Historic shops peppered with tradition and innovation

Porto created the "Porto de Tradição" programme in 2016, which is pioneering in the country (prior to Law No. 42/2017 of 14 June) by establishing the safeguard of historical stores and institutions in the city.

At a seminar on historical shops in Porto, sponsored by Porto city Hall, Rui Moreira, Mayor of Porto reaffirmed that the historic and cultural heritage of traditional stores in the city of Porto is a matter of concern for the municipality.

Rui Moreira recalled that the statements he made, three years ago, that the city could not remain indifferent to what was happening with historical shops and that extraordinary measures would have to be taken, his arguments were seen as somewhat Marxists, and he was accused of wanting a planned economy or interfering in the market.

Fortunately, today, there is a consensus regarding the advocacy in public policies in defence of historical heritage.

The Mayor of Porto evoked the fifties, the sixties and the seventies, when Porto was a vibrant city regarding its traditional trade. "People would come from everywhere to shop". And added that "traditional trade in Porto was in fact never adjusted to its resident population, and that is the reason why in the seventies and in the eighties, shopping centres started to proliferate on the outskirts of the city. And at that time, many stores went through difficult times. Some even disappeared. How to win back the clientele? By making the city a more competent "shopping centre", that is, to become more competitive."

"The rehabilitation that took place in the city centre of Porto, in the public space has had a major impact. The city is now a more pleasant and comfortable place, more attractive to those who visit it. People want to come to town", Rui Moreira enthused.

The Mayor also stated that tourists are a stream of new customers in Porto, however, the city has always had this stream of external visitors, Moreira noted.

"More tourists are also an opportunity to increase the number of customers", which helped shopkeepers to better sustain their businesses.

Historic Shops, according to Rui Moreira, are very interesting to the city of Porto beyond the overall balance between supply and demand, "they are part of our historic and cultural patrimony".

Hence, "the need to establish the appropriate public policies towards the sustainability of this heritage, and striking a balance between public and private interest", the Mayor enhanced.

The tableau of tradition can be peppered with modernity. In fact, for Rui Moreira, "there is no contradiction between running an historical trade and being able to innovate".

The Mayor of Porto concluded by highlighting that with the "Porto de Tradição" Programme, "we move fast, irrespective of the government's laws" and although it is not up to the municipality to ensure business sustainability, "the protection classification of historic stores remains as long as the nature of the business continues".