Shoe Recycling Initiative
SHOPPERS at Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street will be asked to leave their shoes at the door throughout the summer as part of a new recycling initiative launched by the arcade’s owners.
Shoppers at Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street will now be able to recycle their old shoes and help charities at the same time, thanks to the provision of two shoe recycling bins at the Grade II listed shopping arcade. The inspiration for the idea was, oddly enough, the renovation of the centre’s floor.
Yvonne Burns, Wayfarers Arcade manager, explains: “When the new floor was completed, I joked to my staff ‘leave your shoes at the door’, playing on the fact that when homeowners get a new floor or carpet, they would usually request that visitors take their shoes off on the way in. From that throwaway comment, the idea for our new ‘Leave your Shoes at the Door’ initiative was born.
"Each year over 330 million pairs of new shoes are purchased, most of which end up on rubbish dumps. Don’t worry, we aren’t literally expecting our shoppers to take off their footwear on their way in though! We are simply asking that they bring along a pair of shoes that they don’t want any more and hand them in at one of our shoe shops – Zapatoes or Rohde Shoes. The shoes are sorted and distributed to developing countries around the world where they will be refurbished by local craftsmen and this creates employment as well as much needed footwear which is then resold at affordable prices to people who would otherwise go without anything on their feet."
The new flooring, which cost Lord Street Properties in excess of £350,000, has recently been completed following more than two years of planning and three months of hard work. The stylish floor brightens the arcade and complements the traditional surroundings and impressive Victorian glass roof. The floor is the pièce de résistance following a series of comprehensive improvements, including the recent roof refurbishment; French polishing and the upgrade of some shop fronts.
Richard Pott, owner of children’s footwear shop Zapatoes, adds: "I’d like to encourage shoppers to get involved with our shoe recycling initiative – it’s a great opportunity to do your bit for the environment. We’re really looking forward to running the scheme this summer, and are sure that it will be a big success."
Open seven days a week, shoppers can enjoy contemporary style in traditional surroundings with more than 30 shops at Wayfarers Arcade, including household names and independent retail outlets. The shoe recycling scheme is up-and-running now and will continue to run throughout the summer. Shoes can be recycled by dropping them into Zapatoes or Rohde Shoes in Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street.
Shoppers at Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street will now be able to recycle their old shoes and help charities at the same time, thanks to the provision of two shoe recycling bins at the Grade II listed shopping arcade. The inspiration for the idea was, oddly enough, the renovation of the centre’s floor.
Yvonne Burns, Wayfarers Arcade manager, explains: “When the new floor was completed, I joked to my staff ‘leave your shoes at the door’, playing on the fact that when homeowners get a new floor or carpet, they would usually request that visitors take their shoes off on the way in. From that throwaway comment, the idea for our new ‘Leave your Shoes at the Door’ initiative was born.
"Each year over 330 million pairs of new shoes are purchased, most of which end up on rubbish dumps. Don’t worry, we aren’t literally expecting our shoppers to take off their footwear on their way in though! We are simply asking that they bring along a pair of shoes that they don’t want any more and hand them in at one of our shoe shops – Zapatoes or Rohde Shoes. The shoes are sorted and distributed to developing countries around the world where they will be refurbished by local craftsmen and this creates employment as well as much needed footwear which is then resold at affordable prices to people who would otherwise go without anything on their feet."
The new flooring, which cost Lord Street Properties in excess of £350,000, has recently been completed following more than two years of planning and three months of hard work. The stylish floor brightens the arcade and complements the traditional surroundings and impressive Victorian glass roof. The floor is the pièce de résistance following a series of comprehensive improvements, including the recent roof refurbishment; French polishing and the upgrade of some shop fronts.
Richard Pott, owner of children’s footwear shop Zapatoes, adds: "I’d like to encourage shoppers to get involved with our shoe recycling initiative – it’s a great opportunity to do your bit for the environment. We’re really looking forward to running the scheme this summer, and are sure that it will be a big success."
Open seven days a week, shoppers can enjoy contemporary style in traditional surroundings with more than 30 shops at Wayfarers Arcade, including household names and independent retail outlets. The shoe recycling scheme is up-and-running now and will continue to run throughout the summer. Shoes can be recycled by dropping them into Zapatoes or Rohde Shoes in Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street.
