May's Place Magazine - Revive & Thrive

1 WWW.REVIVEANDTHRIVE.CO.UK REVIVEANDTHRIVE @REVIVE_THRIVE

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PLACE FOR TOWNS AND CITIES The finest eloquence is that which gets things done

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THIS MONTH Revive & Thrive Talking Towns See the full agenda for the Maidenhead event

The Blachere Experience

A 10-page supplement on Blachere’s new business

UKMI monthly report See April’s UK Market Index

Selected stories and great ideas This month from Chester and around the UK

INSIDE

May p24. World Towns Leadership Summit

The Blachere Experience Read this month’s full 10-page ‘The Blachere Experience’ supplement >>

p26. Why aren’t we doing more to capture leisure visitors?

P6.

2016 Revive & Thrive Town & City Solutions Challenge

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2016 Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places

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UK Market Index March

P11.

The Unseen Consequences of Digging up the High Street

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PFM Footfall Intelligence and Revive & Thrive unite

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Blachere Illumination £20,000 Christmas Lights Competition

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Ronnie Brown’s Blachere Blog

P16.

Blachere Digital Pathway

P22.

Hunt to find Chester’s best amateur photographer

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New digital platform to help make the most of Chester

P24.

World Towns Leadership Summit 2016

P26.

Colchester: The challenge of developing a short break

P28.

Commercialisation of the High Street

P32.

Talking Towns Maidenhead

P33.

Revive & Thrive Conference & Exhibtion Draft Agenda

P35.

Revive & Thrive Events 2016

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Blog: The continued pursuit of Big Data

PLACE FOR TOWNS AND CITIES 3

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the second edition of Place Magazine and many thanks to those of you who took time to email, phone and reach out across social media to say how much you liked the first issue. This isn’t Revive & Thrive’s Place, it’s yours - we want UK towns, cities and destinations of all kinds to shout out about what great projects and outcomes you are enjoying locally. And it’s not just about you promoting your place - although of course this is essential - it’s what sharing your stories can offer to other places that might be looking for inspiration that excites me and really brings value to Place. Yes, we offer a lot of value to those of you who have paid to become a member of Revive & Thrive, and thank you for joining, but we will always make room for articles from those without a budget to join because we believe that best practice and great ideas should be promoted freely and Revive & Thrive will always stay true to this cause.

The word on the street

For Revive & Thrive the priorities for Places right now, and as ever, should be the creation of memorable experiences for visitors, residents and shoppers. But can every place afford to provide an experience? Yes of course, because for some people just visiting a town or city that is clean, presentable and offering quality customer service is enough.

Any place custodian can take a role in their day to day work in this regard but is this delivering the right results?

experiences at the budget available can be a thankless task at best and near impossible at times.

This brings me to our second priority, the measurement, reporting and analysis of data created in a place. If this is being used effectively with results consistently monitored and improved upon and if this activity says that just offering the experience above is enough, then job done! All that needs to be done is constant maintenance and measurement and any budget can be applied to areas of greater need.

This is something that Revive & Thrive will be considering and tackling head on. The first step in this is welcoming The Mosaic Partnership as delivery partner in this area. Not only is the team extremely experienced and passionate but they bring case studies and best practice from over 75 BIDs that they have successfully created and over 100 individual locations around the world that they have advised. They also have a very well stocked tool box of solutions to help out in every eventuality.

But what if more is needed? New and emerging technologies, the low cost of electronics, more energy efficient systems mean that interactive experiences, animatronics, music and light shows are affordable to places of all sizes and budgets. Our Corporate Advocates Blachere Illumination, with their new company acquisition Blachere Theming, and PFM Footfall Intelligence will, through Revive & Thrive, spend the rest of 2016 and beyond proving to you that not only can you afford to deliver amazing experiences in your towns but that you can’t afford not to. Ronnie Brown, Managing Director of Blachere Illumination, has been for some time demonstrating that Christmas Lights are free and now with the expansion of the Blachere family of businesses and linking with PFM through Revive & Thrive, he will do the same with experiences. And who manages all this? Revive & Thrive believes that Business Improvement Districts are the best model for Place Management in many centres at this time in history. However, the system of taking a town through to a successful ballot and the continual management and re-ballot is imperfect. Winning hearts and minds and meeting the demands of several hundred businesses and at the same time delivering successful projects and

The Mosaic Partnership joining Revive & Thrive creates a service level never seen before and with the addition of Blachere and PFM (along with all of our other Business Group members), we know that we have the most up-todate and innovative suite of solutions and support for all places, now and into the future. Mark Barnes, Founder and Managing Director, Revive & Thrive Ltd Contact Mark on 03330 124285 or email [email protected]

PLACE MAGAZINE Editor in Chief Mark Barnes Assistant Editor Matthew Powell Creative & Design Stephen Blackwell WWW.REVIVEANDTHRIVE.CO.UK

REVIVEANDTHRIVE @REVIVE_THRIVE Tel: 03330 124285

© 2016 Revive & Thrive

How have you taken an historic town/city and rebranded it for the 21st Century? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 4

Why Is Ludlow One of the Best Places to Live in the UK?

stantonphotographic.com | Richard Stanton

The market town of Ludlow in south Shropshire has made it onto the Sunday Times annual Best Places to Live list for the second year running; what is it about this relatively small rural community that’s so appealing as a lifestyle destination?

Therefore, whilst Ludlow businesses continue to enhance the town’s offering to ensure it keeps attracting strong numbers of tourists, the town also offers an extraordinary amount to retain local interest and community involvement, and in so doing Ludlow survived the financial crisis that saw many towns across the UK fading, and today it’s a thriving and exciting place to live for all age groups.

Ludlow’s fame belies its relatively small size. Despite having a population of just under 11,000, Ludlow’s reputation as a foodie and arts capital has spread internationally, and now the market town is making it on to Best Places to Live lists; how does Ludlow achieve its success?

The ingredients those promoting, improving and living in Ludlow have to work with and benefit from are inimitable…

Well, Ludlow does have all the attributes necessary to thrive, but as other communities across the UK have discovered, that’s not always enough. The difference in Ludlow is that the vast majority of those lucky enough to call the market town home, work together to keep the local economy growing for the benefit of the local community.

For a start Ludlow is visually stunning: it has a dramatic medieval castle, the equally impressive St Laurence’s Church and 500 listed buildings, including medieval and Tudor half-timbered properties. It’s nestled beneath the historic Mortimer Forest, enjoying views of the rolling Clee Hills, it has river frontage and an abundance of independent shops, making Ludlow town centre a thriving destination for all. Ludlow is also home to an independent arts venue and cinema, a prosperous

market that breathes vibrancy into the town centre for up to 6 days a week, a football ground, leisure centre, swimming pool, dance school, cricket ground, tennis courts, rugby club, equestrian centre, racecourse, food centre and brewery. It has an infant school, a junior school, a primary school, a secondary school, a sixth form college - and within easy reach of the town there are 3 independent schools. Ludlow has the lowest unemployment rate in the country of Shropshire, very low crime rates, low levels of pollution and its own community hospital and 2 large medical practices, looking after the physical wellbeing of the population. And so whilst Ludlow is of unarguable touristic appeal, especially thanks to the range of arts, food and beer festivals its hosts annually, it’s also a functioning and successful community that works together. Property for sale in Ludlow is relatively rare to the market because most of those who move to Ludlow move for life,


Balfe BLOG Gillian Urbanista

FAREWELL QUEEN VICTORIA. GOOD NIGHT SWEET PRINCE. How People Love Their Places, and Places Love Their People

and many of those who were born and raised locally choose to remain living and working within the community they value greatly, raising their own children in the environment they benefitted from when they were young. Whilst Ludlow is home to a very broad demographic mix, it manages to maintain just enough balance within its property market to enable those working locally to still afford a place to live, despite the fact Ludlow is also home to stunning million pound properties and some second houses and holiday homes as well. So the secret to Ludlow’s success, and it’s a secret that needs to be shared widely so that other towns and communities across Britain can benefit, is that it places equal importance on attracting and retaining strong tourism interest for the sake of the economy as it does on ensuring Ludlow remains an appealing, prosperous and liveable community. Rhiannon Davies www.voxurban.com

In a week which has seen the departure of two iconic geniuses, Victoria Wood and Prince, it struck me just how much both were influenced and connected with the places they grew up and lived in. All of us who are involved in this industry of place shaping and making should take note of that. We can help create the climate which grows and nurtures talent, be it art, science, music, whatever, just being.

been coming by and sharing stories and crying in disbelief. [Prince] has a strong, strong, strong following in this town. So it’s just been a lot of outpouring of love and grief. But he wanted to work more locally with local businesses. We sold his CD here exclusively at the store for about three weeks and he had talked to us about wanting to work with us in the future. He really wanted to work with people locally”.

The similarity between Victoria and Prince may not at first seem obvious, but look more closely and it soon becomes apparent. Both observed the world from a place they felt comfortable in and we enjoyed their creativity. As journalist Francesca Bacardi sums up in her article ‘What Prince Meant to Minnesota and What His Home State Meant to Him’, Prince could have lived anywhere in the world, but he chose to live full time in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is reported as having said that Minneapolis raised him. “I’m never leaving…there’s a legacy here for me” His close friend and bassist Nik West recalled that ‘he was just all about being who he was - being at home.’

