WORCESTER Warriors promotion back to the Aviva Premiership has put the city ‘back on the map’ according to the man in charge of attracting businesses to the city centre.
Warriors clinched their place in English rugby’s top division after edging Bristol in a thrilling Greene King IPA Championship final which went right down to the wire.
More than 12,000 fans packed into Sixways to watch the action, while hundreds of thousands were glued to television screens across the country to see the drama unfold.
And Adrian Field, head of Worcester BID, told the Observer he believed the exposure would only increase next season and was confident stores in the city centre would reap the financial benefits.
“It is great news for the city,” he said.
“It will boost our profile in terms of the media coverage and puts Worcester on the map more than it would have been in the Championship.
“It is hard to put an exact figure on the economic benefits to the city centre, but it will mean there are more away fans coming here.
“Not all of those people will come into the city centre before or afterwards the game, but a decent number of them will and I think it is good for not only the day time economy but also the night time economy with Worcester being back in the big time.
“Hopefully they can now push on as Harlequins and Northampton have done, so we can host top European games as well which would further improve the situation,” he added.
Warriors Chief Executive, Jim O’Toole, said he believed promotion would have a ‘big economic impact’ on the city.
“What people want is big matches, so if you think about the sort of teams we are going to attract in a post World Cup year it is going to be a mouth-watering menu to choose from,” he said.
“From derbies with Gloucester and Wasps to big games against Saints and Tigers, teams will bring big crowds with them like Bath and Exeter, so it is going to be really exciting.
“Rugby supporters tend to make a weekend of it and we know they will spend money with other businesses, so I think there will be an economic multiplier effect.”
Mr O’Toole said the club was also looking to expand its commercial department as it looks to attract more fans to Warriors.
City MP Robin Walker also praised the club and hoped success on the field would translate into investment off the pitch for the city.
“I think it once again shows how much we in Worcester punch above our weight despite being a city of just 100,000 people,” he told the Observer.
“Warriors’ promotion gives us a national profile once again and I hope businesses listen to the Chamber of Commerce’s calls for them to consider relocating here and investing in our city,” he added.
