Glass screens to give Continental touch on the windy waterfront

For years city fathers have tried to encourage so-called "cafe culture" but in the evenings the city centre streets still empty quickly.

The city's regeneration quango Hull Forward thinks one way of getting people to stay out later on summer evenings is to enclose outside seating on windy Princes Dock Street with screens.

Later this month a programme of events and promotions will begin to try to lure more people to the area.

Hull Forward was unable to give the cost of the physical improvement works, split between itself, Hull Council, Hull's Business Improvement District, which is paid for by an extra one per cent on rates from city centre businesses, and the new owners of Princes Quay, CIT Group. But one source put the figure at 120,000.

While public money will pick up most of the cost of the screens, businesses will pay for the "soft furnishings" including parasols, plants and new tables and chairs, themselves.

Paul Gregory, from Leonardo's bistro, championed the idea of the screens after seeing them transform a cold blustery street in Norway.

He said: "I think the timing is good – it fits with the council's objectives and plans to regenerate this side of town. People are aware there's a little bit of a vacuum since St Stephen's and the transport interchange opened on the other side of town. I'd say we have to take advantage of Princes Dock Street and make it more Continental and hopefully it will bring more footfall to this side of town."

However not all the businesses affected welcome the move with open arms.

Jill Lawson, of cafe restaurant Cuckoos, said she had mixed feelings as they were going to have to pay extra on their rent for the use of the outside space, as well as the new umbrellas.

She said: "We are hoping an increase in takings will cover this.

"We hope to encourage families and business people after work in the early evenings. It'll be a good idea if it works."

Hull Forward's chief executive John Holmes said it was a united effort "to drive interest, footfall and crucially spend in Hull City centre in the early evenings."

He added: "As such a series of improvements are planned for the summer period including physical improvement works to Princes Dock Street and potentially Paragon Square, alongside a promotional campaign which will run on a Wednesday evening.

"Princes Dock Street has been identified as offering a major opportunity to capitalise on its existing strengths – namely a number of existing, quality food operators, its beautiful waterside location and its already popular alfresco dining experience – to develop evening economy activity.

"Our overriding objective with this and wider activity is to make the necessary improvements that will allow Hull's retail and leisure offer to compete directly with the likes of Beverley

and York by providing a mixed-use, complementary offer of cafes, bars and independent retailers."

Planning councillors will give their verdict on the screens at a meeting next Wednesday. There have been no objections and the recommendation is for approval.

Planners say subject to conditions the work is "considered likely to enhance the public relam aqnd the function of the city centre."

They recommend giving a five year temporary permission.