In the same way, Victoria Wood has put Lancashire firmly on the map. Her songs, dialect and music reflect the intonation and nuances of the language she grew up listening to. Her lyrics tell a story of her people with love and affection. She may not have been able to request being beaten on the bottom with a copy of Place magazine, (as in the Ballad of Barry and Freda with a reference to Womans’ Weekly!) but I am pretty sure that she would approve of our readers being metaphorically beaten into contributing their stories and sharing the passion for their towns and cities.

And that extended to the business community. Bob Fuchs, store manager at Electric Fetus in Minneapolis talked about the star’s passion for working with the community. “There’s people who’ve

Not just us then!

I reckon that both Victoria and Prince would have been keen supporters of Revive and Thrive. We don’t have a Celebrity Category in the Membership Structure yet. Not yet…..but we have everything else, so sign up!! All the world is indeed a stage to quote the Bard. Never underestimate your ability to make the players on that stage come to life and fulfil their potential. It’s what Revive and Thrive does.

REVIVE & THRIVE’S 6

2016 Revive & Thrive Town & City Solutions Challenge This Challenge is for all innovators and suppliers of products and solutions to places across the UK. We define places in regard to this challenge as towns, cities, communities, shopping centres, retail parks and shopping centres.

Judges will be asked to score against the following categories with the highest score in each category being awarded “Best in Class 2016” and the entrant with the highest overall score being crowned as “Best Overall Solution Provider 2016”: [1]

Entry to the Challenge is now open and we are looking for businesses who can demonstrate how their product, services or solutions are the best ones to pull together various elements of town/city communities, to interpret heritage in a way that meets the needs of residents and visitors, young and old, and to support the infrastructure of a place to help it develop and grow in an ever more competitive 21st Century marketplace.

• • • • • • •

The Challenge takes place across two days on 29th and 30th September 2016 at the Revive & Thrive Solutions Conference in Colchester.

• •

This unique event will bring together experts, practitioners, businesses and passionate residents from across the UK and, as well as offering you the opportunity to showcase your solution in the Challenge, the event will also include an exhibition of town and city solutions, a Challenge for Places, talks, panel debates and tours of the town and the final of the 2016 Blachere Illumination Christmas Lights Competition.

Best Solution for Visitors Best Solution for Supporting Businesses Best Solution for Community Engagement Best Digital Solution Best Solution for Celebrating Heritage Best Solution for Measuring Success Best solution for Providing a Sustainable Future (financial and environmental) Best Solution for Improving Infrastructure Best Solution for a Safer Place

Your entry should include a short (maximum 3-minute) video posted to Youtube[2] and will involve a further 5 minute pitch to an invited audience at the Revive & Thrive Solutions Conference. Entry into 2016 Challenge Business Group Members £275 Other Businesses £495 Exhibition & Workshop Business Group Members £275 Other Businesses £295

Solutions needs to meet the needs of the Colchester community, but should also demonstrate how they are transferable to other UK towns and cities.

Total Business Group Members £425 Other Businesses £790

* Facility to hold a workshop is only open to Revive & Thrive Business Group Members. * Annual Business Group Membership to Revive & Thrive starts from £425. Any business wishing to join the Revive & Thrive Business Group can do so for just £35 in addition to challenge and exhibition costs and would then benefit from full Revive & Thrive Membership for 12 months as well as the opportunity to deliver a workshop at the 2016 Challenge Event. * All prices shown are exclusive of VAT. * Costs include 1x delegate entry to the event and 1x evening meal. * The marketing value of entry to the Challenge will be enhanced depending upon date of entry. The sooner your entry is confirmed and video uploaded, the more time will be available to promote this.

[1] Categories may be amended until public voting starts on 1st August 2016 [2] The Youtube video will form the basis of a “public vote” category, to be run from 1st-31st August 2016. Additionally, Revive & Thrive will use your video across its various media channels, including website, Twitter accounts and Place Magazine to both promote the 2016 Challenge Event and your own business. Winners of the public vote will be announced at the event

To express an interest, to book your place or receive updates and terms and conditions, please email [email protected] or call 03330 124285


2016 Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places Entry for the 2016 Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places is now open and we are offering you the chance to win a fantastic prize of over £60,000-worth of products and services for your town or city or a nominated place of your choice. We acknowledge that everywhere is different – faces its own challenges and has solved many of its own riddles and that is why we have broadened the opportunities for you to get involved and share your successes with the rest of the country at the 2016 Revive & Thrive Solutions Conference, taking place in Colchester on 29th & 30th September. To be in with a chance of winning this place-changing prize, simply tackle one or more of the challenges laid out below and tell us how you have solved the problem in your town or city. The best overall solution, as judged by an expert panel of town practitioners, will walk away with the prize. You can respond to any one of the following challenges by submitting your case study in up to 1,000 words (testimonials, statistics, etc. are optional and can be provided as an appendix). You may also include pictures, videos or links to web pages. Finalists will be expected to deliver a 10-minute presentation to an invited audience at the 2016 Revive & Thrive Solutions Conference.

Challenge Categories: •

How have you taken an historic town/city and rebranded it for the 21st Century?

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How have you used marketing techniques or quantative analysis to draw visitors to areas of your place with lower footfall?

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How have you used your place’s USP to deliver successful marketing campaigns and how did you measure the results?

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How is your place fighting back against out-of-town and online shopping?

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How have you incorporated street entertainment into the management of your place to provide an enhanced visitor experience?

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How have you improved linkages around your place between traffic terminals (public transport and car parks) and your town/city centre?

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How have you reconciled the different needs and appeals of your daytime and evening economies?

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How have you ensured that your local community and voluntary groups’ needs are balanced with the needs of your town/city centre businesses?

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How have you brought small businesses into the management of your place to give them a real sense of ownership of it?

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How have you harnessed civic pride to create genuine customer loyalty to your place?

Entries need to be returned to: [email protected] no later than 31st July 2016. A seven day extended deadline available by request to Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Members. Shortlisted Finalists will be announced on 22nd August 2016.

To express an interest, to book your place or receive updates and terms and conditions, please email [email protected] or call 03330 124285

How have you used marketing techniques or quantative analysis to draw visitors to areas of your place with lower footfall? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 8

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April 2016 Markets Footfall Index (March)

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PLACE FOR TOWNS AND CITIES

Sven Latham Noggin

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The Unseen Consequences of Digging up the High Street The last thing any shopkeeper needs is a road closure outside their front door. Half the street in barricades and the endless noise of pneumatic drills. It’s hardly a shopping paradise. But road works are a familiar sight in high streets up and down the country, and in Chichester they’ve been dealing with twelve weeks of precisely this, as essential gas works have effectively taken over South Street. The gas company, to be fair, has offered compensation for any business suffering a decline, but this could be a lengthy process and struggling shop owners can hardly afford a cash shortfall at the best of times. Retailers on South Street have complained of between 10% and 40% drop in sales across the period – some have had dire weeks with empty shops. Complainants often cite the lack of footfall on the street outside. But here’s the thing – footfall hasn’t dropped at all. It’s exactly the same as it was before the works. It’s relatively static, and comparable to last year’s figures. So what’s going on?

It turns out that while footfall has remained fairly consistent, the dwell time has dropped quite significantly – and it’s this that tells us more of the story: people are still passing by, but they’re not staying. The local BID measured how many people moved from one side of the roadworks to the other using small sensors, which pick up mobile phone signals. Not enough to track individuals, but plenty to give an indication of movement patterns. This technology has been around for a little while, but the proliferation of smartphones and the low cost of sensors has made it economical, and there are several innovative companies that can now provide this. In Chichester’s case, it allowed us to see roughly how many people walked through without stopping, and how many nipped into a shop in the affected area. The figures were clear – around 20% fewer people stopped during the roadworks than before or after. Crucially, this has backed up the

anecdotal evidence with firm figures. For various reasons, many businesses won’t officially give up their retail numbers, so the BID needs to use a different indicator to show the effect of the works. Now, this might sound like stating the obvious – of course people don’t hang around in roadworks – but by measuring the effects of the project, we can peg some actual figures to the theory and start to build evidence. The inevitable has, of course, happened. Unforeseen issues have caused the gas company to postpone their efforts – and there are further works on the cards. Many more weeks of roadworks ahead. However, the BID now has crucial evidence to argue against further works, and is appealing to the gas companies and the council to hold off through the summer months. The reason is now clear: businesses suffer, on average, a 20% drop in visitors during the works, and as the busier season approaches that is custom we can ill-afford to lose. Sven Latham, Noggin. Contact Sven on [email protected] or to find out more visit www.noggin.bi


