Europa Press 08/07/2008

The City Council will invest half a million euros in 2 years to convert the Plaza Mayor in a shopping center open

Among other things, enhance a quality mark, it will improve safety and cleanliness, and will encourage partnerships
  

    Madrid City Council will invest approximately half a million euros in the next two years in different initiatives that aim to convert the Plaza Mayor in a shopping mall opened, making this area the "commercial space more representative and more national and international how many can be created "in the capital.

    This was explained today by the mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, during a presentation at the House of the Plan of Implementation Bakery Mall's Open at Plaza Mayor, where he was accompanied by delegates of the Economy and Employment, Miguel Angel Villanueva, and Works and Public Spaces, Paz Gonzalez, as well as the president of the Merchants' Association of the center, Francisco Heart.

    The budget of half a million euros, about 312,000 are awarded to some of the measures, which will start at different times in 2008 and 2009 and which may, in some cases, renovated for future exercises.

    Specifically, the plan is divided into 21 steps around four lines. So, to promote the associative structure will aid traders to promote and revitalize their establishments (70,000 euros in total), will be given grants for training activities (20,000 euros) and will encourage the creation, from the second half of 2009, an advisory council of the shopping center opened in Plaza Mayor (20,000 euros).

    The second line of action will seek the promotion and communication, with initiatives like the creation of a corporate visual identity which will be presented between September and October (12,000 euros), appropriate signage in the area (30,000 euros starting next year) promotion from now the identification of the area as a commercial area (20,000 euros), the distribution of advertising and promotional (15,000 euros in 2009), the empowerment of signaling (30,000 euros) and the creation of maps (20,000 euros ) Public transport from next year.

    Also, a commercial guide (15,000 euros), a guide to entertainment and dining (15,000 euros) and a "microsite" on the web www.esmadrid.com (30,000 euros) in what is already working, and also will implement a quality label in 2009 (30.000 euros).

    As for the strategy to adapt and improve services, which goes to maintain and restore the public space, order the management of urban waste and increase the security of video surveillance and personal, are yet to determine whether the budgets and schedules, if though the special performances in terms of cleaning will begin on July 14.

    The last line of action concerns the organization of activities. There's no budgets closed, except for the 18,000 euros that will go to animation in the streets, but also will work on the Christmas lights, cultural activities, guided tours and the dissemination of all this programming.

Rehabilitate and revitalize

    "They are embarking on an ambitious revitalization of the center and the trade through public-private partnerships to, at a time of difficulty, stimulate the economy, create jobs and provide quality life to the people, by refusing to ignore the crisis or to be witnesses liabilities of it, and acting to address it, "summed Gallardón.

    To do this, the municipal government believes that "trade, especially the proximity, exerts a regenerator core in the overall urban fabric and quality of life of citizens."

    In any case, the centers are open must have some "urban and economic requirements to provide a common image to shops that make up", something the Plaza Mayor meets "to perfection" because the establishments "are very Consolidated "and" a high quality, dedication and professionalism of its traders, "many of which have a tradition that already exceeds the century. "Seniority is a value-added," Rivet the first mayor.

    Thus, the scope of this plan is a key factor on which its success, so the City Council has decided to include in its orbit of influence the Calle Mayor, Mail, Marquis of Pontejos Widowed, Esparteros, Salvador, Lettuce, Toledo , Cuchilleros, cow of San Miguel and Conde de Miranda, the Puerta del Sol, and the seats of Pontejos, Santa Cruz Province, the New Segovia, door closed, and San Miguel. Throughout this area there are 240 shops, of which predominance, in addition to the 108 catering establishments and bars, shops home, clothing, footwear, leather, jewelry, silver and pharmacies.

