Culture, Education, Science and Community

Commerce and markets. The plan has an overall budget of 240,000 euros from 2024 to 2026.

Foment de Ciutat and the District of L’Eixample are working on a plan to add social and commercial vitality to this section of Av. Diagonal between Verdaguer and Pl. Glòries, turning it into a reference point once the work on the tram is completed. The idea is for activity here to be planned from September, with priority given to neighbourhood initiatives from local organisations.

The plan has a preliminary analysis, starting in the coming weeks with three spheres of action according to street section:

• Verdaguer: between C/ Girona and Passeig de Sant Joan
• Sicília: between Passeig de Sant Joan and C/ Sardenya
• Monumental: between C/ Marina and Pl. Glòries

According to the characteristics of each section and the existing economic and commercial reality, different types of action will be defined:

• Existing support for commerce
  • Advice and services linked to the programme “Comerç a punt” in all shops and businesses in the area. This advice from Barcelona Activa began in May.
  • Publishing a version of the catalogue of services for commerce in Barcelona and delivering it to all local shops and businesses in the area.
  • Applying commercial vitality strategies that result from the analysis.
  • Working in collaboration with commercial organisations and shopping hubs in the area.

• Activation of ground-floor premises
  • Offering the “Impulsem el que fas” programme with an extra boost for this area in 2025.
  • Identifying owners of premises to work on possible alliances.
  • Generating a programme with Barcelona Activa to mediate with commercial establishments and owners of premises.
• Activities to add social and economic vitality to public space
  • Regular attractive activities for the local area and the whole city in commercial family and cultural spheres, as well as sectoral markets (drink, gastronomy, flowers etc.), fairs, food routes and activities for young people.
  • Identifying and making the most of initiatives and social and economic stakeholders already operating in the area or transferring city activities that can be carried out here.

Areas of action included in the prior analysis:

• Update to the census of open premises with no activity: type, characteristics and ownership. Opportunity of a qualitative sample analysis.
• Study of urban planning and social make-up of the space: identifying potential, uses and profiles of users.
• Define the criteria that need to be prioritised for economic activity to promote ground-floor premises in the area and not opportunities for commercial and economic activities around shared themes.
• Study and put forward strategies for adding vitality and activating existing empty premises (intermediation between owners and tenants, transfer of upper-floor activities to ground-floor activities etc.).
• Collection of data needed to be able to assess the vitality programme when it ends.
• Inform the shops and businesses in question about the municipal services available.

The social and economic vitality plan for Av. Diagonal, between Verdaguer and Pl. Glòries, has an overall budget of 240,000 euros from 2024 to 2026.