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PFM Footfall Intelligence and Revive & Thrive unite to measure success across the UK’s Places Revive & Thrive is very pleased to welcome PFM Footfall Intelligence as its latest Corporate Advocate. Working together, the two companies will demonstrate the importance of not only measuring activity, but also using collected data to increase and enhance results in UK’s places. The new relationship will encourage Place Managers and others involved in towns, cities and communities to become increasingly smart about which projects deliver the right level of results in their communities. “PFM have been members of Revive & Thrive for quite some time and we have been very impressed with their passion for collecting accurate results and also their focus on customer care” said Mark Barnes, MD and Founder of Revive & Thrive, before adding “The time that we have been working together gives

me all the confidence that I need to recommend PFM Footfall Intelligence to our members and wider networks.” David Sturdy, Managing Director of PFM said “Working with Revive & Thrive as one of their major sponsors will enable us to really share our passion for consistently accurate data and demonstrate to the Revive & Thrive networks how quality data and service can help them be more efficient and focus on investing in the projects that deliver results.” The timing of this relationship is perfect as it coincides with Revive & Thrive’s new push to ask towns and cities where they are currently with regard to connectivity and digital technologies through the Blachere Digital Pathway for Places. Ronnie Brown, Managing Director of Blachere Illumination and Blachere Theming, said “We’ve been Revive & Thrive Corporate Advocates for some time now and we are very pleased that PFM Footfall Intelligence have joined us. New expansions within the Blachere

family of businesses has seen us move even further into experience for Places and we look forward to working with PFM to prove the value of these great experiences.” Ronnie added “We encourage other towns, cities, shopping centres and destinations to ensure that not only do their visitors have a great time but that the results and outcome are accurately measured.” You can win a PFM footfall counting system as part of the 2016 Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places. To find out more visit follow this link. Find out more about PFM Footfall Intelligence by visiting www.pfm-intelligence.com

How have you used your place’s USP to deliver successful marketing campaigns and how did you measure the results? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 14

£20,000 worth of Christmas Lights up for grabs in the Blachere Illumination Light Competition 2016

For 2016 Blachere Illumination are going one step further as they offer prizes for up to 10 finalists.

You can see the feedback and photos from the winning finalists overleaf.

These are: • Eight prizes of £1000 of Christmas Lighting • One second prize of £2000 of Christmas Lighting • First prize of £10,000 of Christmas Lighting

NB – this competition is only 1800 words long and should be able to be completed in one hour. Supporting documents are optional.

Applicants in 2015 are encouraged to enter once again. Prizes are Motif product (Pole mount and transverse frames) only. Installation, infrastructure and storage costs are not included. What is the competition designed to achieve? Like in 2015 applicants are being urged to consider what their places and its retailers get from adding some sparkle to the peak shopping period. But, Blachere are going one step further this year by asking applicants to consider what other creative solutions could be used to bring residents, shoppers and visitors into the heart of their places to celebrate at other times of the year.

The Questions To be in with a chance of winning one of the prizes above, all of which are being awarded for perpetuity to the ten winners by Blachere Illumination, simply answer the following questions.

The questions should be answered considering your own experiences or by envisaging the answers if you were to win the Competition or if you were able to create the ‘dream’ event for your place with any budget that you need. Feel free to be creative but the answers must be physically if not economically feasible. Q1 Is your Christmas Lights Switch On Event the most important date in your place’s calendar? If so, why is the event still so important? If not, what event is your most important event and what creative solutions do you use to enhance the resident or visitor experience. (max 600 words) 35% score

Registration of Intent and competition opens

5th April 2016

Close for applications

31st July 2016

Seven extended deadline available by request for Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Members.

Finalists announced

Q2 Christmas Lights create an enjoyable experience for visitors and shoppers lasting sometimes, for more than six weeks. Describe another event real, planned or imagined that uses or could use lighting or other creative solutions to create an extended experience for visitors to your place. (max 600 words) 35% score Q3 Three part question: • How do you ensure a return on investment for offering experiences similar to Christmas Lighting and Light Switch On Events? • To enable these experiences to take place, is it essential for you that the return is financial and/or experiential? • How do you measure the return? (max 600 words) 30% Score Email: [email protected] to register interest, for updates and to receive the terms and conditions. Or call 03330 124285 with any other inquiries.

by 30th August 2016

Finalists Presentations and prize award

29th and 30th September


Brown BLOG Ronnie Blachere

Choices, choices… There are many lighting options available to places planning their displays. From single lights, strings and projections to uplights for trees or buildings, lasers, floods, festive motifs and even underwater lighting. Choosing the correct product for the effect you are trying to create is paramount. Depending on what you are planning, it may be worthwhile calling in a lighting professional to help you (this can be free advice). Certain basics are required, though, whatever you are seeking to illuminate. Power supply being the most obvious example. Mains power is still most common, although, solar, battery or even a generator can be used. There could be a lot of cabling involved and consideration of how these could be hidden will help create the magic. There are many was to calculate how much light or how many lights you need. Lumens is a measure of light output but is a poor measure of the suitability of a lighting fixture for a given task. This is where a lighting professional could be invaluable. The alternative could end up being trial and error, which can be fun but could equally turn out to be soul destroying.

Where to start when planning your lighting display As in any industry there are jargon terms in lighting. LED (the newest one, I guess. Stands for Light Emitting Diode), String lights, Ropelight, Curtain Lights, watts, amps, lumens, transformers, dimmers, DMX, Projection, Projection mapping and so on. You will need to take into consideration length of strings - are they connectable? Power requirements: products can be mains voltage 230/240 volt, low voltage 110 volt, extra low voltage 12 or 24 volt. Low and extra low voltage will require a transformer to suit the input voltage. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make an impact. Yes, the bigger the budget the more you can do or the more areas you can cover, but many products can be used creatively in many ways without spending any more money. Also, outright purchase isn’t the only option as you can rent lighting products on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Follow the Rules… There may be local lighting design rules in your area. It is always best to check with your local planning Department. As a rule of thumb, though, if lights are temporary then there should be no need for planning permission.

15

What makes a beautiful installation? This is a great question, but one that is difficult to give a definitive answer to as “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” At the end of the day, you will know best what is likely to work for you. To start the design process you could involve a consultant to avoid costly mistakes. There are a number of reputable companies that would provide this service, although this may only be affordable with a bigger budget. For a smaller project or event you may want to experiment with a few strings of lights or colourwash lights. Whatever your budget or aspirations, the team at Blachere are more than happy to point you in the right direction to make sure that you end up with a lighting display that creates an experience that your visitors will talk about and want to come back to again and again. Have a great May everybody and if I can be of any help to you please email me on [email protected] Ronnie Brown, Managing Director, Blachere Illumination

How is your place fighting back against out-of-town and online shopping? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 16

for Places The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places is about connecting your place – the people and businesses in it – to make a real and lasting difference. In today’s towns, cities and high streets, it is no longer sufficient to provide a passive service, assuming that businesses will thrive and visitors will come. It is not even enough to manage a well-kept and attractive environment. Visitors to your place, whether local residents or tourists, will research, document and comment on their visit so they need to be able to understand your offer before coming, have a great experience whilst there and provide positive feedback after the event. Businesses face similar challenges: they need to not only be online but use the digital world as an opportunity to showcase their brand and, importantly, attract new customers and

promote what they are doing. And what technology offers is the opportunity for all of this to be done seamlessly, connecting places with their business community, businesses with customers near and far and reengaging visitors with the places they know and love (as well as discovering new places to fall in love with). The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places is being launched as a way for you to discover where your place sits on the road to becoming a fully integrated digital town or city and how you can more easily travel along the road to connectivity. Blachere Illumination are proudly getting behind this initiative as they fully understand the wider benefits of connecting places

with their communities, not just through lights but through all experiences and how, in this digital age, the things that we see, hear, feel, taste and touch in the places we visit or work in are talked about and celebrated online. The starting point for the Digital Pathway for Places is a straightforward series of questions that will allow us to understand what you have achieved so far, what your digital aspirations are and how we can help you realise them. We will tell you if you are “aspiring,” “achieving” or “exceeding” against your own targets and against other places around the country, and will help you to promote and celebrate brilliant connected, collaborative,


innovation. Equally, this process will allow you to learn from those great initiatives happening elsewhere. And because the pathway is about connecting your community, we are encouraging users of your town or city to get involved too. Once we have begun the initial process with you, we will give you two online surveys for you to share with your businesses and your visitors. The results of these will help shape the next steps that you can take to continue moving your place forwards digitally. The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places will add to the experience that businesses and visitors receive and will enable your place to compete and enjoy at least some of the tools that large

retailers, shopping centres and online retail enjoys. The Pathway covers all aspects of “digital,” from static websites, local apps and high street marketplaces to wi-fi, augmented reality and data capture and management. All, though, as these things relate to the physical appearance, experience and infrastructure of your place – the bits that will ultimately encourage visitors to come to you. Revive & Thrive is fundamentally committed to helping places be better and do better and this invaluable tool will both reward you and make it easier for you to achieve your digital dreams. Participants will receive an accreditation certification, a benchmark of achievement and a

pathway to further development, along with support and advice to help move you up the league table of digital towns and a review of your on-going progress. Sign up to Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Membership in May, and receive all of this for just £50. That also includes additional editorial content in Place Magazine and on the Revive & Thrive website and social media coverage to encourage your residents and businesses to participate. Standard prices for Blachere Digital Pathway for Places accreditation: Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Members can join the Blachere Digital Pathway for Places at a reduced rate of £325+ VAT. Non-members can also get involved for just £375+ VAT.

