"Eating - the shopping city": Does the lettering disappear?

Meal.The city of Essen plans to renovate the lighting facility above the trade yard.An occasion to think about changing the old advertising slogan.

"Essen - The Shopping City" - For decades, the shining letters on the Handelshof have received visitors to the Essen City.But again and again the lettering fades and is also defective at regular intervals.Some of the neon tubes have also failed at the moment.

The city as the owner has been struggling with the susceptibility of the facility for years.This is getting old and also exposed to wind and weather.The repairs are complex, the maintenance is expensive.Because the 100 built -in neon tubes fade over time or fail completely.Then they have to be reworked via a special company or newly manufactured according to special dimensions.A five -digit amount, it is said, costs the city every year.

Esseners can no longer find slogan up to date

But not only because of its frequent failures, the light advertising facility has been under discussion for some time.Some of the content, some think, is no longer up to date.As a shopping city, food had lost its shine and meaning.Nothing that you should still advertise.

So a citizen stimulates the city council's complaint committee to change the lettering.He critically notes: “As is known, food is no longer a shopping city.The title at the entrance gate to the city acts more as a cartoon for massive vacancies in the city center and desperate support attempts with tax funds from the state treasury. ”

At least the technical problems and high costs are now causing the city to act.The lighting system on the roof of the listed commercial yard is to be renovated and replaced by modern lighting technology.The aim is to “maintain the cityscape -defining effect, but to optimize operational safety and to minimize the maintenance effort,” writes the city in response to entering the citizen.

More on the subject of city center

The city had seven variants developed for this, about which politics should decide in the near future.However, it was also checked to permanently replace the lettering with a new one or at least temporarily.The considerations should also go to install a kind of video wall on which changing advertising messages could run.

According to the city, a first “event -related change” of the lettering is already being examined.She doesn't go into detail.However, it would not be surprising if, for example, this year's Folkwang anniversary were recognized.More details are to be known at the latest at the next city council meeting.

"Food - the shopping city" away?- an emotional question

"Eating - the shopping city" - can that get away?The question in Essen should above all be an emotional and the spirits divorce.Finally, the lettering has been part of the city since the 1950s and is reminiscent of the glamorous times when the stroll through the city center was a real family experience and gave many owner -managed shops from the city.

The managing director of Essen Marketing Gesellschaft (EMG), Richard Röhrhoff, who is involved in the process, is well aware of the emotionality of the topic.Nevertheless, he says: "I think it would be time for a change at this point".Today food is much more than a pure shopping city.

Röhrhoff could therefore well imagine that trade fair guests will be welcomed to this striking arrival point, for example, or will be pointed out at museums or events."From a marketing point of view, I would like that." But the main criterion for him is how such a lighting system would work on the historical building.The decision -making process is still at the very beginning, says Röhrhoff.As a result, "I could also live with it if it stays as it is today."

Retail continues to demand its role

The retail association is ready to compromise: "It is no secret that retail alone can no longer play the city center," says general manager Marc Heistermann.That's why he has nothing against a temporary change."However, trade should continue to be taken into account as an essential factor."

City spokeswoman Silke Lenz emphasizes that nothing is yet fixed in the process that there is not even an administrative opinion.

Incidentally, there is already a proposal from the complaint.He would replace "Essen - The Shopping City" with "Welcome in the City of Essen - Green Capital 2017".

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