for the development have been designed by the Council to maximise employment opportunities for local people. All jobs created will be advertised through a Council run scheme which will ensure that local people have the best opportunity to apply and to be successful.
Fashion and retail training programmes will be developed so that Hackney residents can get the training and development they need to get both entry level jobs as well as more senior roles.
The funding will also allow the Council to appoint a team of architects and retail specialists to work with local businesses in the Mare Street, Narrow Way and Clarence Road area to produce design guidelines and business plans that will attract as many customers to the town centre as possible. Businesses will then be able to bid for funding, through the Council, to carry out improvements to shop fronts in line with the guidelines.
The hub will be developed around Hackney s existing Burberry store in Chatham Place. The Burberry store will be used as an anchor to attract other fashion and design retailers to open outlet stores east of the town centre.
The development will be a key part of the development of Hackney s status as the creative heart of London and as a retail hub for the Borough s fast growing fashion industry.
Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said:
“Hackney Central has so much to offer in terms of culture, vibrancy and opportunity. This investment has the potential to create a unique attraction that can give the borough a significant economic boost, so I m pleased that our bid has been successful.
"Now we ll get on with the business of driving the development forward, attracting retailers, creating up to 200 jobs for local people and making the very best of this great opportunity for Hackney."
The Council is also planning to go into partnership with Network Rail in their development of twelve empty arches in Morning Lane. The new funding will ensure that the spaces are fitted out to a high quality specification suitable for fashion retail units, cafés and restaurants. Work will also be done to improve the arches’ connection to the wider town centre.
The plans for the development have been designed by the Council to maximise employment opportunities for local people. All jobs created will be advertised through a Council run scheme which will ensure that local people have the best opportunity to apply and to be successful.
Fashion and retail training programmes will be developed so that Hackney residents can get the training and development they need to get both entry level jobs as well as more senior roles.
The funding will also allow the Council to appoint a team of architects and retail specialists to work with local businesses in the Mare Street, Narrow Way and Clarence Road area to produce design guidelines and business plans that will attract as many customers to the town centre as possible. Businesses will then be able to bid for funding, through the Council, to carry out improvements to shop fronts in line with the guidelines.