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From residents and volunteers to councils and BIDs to providers of town and city solutions, joining us offers you a wealth of opportunities to improve the place you work in and are passionate about, to recoup your

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As the UK’s only membership organisation for everyone passionate about Place –

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investment and to learn from others as well as share your own stories of innovation and success. With membership prices starting from just £42/year, Revive & Thrive also offers an affordable route to becoming part of the UK’s most solution-focused network of communities, businesses and place activists.

Full membership benefits can be found on the Revive & Thrive website and include: • Discounted entry to all Revive & Thrive events – Maidenhead, Huddersfield and Colchester coming soon • Access to cost saving opportunities on expenses from insurance and utilities to merchant fees and recycling • Exclusive discounts from Revive & Thrive Business Group members – save on Christmas lights, place dressing, digital solutions, data management solutions and more • Free editorial space in Place Magazine to showcase any aspect of your town or city that you want to tell the world about as well as 50% discounts on advertising to promote your forthcoming events • Promotion of your place through the magazine (5,000 subscribers) and via associated social media marketing (25,000+ reach) • Extended deadlines on all competitions and challenges including the 2016 Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places and the Blachere Christmas Lights Competition • For May only, participation in Blachere Digital Pathway for Places for only £50

Joining us couldn’t be simpler – just fill in the form on our website and start taking advantage of these great member benefits today!

Town Leadership Member special offer package Take out Town Leader Membership in May for £245 + vat and get the Blachere Digital Pathway accreditation for only £50 + vat This package is worth £620 but for a short period this is on offer for £295.

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for Places

Town Leadership Membership

Blachere Digital Pathway

£245 + vat

£375 + vat £50 + vat

In addition, new members can use Place Magazine to promote their participation in the Blachere Digital Pathway to their businesses and residents to encourage them to participate too. Contact [email protected] or call 03330 124285 to find out more


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Current Clients Queensferry BID, Greater Grassmarket BID Edinburgh A partner of The Scottish Towns partnership It is a flexible product that can be tailored to the specific needs of your business and can be used during special events, school holidays and town events.

A Treasure Trail, with 1 year’s support included*. Worth over £2,500.00! How does it work? Global Treasure Apps is a 5-star International Award winning app that adds a new dimension to an attraction or Town Centre. The treasure hunts in the app are fun, interactive, informative and present a huge opportunity for cross promotion between attractions or within Town Centre’s. Tailor made, guiding visitors around, enhancing the visitor experience, increasing lingering time which in turn increases visitor spend.

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The Mosaic Partnership joins Revive & Thrive as Corporate Advocate and Delivery Partner for Business Improvement Districts A new relationship will see the UK’s Places enjoy an improved level of support for Place Management and Marketing through the partnering of The Mosaic Partnership and Revive & Thrive. Revive & Thrive, has for some time, been considering the process required to create new Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), manage them throughout their tenure and re-ballot phase and how this could be improved to deliver greater results. The Revive & Thrive networks have a wealth of experience in all facets of town and city management but even this can be tested. This is just one of the reasons that Revive & Thrive is proud to announce The Mosaic Partnership as their delivery partner and recommended consultancy for BIDs. The Directors of Revive & Thrive have, in the past, worked closely with The Mosaic Partnership and have been extremely impressed with the level of service provided and the outcomes delivered. The decision to solely recommend The Mosaic Partnership was not just borne out of personal experience but nearly six months of discussion. The Mosaic Partnership and its team take pride in providing approaches and solutions

that have been successfully utilised and tested in various contexts. The Mosaic Partnership team have advised over 100 individual locations around the world, and successfully assisted in the creation of more than 75 BIDs in the UK. In addition to this, they have built up an unparalleled toolkit of resource to offer to Places. Mark Barnes, Managing Director of Revive & Thrive said “I believe that working together Revive & Thrive and The Mosaic Partnership will create an unrivalled level of support, not just for Revive & Thrive members, but every town, city, destination, community and place in the country.” Mark added, “We are extremely ambitious about our relationship and what we will achieve together and urge places that are looking to deliver change or protect their current environment to get in touch.” Mo Aswat, Founder & Director of The Mosaic Partnership said “As one of the leading players advising on the development of BIDs over the last decade, it is clear that the need for high quality advice and experience is greater now then ever. We are delighted to partner with Revive & Thrive to ensure that our passion for working with people and places can not only have a greater reach but ultimately lead to realising the

21

ambitions of those cities and towns” This announcement comes at a time when Revive & Thrive has extended its ability to advise on and offer great experiences and measurement of results through partnerships with Corporate Advocates PFM Footfall Intelligence and Blachere Illumination and Blachere Theming. You will have the chance to meet Revive & Thrive, The Mosaic Partnership, Blachere and PFM at our regional events: • • •

Talking Towns Maidenhead May 25th Sponsored by Blachere Illumination Blachere Talking Towns Experience June 23rd Revive & Thrive Solutions Conference September 29th and 30th Sponsored by Blachere Illumination, PFM Footfall Intelligence and The Mosaic Partnership

There are more events to be announced. You can also win prizes and services offered by our Corporate Advocates and other partners by taking the Revive & Thrive Challenge for Places and the Blachere £20,000 Christmas Light Competition.

How have you reconciled the different needs and appeals of your daytime and evening economies? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 22

Hunt is on to find Chester’s best amateur photographer CH1ChesterBID and Camera Solutions launch joint competition to showcase life through a lens in Chester city centre. Aspiring photographers across Chester are being invited to take a shot at a new competition that aims to capture the essence of life in Chester city centre. Launched by the city’s Business Improvement District, CH1ChesterBID, in partnership with Camera Solutions on Frodsham Street, the ‘Chester Street Life’ competition encourages amateur photographers to submit their best snaps of modern day life in Chester.

“This competition is all about showing life in Chester from amazing new angles and perspectives,” said Julie Charlton, Marketing Manager at CH1ChesterBID.

pictures, so we’re hoping to collect a really diverse mix of images. We’re really excited to see what Chester’s aspiring photographers come up with.”

A panel of judges including renowned photographer and journalist Damien Demolder will decide on the best picture with the winner receiving a professional camera and equipment worth more than £1,000.

All pictures must depict life and or activity in Chester City Centre or its immediate vicinity and entries can be submitted up until midnight on Sunday May 15th 2016 via the Camera Solutions website at www.camerasolutions.co.uk/ pages/chester-street-life.html

Mark Tilling, Manager at Camera Solutions, added: “Having Damien on the panel is a real coup for the city and along with the other judges, he’ll be looking for a photograph that’s full of imagination, uses light effectively and really leaves a lasting impression. “The competition is only open to amateur photographers and people can use any device they like to take their

The competition is open to all age groups and the winner will receive a Panasonic Lumix GX8 (Silver) Camera complete with 15mm f1.7 Leica DG Summilux Lens worth almost £1,100. The winning entry will be announced on Tuesday 14thJune 2016.

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New digital platform to help visitors make the most of Chester online before committing to a trip, so we’re determined to make discovering the unique and wide-ranging shopping offer in our city as easy as possible for them,” said Julie Charlton, Marketing Manager at CH1ChesterBID.

city visitors as well as special offers available throughout the city centre. The site has been built within the existing VisitChester.com website and cross promotes city accommodation as well as things to see and do in Chester.

A new website designed to promote Chester’s eclectic collection of shops and restaurants and help bring more visitors to the high street has been launched by CH1ChesterBID.

“This new site brings all of the key information about Chester city centre businesses together under one roof for the very first time. It’s a comprehensive directory that will make it even easier for tourists – as well as local people – to uncover all the fantastic options there are to shop, dine and play right here in Chester.

Almost 300 businesses within Chester’s Business Improvement District (BID) area have already signed up to the new website – www.ShopinChester.com – putting key information such as their opening hours, location and current offers on show to hundreds of thousands of potential city visitors.

“We have almost 300 businesses signed up already but we want to increase that number in the coming months by adding as many Chester-based brands as possible. That’s why we’re encouraging any of our members that haven’t yet signed up to the free service to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Alison Duckworth, Director of Tourism at Marketing Cheshire, which manages the VisitChester.com website, said: “This new tool is a fantastic addition to the VisitChester.com site and we hope it will support the effort to attract more people to the city. We have a world-class heritage city in Chester, one with global appeal, so it’s important we do all we can to entice people to spend more time and money here.

