Orbit Developments has made sure that the first Foodie Friday of 2016 is the start of a bright year ahead with the announcement of a 12 month headline sponsorship deal with the organisers.
The partnership, worth £6k, with the managers and licensees of Foodie Friday will help ensure that this key town centre event continues to flourish.
Foodie Friday takes place on the last Friday of every month offering gourmet street food, craft ales and live music and entertainment from 6-9pm in Stockport’s historic Market Place.
Not only has Foodie Friday proven to be a popular event among the local community, it continues to stimulate the growing evening economy for businesses in Stockport Old Town and particularly around the Market Square.
It has already helped improve footfall and substantially increase business turnover for the newly-refurbished food and drink operators in and around the area.
Seven Miles Out, The Boar’s Head pub and the Baker’s Vaults report positive trading that they attribute to Foodie Friday.
“Foodie Friday is consistently the busiest night of the month at the Baker’s Vaults,” says manager Luke Morgan.
John Barratt from Foodie Friday who manages the event, said: “Foodie Friday is seen by many of the retailers in the area as a key driver of business plans and has actually been even more profitable than New Year’s Eve for some of these operators.
“It’s this economic success – driven by those living and working in and around the Stockport community – that has led to the recent opening of Remedy Bar and Brewhouse, a new micro-brewery and bar next to The Bull’s Head, which launched on Foodie Friday in December.”
The opening of Remedy Bar and Brewhouse has been welcomed by the local community which was a popular venue over the Christmas period.
“There’s a real buzz in the Market because events like Foodie Friday and the Stockport Old Town Festivals are bringing large crowds and a great community spirit back to the area,” said Simon Wells from Remedy.
As well as providing a boost for local outlets Foodie Friday also gives a platform to some of the region’s leading street food operators, micro and craft ale brewers and live bands, which brings in people from across Greater Manchester.
“It’s a great opportunity for visitors to see the beautiful surroundings of Stockport’s Victorian Market Hall in our historic Old Town,” says John Barratt.
Tony Jones, Managing Director at Orbit Developments, said: “We immediately recognised the importance of Foodie Friday – both as a driver to the local economy and as the heart of a sociable community hub.
“Our sponsorship ensures that the ever-popular event is sustainable and commercially viable – securing its future as a community event for the benefit of Stockport Town Centre throughout 2016 and beyond.
“We’ve long been committed to helping improve and enhance the image of Stockport town centre as a good commercial destination. We hope that our sponsorship of Foodie Friday – along with the Old Town Fringe Festival over the last two years – will further strengthen the town’s position as a key destination to shop and socialise as well.”
“It’s great that a community event like Foodie Friday is being supported by one of the town’s major businesses,” says John Barratt. “Orbit’s sponsorship support is hugely appreciated and will allow us to develop the event in 2016.”