SUPPORT FOR MERCHANTS AND NEIGHBORS

    Among the objectives pursued by the City Council with this initiative are to make this area a space unavoidable, promote the balance of uses and generate an offer tailored to consumer demand, to achieve the total occupation of the premises and an offer in line with criteria quality and service, ensuring a high involvement of merchants in the project, promoting the unified management of the business, and achieve the projection of the image of the Shopping Center Plaza Mayor in Madrid as a national and international level.

    The key issue is, as happened in the experiences of Arenal, Montera, Las Letras, ambassadors or Sol, "enhancing dialogue with traders, as well as promote partnerships and support it financially, because it is no longer key to the defense of their interests, but also to make city, "he said Gallardón.

    Thus, Francisco Heart gave voice to employers during the presentation of the plan and used the occasion to remind the mayor that "the influx of national and international public to the Plaza Mayor is widespread throughout the year," which creates problems, mainly, "security and cleaning," especially since traders have the right to freely open their stores at any time.

    He further emphasized the lack of parking for residents in a district with very little public space. "For over ten years it has bet five parking, a problem that comes once in the area. However, there has been more than one. But the problem is that now the parking lot is full by the success of tourism. In addition, many wonder where it comes out, so we are going to have to put a tourist office down there, "said Heart.

    In this regard, the mayor told the press that the studies are made for other parks, but because of space has not yet decided whether to build them and their final location.

Madridiario 08/07/2008

Half a million to boost trade in the Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor has taken a new step Tuesday to become the commercial space more representative of Madrid for the visitors. The mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, has submitted the Plan of Implementation of the shopping center opened in the Plaza Mayor and its surrounding areas, which collects 21 performances to boost commercial activity in the area.

To do this, the municipal government will invest between 2008 and 2009 approximately half a million euros. The program sets out six key objectives: to make this area a unique space, promoting the balance of uses and generate an offer tailored to consumer demand, to achieve the total occupation of premises and an offer according to criteria of quality and service, ensuring involvement of merchants supporting the associative structure, promoting the unified management of the business, and achieve the projection of the image of the Shopping Center Plaza Mayor as a reference area nationally and internationally.

The actions designed as to promote the associative structure will focus on giving aid to merchants in the implementation of promotional activities and energizing as well as training, encouraging the creation of an advisory council of the shopping center opened in the Plaza Mayor . There will also be performances direct advocacy and communication to create a corporate visual identity to the mall; flag the environment and their entrances; promote the identification of the Plaza Mayor as shopping and restaurants; distribute promotional and advertising media, and to boost flat signs and access to the area by public transport.

Trade promotion
The promotion of the offer of trade, hotels and restaurants will focus on building a commercial guide, other entertainment and dining, the introduction of a 'microsite' on esmadrid.com, and the introduction of a quality mark. With regard to the adequacy and improving services, will remain the work of maintenance of public areas, management of the collection and management of urban waste, the strengthening of security through video surveillance and agents. It was also organize cultural activities in certain programs, street animation, guided tours, which will be devoted to a game to their schedules. Will be the point of continuous performances environment which will begin on July 14.

In this program will join the approval of the competition to convert the House of Carnage in a hotel within three months, when previous studies are completed, approved recently.

Ruiz-Gallardón said that this program, and other municipal proceedings have as a priority to recover, rehabilitate and revitalize the center, which was "missed". Therefore, work has been carried out in safety, environment and urban development, hinges on the recovery of the area through trade opening. The first mayor asserted that the plan "gives a real perception of the dynamism of the area and lets all the actors involved in its drafting join ideas."

The delegate of Economy, Miguel Angel Villanueva, explained that the project is in addition to the actions that have been made to recover strategic business areas such as Azca, Barrio de las Letras, ambassadors or the historic Aravaca. Impinged on the importance of shopping centers opened as an element in enhancing the competitiveness of small shops and valued its capacity-building associations.

Finally, the president of the association of traders in Plaza Mayor, Francisco Heart, welcomed the plan and requested that becomes the Plaza Mayor in a showcase of the city. He noted that it was important to strengthen actions on cleanliness, safety and the search for new parking areas.