“More and more day trippers and city break visitors are doing their research

The new ShopinChester.com website also includes an itinerary planner for

CH1ChesterBID behind new site showcasing Chester city centre to hundreds of thousands online

“Digital channels are playing an increasingly important role in visitor decision-making, which is why the ShopinChester.com website is a really positive move for the city. We’re delighted to have played our part.” For more information about CH1ChesterBID, please visit http://www.ch1chesterbid.co.uk/

How have you ensured that your local community and voluntary groups’ needs are balanced with the needs of your town/city centre businesses? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 24

the largest international towns agency; however the pendulum has turned and George Ferguson, the transformational now it is the high tech north which is Mayor of Bristol; Bulelwa Ngwena from the wealth creator. In the north there Capetown; all alongside renowned are growing calls for independence from towns and neighbourhoods are facing international urbanistsWorld and Scotland’s the south – sounds familiar and perhaps a challenge butcan amongst theunfair challenge lies the question of very own Prof Kevin Murray, on how a little – raising opportunity. we make our towns and neighbourhoods what the future holds for the small postbetter places to work and industrial towns of Wallonia? Whatlive. are the new alliances and approaches for a

WTLS 2016

WORLD TOWNS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2016

15th – 16th June 2016 Edinburgh, Scotland Phil Prentice, Chief Executive Officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), outlines the importance of the World Towns Leadership Summit, Edinburgh 15-16 June 2016, to shaping a new global agenda and development strategy for towns and urban environments.

I N V I TAT I O N

What Have Globalisation and Urbanisation Given Us…

Could Towns and Neighbourhood Districts Provide the Answer to a More Sustainable Form of Economic Growth and Equality? On 15 and 16 June at the World Towns Leadership Summit we will have the thoughts of Michael Schuman, the world’s leading social economist; David Downey, Chief Executive of the IDA,

strong competitive economy combined with a fairer, more equaltown society? Across the world, towns and Ahead of this gathering of world leaders and urban development experts, neighbourhoods are in this struggle. What can we learn from each other and how do we it’s worth considering collaborate the importance of They of areconcern? the largest scale for community, on shared areas towns to equity and sustainable growth, and the smallest scale for urbanity. Join worldagenda class speakers for this first ever global and why we need a new global leaders discussion and In contribute to a World on towns. the UK, Europe andTowns the North America Agreement – ‘A Public-Private-Social Vision for we have been relentlessly pursuing Urban Centres’ – co-produced with the United For the first time in human history urbanisation and growth and looking Nations Habitat Future of Places Programme and there are more of us living in cities and to the likes of New York, London, the World Economic Forum. urbanisations than in rural areas. Manchester, Los Angeles and Edinburgh www.scotlandstowns.org/world_towns_leadership_summit to deliver prosperity for all. But have For the first time in human history the they? next generation, despite being the most educated generation ever, will be worse Like Wallonia, what happens to the off than their parents due to income industrial North, to Detroit, to Cornwall stagnation, unemployment and the gap and Wales, to Ireland and Scotland’s in wealth. central belt and islands? Do we allow their towns and small cities to hollow Sponsored by For the first time in human history a out and slip into a coma-like state? mere 1% of the world’s population now Will we never learn the lessons from owns more than half the world’s wealth. the past? Can the current Westminster The opportunities, contradictions and Government#WTLS16 do what@WTLS_16 the Scottish inequalities of urban growth and the Government managed to achieve in transition to a globalised economy are Motherwell and stand up to the task evident wherever you look. Take Belgium of salvaging the Port Talbot steelworks as an example. It is a divided nation in - not just to save the countless cost of which the once mineral rich south is destroying communities - but to retain home to the French-speaking Walloons, 40,000 skilled jobs as well as valuable while the north is Flemish. The capital manufacturing capabilities? Brussels is also divided - they even take turns at having French and Flemish Our society encourages political and speaking mayors. Belgium’s wealth was economic power to cluster together. once created in its industrial south, The direct result is that London and the


south east of England, and Edinburgh in Scotland, have both become congested, with infrastructure stretched and their respective housing markets overheated. The same happens state-side and in major European agglomerations. The periphery suffers and the promise of networked transformation stalls. But with the advent of new technologies and the need for improved productivity and equity; surely the obvious solution would be to distribute wealth and opportunity across regions and states more evenly. With the associated housebuilding, infrastructure improvements, digital investments and supply chain networks that would follow, all of this could create a sustainable revival which would enable our towns to create a decent lifestyle with a job and home to go with it. Not state handouts or art centres in ghost towns, but real jobs and a fair share. And towns themselves need to be agile in order to take the lead from successful places like Montreal, Vancouver or Bristol. Develop a niche, scale up in partnership with surrounding towns, create the conditions, then deliver the proposition. How many web designers, financial advisers, marketing, project executives or media staff wish they could ditch the commute and fumes for a countryside or coastal town idyll? This call to action is now vital and with the right leadership, investment, coordination and vision, our towns and neighbourhoods can once more become a key element of global urban infrastructure.

At the scale of nations, they are nodes of labour force, distinct local production and tourism. Across regions, networks of towns connect people and infrastructure at scale. Towns and neighbourhoods matter to the transformation of modern economies, promising value; blending local and global opportunities. Amongst the challenge lies opportunity. At the Scottish level it is fair to say that Scotland is a nation of towns, and that these towns are a storybook of our journey as a nation: they are about folklore and myth, wars and kings, poets and parliaments, our churches, landmarks, languages, traditions and industry. In short, towns define our culture and society, they shape who we are today: they are part of our DNA. And despite the continued drive toward urbanised city economies, two thirds of Scotland’s population still lives in its towns and villages. But towns face numerous challenges: the continued drift of talent and youth to city economies; structural changes in retail where we use tablets, online, click and collect, out of town and destination shops; the ongoing impact of the economic recession; dysfunctional property and housing markets; welfare reform; less disposable local income, and a fast shrinking public sector. Fundamentally towns are about people and although the way we live our lives has changed dramatically in a generation, we still depend on our towns for meeting friends, for shopping, entertainment, leisure, history, heritage, tourism, culture, public services and for

transport. The places that we live in have a fundamental impact on our wellbeing, and successful places are where people feel engaged and where they play a role in owning, designing and shaping its future. The issues are complex… so in partnership with the International Downtown Association, BIDS and ATCM, Scotland is hosting the first ever World Towns Leadership Summit. On June 15th and 16th in Our Dynamic Earth, over 150 international leaders, thinkers, economists, architects and planners will come here to discuss new ideas and to explore new approaches, all with the goal of making our towns better places. From this, we aim to produce the first World Towns Agreement – ‘A PublicPrivate-Social Vision for Urban Centres’. Issued in advance to delegates and further refined at the Summit, it will have input from the United Nations Habitat Future of Places Programme, the World Economic Forum, URBACT, the International Economic Development Council, the Academy of Urbanism and the OECD. Therefore we urge you to come and participate in this shared endeavour, to learn from each other, and to shape a town development strategy for the next generation which promotes equity and sustainable growth. Phil Prentice, Chief Officer Scotland’s I Towns I Partnership m. 07971437732 e. [email protected]

How have you brought small businesses into the management of your place to give them a real sense of ownership of it? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 26

Colchester – the challenge of developing a short break offer January is traditionally the start of the holiday season and for Colchester it is no different. The first few months of the year are spent attending exhibitions and distributing the new 2016 Visitor Guide and this year as well as launching the fifth generation of the official tourism website: www.visitcolchester.com However, serious investment is taking place in the town’s tourism offering which is making a visit here even more compelling. GreyFriars luxury hotel opened its doors last Summer bringing a new level of splendour to the town’s range of hotels. The £10 million four year project to refurbish and redevelop this Georgian gem and its neighbour All Saints House into a 26 room hotel with grand luxe suites and destination restaurant has revealed features and details previously unknown to the generations of Colchester County High School for Girls and ‘night school’ students who knew it before its transformation. Commenting on why such investment is taking place a spokesman from GreyFriars said: “Colchester’s history, architecture and famous cultural landmarks, thriving business community and proximity both to London and the delights of the East Anglian countryside and coast, clearly indicated to us the potential for a luxury hotel and restaurant destination in the town. GreyFriars’ location is perfect in the emerging Cultural Quarter, close to St. Botolph’s Norman Priory, the Castle, the museums and galleries including Firstsite, in Raphael Vinoly’s stunning new building and at the same time, within two minutes’ walk of the town centre. The area has so much to offer and our experience to date confirms there is a strong demand for high end accommodation and an exclusive dining and socialising destination here.” September saw the opening of the 12room Blue Ivy Hotel on North Hill in the former 104 year old offices of Thompson Smith & Puxon Solicitors. Over the past

five years there has also been additional bed-space across the range from the budget Star Anglia Hotel in North Station Road to the 85-room Premier Inn which opened recently in St Peter’s Street. In fact over the past five years there has been more than 180 rooms added to Colchester’s hotel base which equates to more than 65,700 additional room nights a year. These new developments have also brought an additional 100 full time equivalent jobs to the town and with further projects in the pipeline such as the new Curzon Cinema and blockbuster exhibitions at Firstsite, the future for Colchester tourism looks bright. But it’s not just hotels. A new accommodation concept is also coming to Colchester in the form of serviced apartments in Museum Street which are coming forward as part of Surya’s plans to refurbish The George Hotel and will also show off Roman archaeological remains on the ground floor under glass. In terms of attractions there have been multi-million Pound investments in the Castle Museum which re-opened after a £4.2m refurbishment in 2014, investments in the two major shopping centres plus the £40m refurbishment of Williams & Griffin by Fenwicks and The Mercury Theatre’s recent announcement of its £8.8m redevelopment plans. This is in addition to a raft of new events such as last year’s Light And Shade and Big Screen in Castle Park and places to eat and drink such as The Cells, The Church Street Tavern and the Three Wise Monkeys. The regeneration of St Botolph’s in the eastern end of town took a further step forward late last year when Curzon Cinemas agreed to develop a former department store building in Queen Street. Together with the Firstsite gallery and the new Creative Business Centre currently under development in the old Police Station in St Botolph’s Street, these developments will bring new housing as well as new restaurants for Colchester’s growing population as

well as providing great new attractions for visitors. Colchester is now much more competitive as a visitor destination and the statistics are backing this transformation up. Tourism has been identified in the Council’s Economic Growth Strategy 2015-21 as a key sector for future economic growth. With both the Colchester Institute and the Edge Hotel School at Wivenhoe House Hotel offering very high standards of hospitality training there is a ready supply of highly trained and experienced young people, many local, who are finding jobs here rather than having to travel to find work. The latest tourism statistics (2014) show that tourism is still continuing its growth in significance to the local economy: •

The value of pure visitor spend to Colchester borough has risen by 288% from £63.1 million in 1993 (base year) to £245 million in 2014.

