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On a Sunday in Liège, we know the music. The regulars of the Batte arrive early. The terraces welcome the first customers. We have a coffee, we meet someone, we walk along the Meuse before quietly returning to the city center. But tomorrow, Sunday, November 8, the promenade could extend a little further than usual.
More than 200 businesses in the city center will participate in an exceptional Sunday opening. The initiative of the Department of Commercial and Tourist Attractiveness could eventually lead to a regular event every first Sunday of the month. For now, nothing is decided: this first day is intended to measure the public’s and the businesses’ interest.
On Sundays, another way to experience the city center
The idea is not just to add an opening day to the shops. It involves considering Sunday as a moment when the different aspects of Liège can come together: commerce, catering, heritage, culture and leisure.
A family could start their day in the Batte, have lunch in the city, visit a museum, and then discover some boutiques. A visitor from the outskirts could take the opportunity to explore streets they rarely visit. This is precisely the kind of interaction between activities that the organizers want to encourage.
Benefits to accompany the experience
More than 200 participating businesses. Parking on the roadway will be free. Access to the roof of the Administrative City will be free, as will access to the museums open that day: the Grand Curtius, the MULUM and the Grétry Museum. The Saint-Paul parking lot will offer a preferential rate of €2 per hour instead of €2.40. These measures are announced for the day of November 8.
The date also coincides with the last Sunday of the Liège Fair. This offers several opportunities for outings during the same day.
A test, not yet a new habit
Will customers show up? Will retailers find economic interest in it? Could a monthly opening be organized in a sustainable way, with acceptable conditions for professionals and their teams? These questions are as important as the enthusiasm generated by the announcement.
Opening on a Sunday involves costs, a specific organization, and, depending on the shops, staffing constraints. The realities of a small independent shop are not those of a large chain store. That is why the organizers plan to assess the attendance, the participation of the shops, and the feedback from the various stakeholders before considering a possible renewal.
The city center needs appointments
Downtown shopping is not only about the number of stores that are open. It also depends on accessibility, the urban environment, the diversity of brands, the quality of the welcome, and the pleasure of spending time in the city. A Sunday opening won’t solve all these issues on its own. But it can be an opportunity to try a different way of visiting Liège.
Tomorrow, the people of Liège will have the opportunity to form their own opinion. And the merchants will be able to gauge whether this somewhat special Sunday deserves to become a habit.
Information and list of participating businesses: Place2Shop — City of Liège.
