Scheme to make Larnaca historic centre attractive

Larnaca municipality, the Bank of Cyprus and the town’s shopkeepers’ association on Wednesday announced a support scheme for shops in the historic centre of Larnaca, in a bid to make the area more attractive to visitors.

The historic commercial centre has enduringly been the core of the city’s commercial life and is key to its local economy, mayor Andreas Vyras said during a press conference.

“Larnaca’s commercial centre is beautiful, located in the heart of the city, opening its arms to everyone,” he said. “It combines many activities, offering both shopping and entertainment through the various spaces that enrich it”.

Shopkeepers in the town centre have been complaining since the opening of the big shopping mall in Larnaca, which they said had taken away much of their business. The municipality’s initiative is aimed at bringing people back to the town centre.

Vyras mentioned a series of projects in the area, from the restoration of the municipal library to improving disabled access, that had made the centre more attractive. He also spoke of upcoming projects that will see infrastructural improvements, benches and more.

As regards the support scheme, Vyras said it would assist shops with research and marketing in order to establish and promote an identity for Larnaca’s commercial centre.

This would offer visitors a comprehensive experience to match those offered by other commercial hubs, such as Nicosia’s Stasikratous street.

In his own address, the Bank of Cyprus’ Larnaca/Famagusta area manager Michalis Shiantanis said the scheme was part of the bank’s support policy for small and medium-sized businesses.

Through the scheme, shopkeepers will receive health and safety training, first aid and fire prevention by professionals and members of SupportCY.

He also expressed the bank’s readiness to support shopkeepers in the centre of Larnaca and help them cope “after the difficult few years brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine”.

As a symbolic gesture Shiantanis presented Vyras with a defibrillator which will be placed in a key spot of the historic commercial centre.

Vyras finally expressed the hope that these new improvements, as well as the development of more hotels, will soon make Larnaca the island’s top investment district.