New owners, new vision. ‘The Stadsfeestzaal brings wonder back to the Meir’

Creative design for a historic building

The iconic Stadsfeestzaal on the Meir in Antwerp is getting a new lease on life. Thanks to the commitment of new owners, a strong creative team, and the smart use of footfall intelligence from The Retail Factory, the hall is once again becoming a vibrant centre of retail and experience. We spoke with Philippe Blondé, creative director of the Stadsfeestzaal, and Jef Van Herck, commercial director at The Retail Factory, strategic partner of the retail sector by providing relevant and detailed footfall insights. "The Stadsfeestzaal has had new owners for a while now who want to bring the hall back to life and make it the heart of shopping in Antwerp again," says Philippe Blondé, creative director. "My role is to make this place a creative and interesting location for shoppers in Antwerp once again." One of the first steps in that process was removing elements and obstacles that did not fit the historic value. "That way we ensure there is more space for activities, entertainment and wonder. Today all elements are still fixed, but in the future we want to be able to use the hall in a modular way and strengthen it. We are going to expand the activation zones so we can focus even more on experience."

Evolution in shopping calls for a new approach

According to Philippe, that experience is essential and has everything to do with how shopping behaviour has changed over the years. "These days people actually already see new things on their phone, at home. So as the Stadsfeestzaal we need to bring the party back today and give people, alongside their shopping needs, wonder and entertainment, as it historically was."

To measure is to know

To support that ambition, the Stadsfeestzaal turned to The Retail Factory.Jef Van Herck, commercial director: "I know the location well, also as a visitor. It is truly a beautiful location, and we are therefore particularly grateful to be able to get to work at the request of the new owners on creating footfall insights. We approach every project in the same way: first we analyse the need and the project, then we talk with the partner about the challenges and needs. Based on that, we map out the possible insights and create a total project, fully tailored to the client and with complete support."

Insight into movement and behaviour

The Retail Factory installed more than 30 sensors that generate data 24/7, fully GDPR-compliant. The sensors provide concrete insights into the use of specific zones. "Of course we continuously measure the number of visitors and crowd levels, but we go much further than that. For example, we also map the share of men, women and children and analyse visitor flows throughout the building. Everything is aimed at optimising the customer experience at this prime location," says Jef.

Philippe explains: "We even have sensors at the toilets, of course at the entrance and not in the toilet itself [laughs]. That way we can measure how many people pass through, whether there are long waiting times and whether there are bottlenecks we can solve or improve. Everything contributes to a better overall experience." Those insights are not only relevant for the management of the Stadsfeestzaal, but also for external partners. "Advertisers also want to know how many and which personas come to see their activation. How many people see their campaign? At what times is it busy? When is it best to plan something?"

Data as a strategic foundation

Besides practical applications, data is also of immeasurable strategic value. "Sometimes there are more than 100,000 visitors per week here," says Philippe. "There are many things we are going to tackle in the coming years and that is precisely why that data from The Retail Factory is so important, because as a medium we also need to look at how and when people come here. We need to be able to capture all our visitors and see where they go, how they walk around and even where they come from." Such insights are particularly valuable for a location with two main entrances, on Hopland and on the Meir. The data shows exactly how many people enter from the street, which routes they take through the building, how many visitors move via the central space or go to the lower floor, and more. This creates a clear picture of the busiest zones and the moments when that busyness occurs.

Privacy remains a priority. Blondé: "These days it is of course very important that, if we use footfall data, we also do so in a correct way." "We count people, but in no way recognise individuals," Jef explains. "No images are recorded, no personal data is stored, no people are recognised. Everything is therefore fully GDPR-compliant, and that with an accuracy of 98%."

Long-term vision

Jef also firmly believes in the potential. "The new owner has ambitious plans and is approaching them very thoughtfully. What I find very strong is that they use data not only to make decisions about future changes, but also to measure their effect, before, during and after implementation. It is a long-term approach, and that fits perfectly with our vision."

For Philippe, the revival of the Stadsfeestzaal is more than a project. "It is a beautiful location, full of history, it shines on all sides." He sees it as a valuable assignment and looks forward to contributing in the coming years to the redevelopment of the Stadsfeestzaal. "That is precisely why we now need to lay a foundation so we can strengthen it in the coming years. We are here in the shopping heart of the Meir, of Antwerp. It is a shopping city in Flanders so we simply need to strengthen that. And data is one of the things we certainly need for this."

On the way to the renewed Stads"feest"zaal

Both men look to the future with ambition. "Together with the new owners we are looking at the completely new design and changes we are going to implement in the coming months and years," says Philippe. "Everyone knows that the Stadsfeestzaal has lost some of its grandeur from before in recent years. We are now bringing change to that and we are going to work very hard on it. We especially want to get the 'feest' back into the Stadsfeestzaal, that is step number one."  

Jef agrees: "For us the project is only just beginning. We are a strategic partner of the retail sector, which means we help our clients not only on a technical level, but above all strategically, via our portal." Here, partners of The Retail Factory get a visual representation of the data, can consult analyses and trends and evaluate the impact of decisions together with the company. They continue to think strategically and innovate. The company fully supports the new strategy. Jef explains: "It is not just any new owner, but an organisation with a clear passion for the city, the building and the sector. I am certain they will restore and enhance this location. I am already looking forward to the "feest" in the renewed Stads"feest"zaal!"

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