Visitors to South Shields town centre can now get connected while on the move, thanks to free public wifi.
The new network is available through the marketplace, along King Street and along Ocean Road.
Installation of the network and necessary infrastructure is now complete, with cultural venue, The Word, on the town’s Market Square, acting as a communications hub and a series of access points and radio receivers fitted on existing lampposts.
Residents and visitors will receive a push notification informing them that a free Wi-Fi network is available. They will be greeted with a welcome message and can opt to receive information in one of 34 different languages.
Cllr Margaret Meling, Lead Member Economic Growth, Skills and Climate Change, said:
“People increasingly use the internet constantly when they’re out and about, whether that’s to send messages, get directions, find shops and cafes or to check travel times.
“We hope that this free network will improve the shopping and visitor experience and encourage people to spend more time and money in the town centre.
“It’ll also enable us to capture valuable data, allowing us to inform people about events and promote our tourism offer, as well as working alongside retail and hospitality businesses to offer visitors discounts and loyalty incentives.
“Boosting footfall is central to our regeneration plans for the town centre, and we hope this scheme will complement that.”
C>Ways Ltd is providing the network.
The £50,000 scheme was funded through the Government’s Welcome Back Fund, to help high streets to bounce back from the pandemic