•

There was an additional £76.4m generated by tourism in local businesses supplying tourism businesses with goods and services (the multiplier effect)

•

Which makes a total value of tourism to Colchester Borough in 2014 £321.6m, a 3.6% rise year on year

•

Colchester attracted over 6 million trips from visitors in 2014 (up 114% on the 1993 figure of 2.8 million).

•

Tourism supports 5967 actual jobs (up 127% on the 1993 figure of 2,685) and supports more than 700 businesses locally.

There are few destinations, especially in the East of England Region, which have had such tourism growth over recent years. The investments taking place and the annual tourism statistics demonstrate the Council’s ambition and intention to sustain and grow visitor activity, to retain our current visitor base and capitalise on the Colchester area’s considerable tourism potential.

FEATURED

The Mosaic Parternership

The Mosaic Partnership is pleased to be working with Revive & Thrive to deliver a comprehensive and established BID service. Having successfully set up over 75 BIDs across the UK we have unrivalled knowledge and experience in this field. As well as helping individual locations, The Mosaic Partnership has developed its ‘BIDs Academy’ concept over the years first with Warwickshire and then the East Midlands as well as working abroad in Holland and Singapore. Taking a group of locations through the process together over one or two years, it establishes the concept and provides a solid development framework as well as a good practice and sustainable support network that can be carried forward. The most recent, the Northern Ireland BIDs Academy is supported by the Department of Social Development, is delivering a comprehensive BIDs programme for locations in Northern Ireland and so far its five out of five in terms of successful ballots

These five BIDs include the first BID in Ballymena, two BIDs in the capital, Belfast, a City Centre BID and a Destination BID in the Cathedral Quarter as well as Newry and Strabane, with the best result in the UK. As you would expect we are immensely proud of our work and relationships with the NI BIDs Academy and the teams in the locations who have worked incredibly hard to bring these BIDs to fruition. Clearly, it has been a resounding success and an absolute pleasure to work alongside them. The first five have all been incredibly strong yes votes, testament to the hard work of the Task Teams, local stakeholders and statutory bodies but also to the The Mosaic Partnership Team (in Partnership with Place Solutions) who have led and supported the outstanding efforts in each location. The results make impressive reading. 1. Ballymena - 84% by Number 88% by RV 2. Belfast One (City Centre) - 84% by Number 88% by RV 3. Newry - 87% by Number 92% by RV 4. Destination CQ (Belfast) - 84% by Number 91% by RV 5. Strabane – 95% by Number 98% by RV


Together these five bids will deliver an extra £10 million investment from local businesses, meeting businesses needs and being managed by them. It’s exciting times in Northern Ireland and The Mosaic Partnership is proud to have led the way. The last Northern Ireland Academy BID to go to Ballot will be Enniskillen in October 2016. We expect BIG things! If you are developing a BID in a single location on looking at several places in your area or region, please feel free to call us on 0845 250 8099 or visit www.themosaicpartnership.co.uk

How have you harnessed civic pride to create genuine customer loyalty to your place? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 28

Commercialisation of the High Street The following article is based on notes from a presentation given by Jeremy Rucker at the Winchester Revive and Thrive meeting in 2015.

•

COMMERCIALISATION

notes on how to launch a commercial program. First step is to audit your assets and work out the potential for raising revenue. We have defined 3 classes of assets. 1) Asset – Space Control event space and see a rise in revenue. Understand experiential campaigns. • The better presented the space the more chance of attracting higher class campaigns. • Quality/control - These are intrinsically linked, it is not about price but quality that attracts the types of campaigns that will increase footfall. • Targets: Without measurement and

targets the incentives will not be in place to increase the quality and control. Virtuous circle - Get the above right and higher footfall will attract better brands that creates more revenue to increase footfall etc.

3)Asset - Outdoor Media Defining traditional and nontraditional •

Note: There is no capital outlay needed to control space, just a good policy and/ or agency. 2)Asset – Markets Markets are a regular user of space but present different challenges than campaigns •

•

Importance of a policy around markets. An agenda for improvement linked to a control of the traders via a licence scheme. Use of markets to attract peripheral business into the town centre. This concentrates talent in the town centre and acts as a major draw as peripheral business attracts their customers to the centre.

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Traditional is above the line managed media. Often outsourced to media owners like Clear. Channel or JC Decaux. If BIDs are taking on more responsibility from councils should some of this income come to them? Non-traditional outdoor media is non managed place branding to include street banners, towers, building banners and lamp column banners as well as projections, ground graphics and free standing towers. This media offers potential for sponsorship as opposed to advertising (brand clutter).

Audit and control • A BID or Town Centre team can increase revenue by auditing and controlling this media. A simple audit can give an estimate on the

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value of the media which once measured can be better exploited. The audit takes into consideration the likelihood of the local authority giving permission. Sponsorship of media is more likely to be accepted than advertising. Also temporary independent structures are more likely to be accepted then structures fixed to existing infrastructure.

(Roundabout sponsorship creates significant revenue but is only one of a number of media assets a local area can exploit.) Second step is to put a policy in place using tools to build a brand that will support extra revenue support.

Tools Build a brand that sponsors will want to be associated with. The brand is something a sponsor/ advertiser needs to trust if they are going to be associated with it. The brand to be built around the USP’s of an area. Be clear about the benefits of a commercial relationship for business. Look to draw in businesses from outside the BID area, increase the catchment area. Target specific businesses through networking opportunities. Build a Champion scheme to reward business for supporting the BID.

Conduct a media audit to measure and control all the commercial opportunities. DATA, DATA, DATA. The value of a brand is measured not by profit anymore but by audience. So many brands have high valuations but make no profit because they suck in followers. The first step to attracting people is to measure and manage them. High footfall is good but engaged customers are 10 times better. This means that a commercialisation campaign needs to revolve around engaging customer enough for them to want volunteer their contact details and opt in to hear from you again.

Digital Digital marketing offers the same revenue potential as online retail. Similar to a lot of retail outlets not having a dedicated digital marketing strategy to increase revenue is as short-sighted as a business not using the web to source new clients. Similar to offline marketing Digital Marketing depends on a strong brand and data. Digital covers a multitude of areas from gamification to e-commerce, tourist information to car park control. It is not about Apps but about giving people the ability to access information. A strong digital strategy will pay for itself with online sponsorship support.


Statistics

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Lincoln BIG (BID) has increased its annual revenue from 350k to 1 million through an event based commercialisation programme. Chester BID has a target of 100k of year from commercialisation On average a BID levy should be supplemented by 20% Worcester measures the added value of all the event it runs to justify the BID levy Notes Defining the difference between Destination Marketing and BID Branding. Importance of separating the two to create a more concise marketing offer. The public vs private debate. Value of investigating public revenue sources, these are often centrally allocated and if not granted to your BID they will go to another BID. LEP’s, tech grants, High Street grants, European Development Funds, Lottery etc. Branding is all about trust. We buy from a brand because we trust it. Jeremy Rucker City Dressing

How have you improved linkages around your place between traffic terminals (public transport and car parks) and your town/city centre? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 30

Race for Life Personal story/appeal by Mark Barnes of Revive & Thrive In 2015 our lives were very rudely interrupted by cancer. Up until 20th February 2015, my life and the lives of my wife and two children had focussed on ambition and love for each other. We all share the same drive to be as good as we can be personally and professionally and to enjoy our lives together as much as possible. Revive & Thrive was growing rather nicely, my wife, a secondary school Maths Teacher was enjoying her teaching whilst managing the other demands imposed on Teachers and our kids were just loving life and doing brilliantly at school. We didn’t appreciate how lucky we were. When you turn up for a meeting with a Consultant with the complete confidence that the recently identified lump is nothing to worry about, only to hear the word ‘cancer’ there is an almost audible thump as life come to a grinding halt. We know that we are lucky as this story has a happy ending but the fear and

distress at the time is incalculable. The journey starts with ‘is Nicola going to live?’, then moves to the tears as you watch your wife shave her head so that she can be in charge of her hair loss. The tears continue as you see your wife hooked to a machine having poison pumped into her and then you watch helpless as she is bed ridden and only managing two or three days of reasonable health in any three-week period. The chemotherapy finishes and you move from the poison to the burns caused by radiotherapy. After this it’s all about waiting. Waiting for the side effects of the chemo to subside, waiting for the burns to heal, waiting for the hair to grow and waiting for the next set of results from any follow up scans. During all of this you try to keep life as normal as possible for the children. Our children were 12 and 9 at the time and were so very brave but your heart breaks when your son says “I went to school and my Mum had shoulder length blond hair. I’ve come home and it’s all gone.” Or when your daughter says “I’ve got to be brave for Mum she can’t go worrying about me at this time.”

