HullBID to launch free gigs to invigorate evening economy businesses

Hull city centre is getting ready to rock with a free live music programme geared to pulling more people into the pubs and café bars. HullBID is behind the Trinity Festival Rebooted Festival, which will present 80 free gigs in ten venues over two days at the end of this month.

Richard Clark, whose company operates three of the pubs, said the move throws a lifeline to a hospitality sector still finding its feet after the economic hits of recent years. Richard said: “It’s important because the recovery has been slow for hospitality and we all need to look for new income streams. Live music, comedy, sport, different things work for different venues at different times.

“The music will bring more people into the city centre and maybe entice them into places they haven’t tried before. It’s up to the pubs to show them a great time and encourage them to come back for the other Trinity Festival Rebooted events and the weekends in between!”

Trinity Rebooted Festival has its roots in the HullBID Trinity Festival, which gave local bands the chance to play support slots to big-name headliners in a series of free outdoor gigs.

The new version takes the live performances into the bars across the city centre. From 2pm until 5.30pm on Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October, there will be eight performances a day in each venue.

Participating pubs in the New Town are the Hull Cheese and the Dram Shop. The six Old Town venues taking part are O’Leary’s, Telstar 2, Nanouk, Calla, Scale & Feather and Crown & Cushion. Venues in the Fruit Market are the Humber Dock Bar & Grill and Taphouse.

Trinity Rebooted Festival will also take place over the weekends of 25 and 25 November, 27 and 28 January and 30 and 31 March. It is being programmed by Mark Page and Daniel Mawer from the weekly Sesh night, Trinity Live and Humber Street Sesh.

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID executive director, said: “We’ll be sourcing logistical and technical support and the venues will be paying the performers. The idea came from talking to city centre businesses about how we can work together to boost the afternoon and early evening economy, especially during the months that aren’t generally as busy for the hospitality sector.

“We managed to get some money from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and now we’re ready to go with an array of live music ranging from solo acoustic to full bands, depending on the size and requirements of the venue.”

Richard is area sales, marketing & events manager at Advocate Group, which operates the Dram Shop, Hull Cheese and Humber Dock. He added “We’ll have 24 acts at our three venues over the two days and we’re looking forward to it because this is exactly what’s needed to bring people back into the city centre and back into the pubs.

“It’s great holding events in the public spaces during the summer and this builds on that by helping to get the customers in during the winter months. It will help us bring new people into the pubs and introduce them to new places.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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