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Plans for a “box space” venue in Wolverhampton have moved a step forward, with a decision to appoint a commercial developer for the scheme.<\/p>\n
The city council’s cabinet approved the move, which has been on the drawing board since before the Covid pandemic, at a meeting earlier.<\/p>\n
Under the proposals, food and drink vendors would be in converted shipping containers, with the operator repaying the council’s planned \u00a35.5m funding through lease payments.<\/p>\n
Council leader Stephen Simkins told the meeting: “This scheme has the potential to attract at least half a million visitors a year. It gives people more reason to come and visit Wolverhampton time and time again.”<\/p>\n
Several potential sites have been shortlisted, but the council is also keen to hear from prospective operators on which council-owned sites would work best for their proposition.<\/p>\n
This type of venue typically brings together smaller street food suppliers around communal dining areas, allowing groups to eat together from different vendors and come together to watch sporting events.<\/a><\/p>\n Other cities have used the converted shipping containers as start-up retail venues<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another cabinet member, Bhupinder Gakhal, said: “This is truly a wonderful vision for Wolverhampton, creating more footfall and bringing more people into our city centre.<\/p>\n “Leeds have something similar<\/a> and it has been a tremendous success, and that is what we want to offer.”<\/p>\n Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on <\/em>BBC Sounds<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>X<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nMore on this story<\/h2>\n
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