An interactive Lunar New Year Trail has been welcomed by selected stores from Sheffield Business Improvement District across the city centre.
The trail involves using a mobile device to scan a QR code that can be found in the windows of each nominated store.
Richard Pilgrim, project manager of the trail, said: “The response has been fantastic, both from businesses and trail participants. With only 10 locations, we had to be quite selective with the businesses we approached to act as trail hosts whilst aiming to deliver a trail that ‘works’ for city centre visitors.
“The early footfall figures for the Lunar New Year weekend have been extremely encouraging and are a strong indicator that the event will have been very beneficial for a wide variety of businesses in Sheffield city centre.”
The experience was introduced in hopes that more people would visit the city centre.
Meagan Hall, store manager of Monki, one of the stores selected, said: “We’re really happy about being involved in the trail. I would say we have had more footfall, particularly with more mums coming into the shop, who perhaps wouldn’t have done so previously.
“A lot of people still don’t know Monki is here as we are a relatively new store in Sheffield. The trail has put us on the map a little bit by making people aware that we are here.”
The other locations in the trail are: Ryman, The Entertainer, Clarks, The Light Cinema, Nisbets, Costa Coffee, Waterstones, Lush and Sheffield BID Visitor Hub.
Sheffield hosted numerous Lunar New Year festival events this year, with the main event being a parade on Sunday 11 February, which increased footfall 47%, according to Sheffield BID.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Joe Otten, for Dore and Totley, said: “I think it’s really good that we have a strong cultural offer around Chinese New Year because we have a significant Chinese student population in the city.
“The challenges for city centres now are different to what they were 20 to 30 years ago. There’s less retail to be had but there are more events, eating and culture and it’s moving the city centre in this direction to create interesting experiences that are unique and tactile.”
The Lunar New Year Trail is active until Friday 16 February, during half term for schools in Sheffield.
This is largely for children to trace the footprints of 10 characters to find the missing Lunar New Year dragon.
Mr Pilgrim said: “We want visitors to have a great experience in the city centre, to help create memories and encourage repeat visits whether that’s for future city centre trails or other events and animations we may be part of.”
More information on the Lunar New Year Trail and celebrations can be found here.