Nicola’s cancer was very aggressive but she doesn’t have cancer right now. The next few years will be critical as she is constantly monitored and we did have a recent scare that took three weeks out of our lives but the future is bright once again. Cancer treatment staff do a phenomenal job and we are so grateful. Our experience was with the wonderful Lingen Davies Centre in Shrewsbury. To help them to help treat cancer we are asking if you would sponsor my beautiful wife and daughter, Nicola and Elizabeth in the Race For Live on May 15th 2016. Here’s the link https://www. justgiving.com/nicolabarnes7 we would be immensely grateful and thank you for reading about my experience of living with cancer. Mark Barnes, MD and Founder, Revive & Thrive Ltd 03330 124285 [email protected]


Two sides of the same coin Readers, those that know Colchester at least, might be wondering why a board member of Hythe Forward Community Land Trust (CLT) would be passionate about the Revive and Thrive mission. After all, we’re focussed on promoting the merits of a reinvented industrial port area, some way out of the town centre. The answer to that is fairly simple. As an urban CLT, our sense of place is inescapably wrapped up in our relationship with the rest of Britain’s oldest town. The Hythe will never be a competitor to the town centre and it’s our firm conviction that the whole borough benefits from being recognised as a location with a diversity of offers – distinct but complementary. For Colchester to work it needs to attract people who want to establish families here, commuters, shoppers, business owners, investors and tourists. And it’ll be a far more compelling draw if it has several must visit destinations. Our volunteer board of directors is made up of individuals with a variety of backgrounds, experience and motivations for getting involved. Differences aside there’s a lot that unites us. From the very beginning we realised that Hythe Forward needed to

be an outward looking CLT, one that’s about more than protecting what we’ve got. Many of our rural counterparts focus principally on preservation and looking after the needs of the existing population in their town or village. But we are part of a bigger whole, or ‘the other side of the coin’. Yes we’re working for a strong sense of neighbourhood identity, proper housing, investment opportunities and decent quality public realm. We want people to recognise the Hythe and for it to be a desirable place to live, work and do business. This is only strengthened if Colchester’s town centre stands out regionally as a vibrant hub offering a unique shopping and leisure experience. Recently we’ve been excited by, and supportive of, council efforts to link town to port with a European funded way-finder project. The collaborative delivery brought Colcestrians together to think about what place meant to them in the context of history, but also today’s social and economic reality. It’s a theme we’re determined to run with and I’m delighted to hear that Revive and Thrive will be visiting soon to showcase some of the UK’s best ideas. We’ll be in attendance, eyes and ears open and hungry to make new contacts! Those wanting to know more about Hythe Forward can visit www.hytheforward.org.uk, like us on facebook or follow us on twitter. Alistair Heron Vice Chair, Hythe Forward CLT


EVENT

Talking Towns Maidenhead

Revive & Thrive Talking Towns Maidenhead Sponsored by Blachere Illumination and Hosted by Enjoy Maidenhead Maidenhead Town Hall (Desborough Suite), SL6 1RF, Wednesday 25th May 2016

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9.30 Refreshments and registration

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10.00 Welcome - Stephanie James, Maidenhead Town Centre Manager and Matt Powell, COO, Revive & Thrive

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10.10 Speaker from RBWM - TBC

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10.20 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation – Johnathan Docksey, Design JD

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10.22 Iain Nicholson & Neil Wild, PRBI – delivering showcase projects for towns on low or no budget

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10.42 Stephanie James – building strong relationships with local communities

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10.55 Refreshments

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11.10 Panel Discussion 1: What is the value of creating experiences in your place to engage businesses and visitors? Chaired by Jeremy Rucker. Panellists: Stephanie James, Blachere rep, Gillian Balfe (Revive & Thrive), NABMA rep

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11.35 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation – Sven Latham, Noggin BI

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11.37 Speaker from NABMA - TBC

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11.52 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation – Waleed Shihadah, Perks Loyalty

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12.00 Matt Powell - The Revive & Thrive 2016 Challenges – what you could win and why you should enter

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12.10 Jeremy Rucker, City Dressing – how to create an experience to engage with your community – one lucky delegate will win a virtual shop graphic for their town worth £1500!

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12.30 Buffet lunch sponsored by Blachere Illumination (please contact [email protected] with any dietary requirements)

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13.00 Walking Tour of Maidenhead – led by Stephanie James and encompassing the town’s areas of opportunity for regeneration as well as a stop-off at the Craft Co-op, one of Maidenhead’s pop-up shops which is currently supporting over 160 local crafters

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13.45 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation – Mark Brodermann, Ourlocal.Town

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13.50 Panel discussion 2: Using technology to engage businesses and communities. Chaired by Matt Powell. Panellists: Martin Leamon, Waleed Shihadah, Mark Brodermann, Colin Munro

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14.15 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation – Martin Leamon, web.com

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14.17 Panel discussion 3: Why counting counts. The importance and value of data collection and management. Chaired by Sven Latham. Panellists: David Sturdy (PFM Footfall), Johnathan Docksey, Stephanie James

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14.40 Refreshments

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14.55 Peter Stonham, Co-ordinator, UK Towns Promotion Network – harnessing the tourist potential of our towns

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15.20 Revive & Thrive Business Group Power Presentation - miconex

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15.22 Julie Conway, bira

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15.45 Close and Summing Up

Book Now >>


EVENT

Annual Conference & Exhibiton

Revive & Thrive Annual Conference and Exhibition 29th and 30th September 2016 - Draft Agenda

Day 1 Welcome to Colchester Tours

Presentations

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Walking Heritage Tour by Colchester High Steward and former MP Sir Bob Russell Churches Monasteries and Chapels Love Life & Loss in Colchester in the Great War Colchester Under Siege (English Civil War)

Revive & Thrive Towns Challenge

Finialist presentations throughout the afternoon

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Alistair Heron - Both sides of the coin - the industrial and the retail centre and the bond between them Benefits of collaborating and learning best practice - bira Colchestersoup - bringing communities together

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Workshop - How to use data to improve your place Creating memorable experiences in your Place 2 more tbc

Blachere Christmas Exhibiton of Town Lights Competition and City Solutions Finialist presentations throughout the afternoon

Exhibiting throughout the afternoon

Evening Reception at Mercury Theatre Day 2 Improving Colchester by Colchester Tours

Presentations

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Walking Tour - From Camulodunum to Colchester Walking Tour - Georgian Colchester Mercury Theatre - behind the scenes in the theatre Dorian Kelly - local actor, playwright, author - around town with a twist Walking Tour - Roman Colchester

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Community benefits to a town How to Create an Experience to Engage with your Community Creating memorable experiences in your Place Harnessing the Tourist Potential of our Towns Christmas Lights are free Measuring the Customer Journey home to high street and back again

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The Importance of Well Presented Shop Windows Finding Your Way around a Place Destination & Discovery - How Wayfinding will improve every visitors experience to your town 4 more tbc

Revive & Thrive Blachere Christmas Exhibiton of Town Solutions Challenge Lights Competition and City Solutions Finialist presentations throughout the day

Awards Ceremony

Finialist presentations throughout the day

Exhibiting throughout the day

Book Now >>


May is Market Month – let’s shout about our great British Markets Is your town participating in Love Your Local Market between May 17th – 31st? It is biggest market event the UK has ever held and has been proven to boost footfall and spend in town centres. It’s not too late to get your local market signed up and organise an event. The campaign is coordinated by NABMA, the National Association of British Market Authorities and is free to join. The campaign is now in it’s fifth year and involves over 15 countries. The launch for the international Love Your Local Market will take place at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 1st, when a market trader traditionally travels to the Palace to present the French premier with a fresh bunch of spring flowers, a sign of all that is fresh and vibrant on markets. Love Your Local Market all started here of course and the organisers are looking to BID’s, Town Teams and market operators to make it the best it can possibly be…..read on to find out a few ways you can support markets during Love Your Local Market fortnight.

