MOVES to create two new senior city council posts to help revive the fortunes of Hull's Old Town have been welcomed by a traders' leader.
A two-year £160,000 budget has been allocated to fund the new posts of Old Town manager and market manager.
The Old Town manager will be handed a brief to oversee the development of the area over the next two years in the build-up to the 2017 UK City of Culture year.
The new markets manager will be responsible for both the indoor and outdoor Trinity markets as well other events taking place in the immediate area.
Expected to advertised over the next few weeks, the two posts will initially be on fixed-term term contracts until 2017.
Julie Buffey, who runs a gift shop in Hepworth's Arcade in the Old Town, helped re-launch the monthly outdoor Trinity market last year.
She has also been a member of a recent council-led panel examining ways of boosting the profile of the Old Town.
She said: "One of the main things to come out of the panel's work was agreement on the need for someone to take charge of the area and help drive it forward.
"The creation of these two jobs appear to be result of that and I am delighted the council is looking to do something positive for the area.
"Hopefully, the Old Town manager will give the area a strong voice and be able to make decisions quickly without getting bogged down in bureaucracy."
She said: "St Stephen's has Jim Harris and the Prospect Centre has Lee Appleton.
"The Old Town really needs someone of that calibre to co-ordinate things and make sure the area keeps improving.
"From my own experience with the market, we really need someone working full-time on selling the Old Town and making sure everyone is pulling together.
"There are a lot of independent businesses in the area who do great things but this will hopefully provide a lot of co-ordination, commitment and support from the council."
The budget allocation for the new posts has been agreed under delegated powers by city council leader Steve Brady.
An accompanying report says the two posts are the direct result of recommendations from the panel and those contained in a development plan drawn up by students from the University of Hull's Business School.
It adds: "The Hull Old Town has a great deal of potential given as it is one of the few remaining areas in the country to have retained its medieval layout, has many listed buildings and is linked to the start of the English Civil War.
"The Old Town manager post will also work on completing funding bids to assist in the development
of the area.
"Recruitment to these post provides the opportunity to develop Hull's Old Town which will enhance the visitor experience and prepare the area for maximising the potential of Hull hosting UK City of Culture in 2017."
