Over 1,000 people responded to a survey commissioned by Kingston First, the town centre’s Business Improvement District, which found two-thirds of respondents described Kingston town centre as , as “enjoyable”, “lively” and “attractive”.
Key takeaways from the research include:
- 8 out of 10 consumers rated Kingston Town Centre highly for ‘Places to eat and drink’, and ‘Ease of getting around’
- 7 out of 10 consumers rated Kingston Town Centre highly for ‘Range of shops’
- 51% of respondents travelled 1 hour or more to visit Kingston town centre (29% travelled over 2 hours)
- Those aged between 18-34 are more likely to visit Kingston regularly; 1 in 4 visit daily.
- More than half of visitors and locals would like to see more independent shops and less empty units and green spaces are a priority for more than a third of consumers.
Kirsten Henly, Chief Executive of Kingston First said:
“We’re delighted that Kingston town centre has been rated so positively by visitors and locals alike. The insights gained from this research are invaluable in helping Kingston First to identify opportunities and shape our priorities and initiatives in the town centre. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, providing a vibrant and varied town centre experience is crucial to the town centre’s economic recovery. Our Social Spaces and Happy Spaces projects are addressing the need for more green space, and our work to activate vacant units contributes to a more attractive streetscape and diverse offer in the town.”
Greg Miles, Project Liaison Manager at Canadian & Portland Estates (owner of Riverside Walk) said:
“This research shines a light on how well-regarded Kingston town centre is by residents and visitors, and it is heartening to see that Kingston rates so positively in a number of areas such as its hospitality offer. This is an important piece of research that will prove incredibly useful for Kingston’s business community and many different stakeholders”.
Kingston First plans to carry out this research on a biennial basis to effectively measure the impact of our work, track consumer trends and to share these insights with local businesses and organisations.
To find out more about the consumer research or for a copy of its findings, please email shareena.merzi@kingstonfirst.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Kingston First commissioned research agency Research by Design to carry out the research, which was designed to build an understanding of consumer wants and needs, and help Kingston’s businesses to adapt and develop their businesses through uncertain times. A total of 1,107 respondents were sourced through a callout to Kingston First’s e-newsletter subscriber database and ‘In Kingston UK’ social channels, as well as subscribers of the Royal Borough of Kingston’s Council newsletter, between 22nd June 2021 and 12th July 2021.
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