NE1's summer events programme achieved its biggest results ever. More than 215,000 people attended events delivered by NE1, Newcastle’s Business Improvement District company (BID), throughout the summer, delivering an economic boost of around £4 million to the city’s economy the highest figures in the programme's history.
This year’s glorious summer of sunshine played to NE1's strengths, providing the perfect backdrop for a packed programme of free, city-wide events and activities, all contributing to the year's record-breaking success.
Bringing the summer events programme to a spectacular close, NE1's Newcastle Dragon Boat Race returned last weekend for its biggest year yet. Sponsored by Orega and Fortis Vision, the two-day event saw 55 teams and more than 950 competitors racing on the River Tyne.
Over 22,000 spectators lined the Quayside to cheer on the racers and enjoy the free family entertainment, including fitness challenges, face painting and craft activities. The huge turnout also delivered a welcome boost for Quayside businesses, as visitors filled local venues throughout the festivities.
Best of all, the event raised more than £42,000 for its chosen charity, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation - almost £10,000 more than last year’s fundraising total.
NE1 coordinates and curates a programme of outdoor events each year to animate the city and attract visitors, all while increasing footfall, dwell time and spending in the city's shops, venues and local businesses. The events are designed to put Newcastle on the map, and ensure that there is always something different happening in the city, giving visitors plenty of reasons to keep returning.
The stand-out summer of events began back in June with the highly visible and much-anticipated return of NE1’s signature, Screen on the Green. Over 112,000 people visited the large, open-air movie theatre and other activities delivered by NE1 in Old Eldon Square in the heart of Newcastle, starting with the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Over 100 films were also shown across the summer, including a whole week dedicated to classic films showcasing movies of yesteryear. Screen on the Green alone boosted business in the city by over £2.5 million.
Alongside Screen on the Green, Old Eldon Square was transformed by the return of NE1’s multi-award-winning Tiny Toon – the miniature Newcastle play village – alongside the Stay & Play activity zone. This year, all the activity zones benefited enormously from corporate partnerships. Stagecoach teamed up with NE1 to support the Stay & Play zone and delivered activations during the summer, while a team of local businesses including Tyne & Wear Metro, Newcastle Building Society, Eldon Square, Tyneside Cinema, Dakwala, and Pink Lane Bakery helped to create miniature versions of themselves at Tiny Toon.
Newcastle’s iconic Quayside provided the ideal backdrop for a series of showstopping weekend events, including the hugely popular Dog on the Tyne, returning for its third year. Hosted by local radio legend Alfie Joey, the July event more than doubled its audience to over 5,000 dog-loving humans accompanied by their four-legged friends. The event has become a summer staple, with new event additions including a ‘Wag Awards’ dog show, with categories including the waggiest tail and dog most like its owner. Another popular addition was the dog walks for different dog breeds. Golden Retrievers in abundance walked along the Quayside to the delight of passing spectators.
Over 15,000 people attended NE1’s second-ever Quayside Carnival, breaking the attendance record of 10,000 achieved at the inaugural event last year. A road closure on the Quayside gave the event more space to grow, including an electric fun bus for on-board imaginative play and storytelling delivered in partnership with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, and a silent disco hosted by the newly opened Freight Island. Free river boat rides were another extremely popular attraction at the event provided by the new operator, Tyne Cruises. This day-long festival of fun offered a packed programme of entertainment for all ages and interests, from card trading with Newcastle Card Show to challenge zones, circus acts and shows with popular children’s characters.
Midway through the summer events programme NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week was hosted in association with Tyne and Wear Metro, perhaps one of the most anticipated events in the summer schedule. August’s week-long event generated a record £1.2 million for the 134 participating restaurants and smashed the 60,000-diner target for the first time. NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week has transformed two of the quietest weeks of the year into two of the busiest, providing a major boost to business at a vital time for the hospitality sector and showcasing the breadth and quality of the city’s restaurant scene.
A new addition to this year’s summer calendar was NE1’s partnership with the Great North Run company for the Great North Runners Restaurant Weekend. Over 50 dining and food offers were arranged exclusively for GNR runners and their families at venues across the city. The offers helped participants make the most of their weekend in Newcastle and boosted the city-wide celebrations surrounding the biggest half marathon in the world. NE1’s events at Old Eldon Square also supported the GNR across the weekend. Saturday saw family-friendly entertainment on the day of the Junior and Mini Great North Runs, with NE1’s Screen on the Green showing live coverage of the main event and acting as a fan zone on Sunday.
Rachel Fenwick, Head of Marketing and Events at NE1, said: “This has been a landmark summer for NE1 with unprecedented numbers and impact from all our events. We’ve had an incredible response from visitors, residents and businesses to everything we’ve delivered. From Screen on the Green and Newcastle Restaurant Week to Dog on the Tyne, the Quayside Carnival and the Newcastle Dragon Boat Race, the city’s streets have come alive.
“Our summer events programme is designed to give people more reasons to come into the city, support local businesses and enjoy everything Newcastle has to offer. This year, the impact has been phenomenal, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in events across the city and generating millions of pounds for the local economy. The success clearly demonstrates a fantastic return on investment from the money spent delivering the events. It shows the power of bringing people together through free, accessible and high-quality events and we’re proud to have delivered another hugely successful summer for the city.”
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