New digital platform to help visitors make the most of Chester

New digital platform to help visitors make the most of Chester

CH1ChesterBID behind new site showcasing Chester city centre to hundreds of thousands online

A new website designed to promote Chester’s eclectic collection of shops and restaurants and help bring more visitors to the high street has been launched by CH1ChesterBID.

Almost 300 businesses within Chester’s Business Improvement District (BID) area have already signed up to the new website – www.ShopinChester.com – putting key information such as their opening hours, location and current offers on show to hundreds of thousands of potential city visitors.

“More and more day trippers and city break visitors are doing their research online before committing to a trip, so we’re determined to make discovering the unique and wide-ranging shopping offer in our city as easy as possible for them,” said Julie Charlton, Marketing Manager at CH1ChesterBID.

“This new site brings all of the key information about Chester city centre businesses together under one roof for the very first time. It’s a comprehensive directory that will make it even easier for tourists – as well as local people – to uncover all the fantastic options there are to shop, dine and play right here in Chester.

“We have almost 300 businesses signed up already but we want to increase that number in the coming months by adding as many Chester-based brands as possible. That’s why we’re encouraging any of our members that haven’t yet signed up to the free service to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

The new ShopinChester.com website also includes an itinerary planner for city visitors as well as special offers available throughout the city centre. The site has been built within the existing VisitChester.com website and therefore also cross promotes city accommodation as well as things to see and do in Chester.

Alison Duckworth, Director of Tourism at Marketing Cheshire, which manages the main VisitChester.com website, said: “This new tool is a fantastic addition to the VisitChester.com site and we hope it will support the effort to attract more people to the city. We have a world-class heritage city in Chester, one with global appeal, so it’s important we do all we can to entice people to spend more time and money here.

“Digital channels are playing an increasingly important role in visitor decision-making, which is why the ShopinChester.com website is a really positive move for the city. We’re delighted to have played our part.”