Friday night shopping's alive in Fremantle!

FREMANTLE is set to come alive on September 28 with frenzied, fun shopping fever as more than 100 retailers open their doors for the start of Friday night trading. And there’s a raft of initiatives, entertainment and fun in store for the launch in Kings Square, tying in with the new Fremantle Village Art Market season and release of the 2007 Fremantle Festival poster. Shoppers have the chance to win their share of a $10,000 shopping spree while special street entertainment will be on hand to keep shoppers amused over the first three Friday nights. Extra parking has been made available for the expected influx of shoppers – free parking is available at Beach Street car park until 11pm while Point Street car park is open until 9.30pm and Queensgate remains open all Friday night. Friday night shoppers will also receive a two-hour free parking voucher for Queensgate if they buy from a participating retailer. Safety concerns have been addressed with a stronger police presence on Friday nights and new lighting in Kings Square, High Street Mall and the Pine Warehouse car park. Work is also under way on the installation of several new CCTV cameras. Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri is hosting a special sundowner from 5pm for local businesses and invited guests to help celebrate the launch and Fremantle City Library will be open until 8pm Fridays from September 28. An extensive advertising and promotional Friday night trading campaign – including prominent billboard and bus shelter advertising, promotional stickers on parking machines and posters distributed to retailers – has been undertaken to spread the word. City of Fremantle Economic Development & Marketing Coordinator David Duncanson said a recent community survey showed that 93 per cent of people were in favour of Friday night shopping in Fremantle. “The survey also highlighted why people shop in Fremantle and the main reasons were the atmosphere, social interaction and variety of shops available,” he said. “Singapore introduced a Friday night trading program to its famous Orchard Road shopping precinct and it was a resounding success for them with retailers reporting increased sales due to a greater number of people coming into their stores. “Essentially, Fremantle has always been busier on a Friday night because it’s an entertainment precinct and attracts people from near and far to enjoy those aspects of the port city. “It makes sense for retailers to open late on the same night because the more people there are, the greater likelihood they’ll spend money in Fremantle stores.” Mr Duncanson said a great deal of planning and liaison with local businesses had been carried out to ensure a smooth and successful transition to Friday night trading. “We’ve taken various concerns on board and implemented strategies to deal with them, namely security and parking issues,” he said. “But the main goal has been to entice people to come along to enjoy the Friday night shopping experience – that’s why the Fremantle Village Art Market was extended to two days a week, open until 7.30pm Fridays, to ensure a tangible flow-on effect. “We want to make certain that, each and every Friday, Fremantle will truly come alive as a sensational shopping experience.” • For more information and interview requests, contact Economic Development & Marketing Coordinator David Duncanson on 9432 9770 or e-mail davidd@fremantle.wa.gov.au. More information can also be found at http://www.freofocus.com.au/news/html/friday_night.cfm