It’s a message we can unite behind after such a challenging few months: We ♥︎ York!
Thirty-six umbrellas with that sentiment are now dancing in the breeze above Coppergate Centre shoppers.
While the city was in lockdown the rainbow brollywalk, installed in May in a salute to key workers as well as to mark Pride Month, was a cheery beacon of hope.
“With this new brollywalk, we wanted to create a message that makes it clear that York is open for business, and that it is still a marvellous place to enjoy culture, shopping and food and drink, even with health-related restrictions in place,” said Pippa Unwin, manager of the Coppergate Centre.
“Most of our shops are now open, and Jorvik will be welcoming visitors back from Saturday (11 July).
“There is a cautious sense of life returning to the city centre. It has been particularly reassuring to see how well customers are adapting to the social distancing and hand sanitisation requirements in place – all measures designed to keep us all safe.”
Shared far and wide
The custom red, green, blue, yellow and white umbrellas were welcomed by early morning passers-by who praised the cheery message, and a request has already come in on Facebook from a customer asking where they can be bought!
Pippa said: “Photographs of our brollywalk are shared far and wide – if these umbrellas can plant a seed in the heads of those seeing them to come and visit, that’s a huge positive for the city as a whole.
“Like every other city, York has gone through a very difficult time and the path to recovery isn’t going to involve a quick and easy fix, but we do have the space, capacity and wondrous places that make us uniquely attractive – even whilst we are following distance and hygiene rules.”