Member Article

How NE1’s newest city centre scheme aims to inject ‘pride and passion’ into the heart of Newcastle

NE1, Newcastle’s business improvement district company, has this week revealed its latest initiative aimed at injecting new life into the city centre.

Working to make the city a better place to both work and live, NE1 has produced a number of schemes over the years - including Alive after Five, Quayside Seaside and Restaurant Week to name a few - in its pursuit of tangible improvements.

This autumn NE1 is launching the Geordie Jackpot, an online lottery which ultimately aims to garner more support and increase finance to fuel future improvement projects.

How does it work?

As well as making weekly cash payouts and awarding bonus prizes, money raised from Geordie Jackpot will help to fund major projects in the city centre. Moreover, the funds will support the Jackpot’s chosen local charity, Cash for Kids.

To get involved, people sign up and play to support the city and have the added bonus of winning cash prizes. Each week, a guaranteed jackpot of £1,000 will be available with the potential to win £25K if players match all six numbers in the right order.

In addition to cash payouts, the Geordie Jackpot will include exciting bonus prizes with ‘money-can’t buy’ experiences and themed rewards to coincide with NE1 events and activities throughout the year.

Tickets, costing £1 each, will be sold online via the geordiejackpot website. Players select 6 numbers and subscribe to play the Geordie Jackpot for a minimum of 4 weeks at a time.

How will the scheme support the city?

NE1 says the wider projects funded by the Geordie Jackpot will make the city more attractive for families and visitors, ensuring that Newcastle retains its place as a modern, European regional capital city.

Some may be temporary activities or installations; others will have a permanent place in the city centre. Subscribers to the lottery will be consulted on their favourite ideas and initiatives to will help shape the future of the city.

A list of potential projects has already being compiled and Newcastle NE1 is surveying the public to get their views on what projects they would like to see happen in Newcastle.

Among the most popular suggestions so far are reportedly more green spaces, and improving neglected areas of the city centre. Subject to a positive take up of the lottery, it is hoped the first Geordie Jackpot-funded initiative will start by the end of the year.

Reaction

Sean Bullick, Chief Executive of NE1, said: “We’re really excited that the Geordie Jackpot is already catching the imagination of the North East community and that so many notable celebrities are already on board to give their backing.

“The Geordie Jackpot is another Newcastle innovation; NE1 will be the first Business Improvement District in the whole world to launch its own lottery.

“Although the Geordie Jackpot is new, public support for civic developments is nothing new. The people of Newcastle have a proud history and tradition of paying for civic developments, many of the city’s monuments and statues were paid for from donations by the good people of the North East.

“The Geordie Jackpot will hark back to these largely Victorian days and we hope to start seeing new Geordie Jackpot plaques marking where new investments have been made across the city.

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