The Market Basket Challenge Working in partnership with the organisers of British Food Fortnight, the organisers are looking for way to get more people shopping on their local markets. During May it would be fantastic if you to get members of the public using the produce they buy on their local market, to create dishes and post them on Instagram and Facebook. This is a great way to connect with local food bloggers, chefs and members of the public and get them creating content for your town. Bury Market in Lanchashire have taken the idea on board and are promoting £50 Hamper prize giveaway for the best picture. The LYLM team will inform areas about entries ….and they can monitor it themselves by following #MarketBasketChallenge – then the best recipe, picture, most local ingredients combo will win.

Take the PLEDGE! Got a special promotion on for #LYLM2016? Maybe your customers could pledge to spend £5 a week more down at the market. Can your local councillor get free parking on Market Day? Whatever you can think of, we would love to see your pledges on our website. Just head over to www. loveyourlocalmarket.gb.com and take the pledge! Most important of all though, have a wonderful Love Your Local Market fortnight. May the sun shine on you, may your sales go through the roof and let’s get people visiting more markets. As an industry, using our annual hashtag, we made 75m impressions on Twitter last year…..let’s beat that together – remember to use #LYLM2016 across social media. To find out more about the Market Basket Challenge head over to: http://bit.ly/MarketBasketChallenge


Revive & Thrive Events 2016 We look forward to seeing you at one or more of our events in 2016. Please see the feedback here to see how much people have enjoyed our previous events. For early notification of when booking goes live for the events, please email [email protected]

25th May 2016

Talking Towns Maidenhead in partnership with Maidenhead Town Partnership sponsored by Blachere Illumination

23rd June 2016

The Talking Towns Experience Huddersfield sponsored by Blachere Illumination

29th and 30th September 2016

Revive & Thrive Annual Conference and Exhibition (also finals of both Revive & Thrive Challenges and Blachere Christmas Light Competition)

Date in October 2016 tbc Talking Towns London

Discounts for all of these events are available to Revive & Thrive Members. Find a membership to suit you here. If you wanted to host an event in your area in 2016 or start planning for 2017 please email [email protected]

How have you incorporated street entertainment into the management of your place to provide an enhanced visitor experience? >> REVIVE & THRIVE’S 36

Sturdy BLOG David PFM Intelligence

Is the continued pursuit of BIG DATA for the Real Estate Industry…..a good thing or bad? Technological improvement coupled with the thirst from clients for greater insight on business performance is, in my opinion, having a detrimental effect on the footfall industry and consequently the very clients it is trying to serve! Having been in the footfall industry for the last 18 years, I have seen a proliferation in the number of companies producing new technology as well as the number of footfall companies selling this technology to end users. We were all shocked but maybe not surprised at the demise of Path Intelligence perhaps the most high profile casualty of this trend to ever more complex data provision. The problem, I think, is that consistent delivery of the complex data being produced is almost impossible to achieve given the fluid nature of, in particular, mobile phone technology and the manufacturers desire to protect their Intellectual Property. Data is obviously a vital element for any business to survive

in today’s very volatile economic climate but data that is simply not reliable can do more damage than having no data at all. Footfall counting systems have traditionally been one of the Key Performance Indicators the Real Estate Industry has used for the evaluation of business performance and it is therefore vital that the data produced can be relied upon by the user. To achieve this as with any equipment that is constantly in use, the system must be fully maintained and in the case of footfall systems audited regularly by the supplier. If we fail to do this how can we possibly guarantee the validity of the data being reported and more importantly trust it when making key business decisions based on what the data is telling us? The introduction of new technology and the more complex data that this has produced is exacerbating the industry

wide problem of poorly supported footfall systems. This new technology and the more complex software solutions that are required to deliver the data produced are very labor intensive and in my opinion will make the delivery of better service for footfall systems even more difficult to achieve. Please don’t think that I am against advances in technology because I am most definitely not, but any such advances must be fully market ready and have a robust and fully resourced support service in place before introduction to any footfall market. Most importantly of all the data produced must be proved to be CONSISTENTLY ACCURATE! David Sturdy MD, PFM Footfall Intelligence [email protected]


This summer we are going for GOLD Medal Footfall

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From £595 we can supply our Rio Olympic Event in a Box. This offers great selfie opportunities and takes up minimal space. •

2m x 2m Pegasus backdrop of the Olympic stadium, Carnival or Rainforest.

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1 Sqm printed foreground

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A set of appropriate props e.g Olympic ring style hula hoops, carnival or animal masks

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Quiz trail stickers that are Olympic, Carnival or Rainforest focussed

A fantastic podium for selfie opportunities. Who wouldn’t want to a picture of themselves in bronze, silver or gold position with cheering crowds behind?

For further information, give us a call 01249 653 367, drop us an email at [email protected]


2015 Winners

36 retailers go head-to-head in 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards Eight retailers are set to defend nine titles at this year’s 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards. They join a total of 36 of the town’s retailers who have been shortlisted across 17 categories in the prestigious awards organised by Destination Chesterfield. Last year’s winner of the coveted Independent Retailer of the Year title, Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce, has been shortlisted for the second year running in the Market Trader of the Year category, which it also won last year. Fellow double award winner last year, Adorn Jewellers, which is based in The Shambles, is also hoping to retain its titles of Jewellery and Accessories Retailer of the Year and Excellence in Customer Service in 2016. As well as the eight returning finalists, 18 retailers have been shortlisted for the first time ever in their Retail Awards categories. The Awards return for the third year running and recognise

the very best independent and high street retailers and market traders in Chesterfield. Three businesses have been shortlisted in each category but only one can win. Organised in association with Chesterfield College, the winners will be announced on Wednesday 25 May by the new Peak FM breakfast duo Stu and Cat at a special award ceremony held at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel. The breakfast duo commented: “It’s a real honour for us to present the awards. We love the fact that all the shortlisted businesses have been nominated by shoppers. We’re both really new to the area and are working and living in Chesterfield so have seen for ourselves what a great retail scene the town has and a supportive community behind it.” The winners of each category will also fight it out for the prestigious Retailer of the Year Award, sponsored by East

Midlands Chamber. A further two award winners will also be announced at the ceremony; winners of The Pavements Shopping Centre and Vicar Lane Shopping Centre Retailer of the Year Awards. The awards are supported by members of the business community, who have not only sponsored individual awards but also the actual ceremony. As well as the category sponsors, other supporters of the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards include the University of Derby, eBusiness Works and the Derbyshire Times. For further information, please contact: Anna Melton In the Works PR Tel: 07837 108559 Email: [email protected]


Town Leadership Member This membership level is best suited for BID Managers, Town Centre Managers, Town Teams, Local Authority employees and other voluntary groups. Join our Town Leader Group where you will have the opportunity to connect with other leaders, share best practice and experience in running a successful town or city. • • • • • • • • •

Connect with others, share best practice and experience in running a successful town or city Promote your town Networking Attend exclusive Town Leader events Host a Revive & Thrive event Benefit from Revive & Thrive Cost Reduction Services Receive the monthly UK Markets Index Receive discounts and special offers from our Business Group members Be the first to hear about the newest and most innovative town solutions

People Passionate about their Place Membership Individual membership for people doing wonderful things in their town. Collaboration is the key to the future of the high street and where we live. • • • • • • • •

Have a feature spread on the Revive & Thrive website Monthly Newsletters Sharing your voice in our monthly newsletter and at our events Revive & Thrive Cost Reduction Services (available if you upgrade to Town Leaders membership) Discounts and special offers Discounted entry to all our Talking Town events Host one of our regional events Competitions and challenges Annual Membership £42.50+VAT

Annual Membership only £245+VAT (5 individuals) Multi Town Membership only £695+VAT (4 towns / 20 individuals)

Memberships 2016

Business Group Membership

Revive & Thrive Associate Membership

Supporting organisations that provide town solution services and products to connect with communities UK wide. Be part of a solution focused collaboration tasked with building a new future for town and city centres with an emphasis on engagement and action. • • • • • • • • • •

Promote your business Come face to face with your target customer base Take part in our Talking Towns Events Attend our inclusive Business Group meetings Benefit from discounts and special offers Take part in our competitions showcasing best practice Revive & Thrive Cost Reduction Services Be part of our Town Solution Services Directory Receive the monthly UK Markets Index Keep updated with opportunities and news via our monthly newsletter

Annual Membership only £425+VAT. Bespoke packages available on request

Associate membership of Revive & Thrive is open to all those working in a freelance capacity with towns, cities and communities up and down the country. • • • • • • • • • • • •

Increase your links with other high calibre professionals across the UK Benefit from both internal and external expertise Regular networking meetings Increase your earning potential Raise your profile by submitting articles for our newsletters and magazine Share best practice and good news stories with our 30,000+ followers Discounted entry to Revive & Thrive events Take advantage of Revive & Thrive’s cost reduction services Discounts and special offers on our Businesses Group members’ products and services Earn commission on Revive & Thrive membership and business group sales Be part of a solution focused collaboration aimed at improving our country’s towns, cities, villages and high streets

Annual Membership £100+VAT or £10+VAT per month

Click to Apply or See More Information


Kayleigh Noakes (17) from Heath, is the latest recruit to join the Destination Chesterfield team, marking the inward investment campaign’s fifth year of operation. She joins as a Level 2 Business Administration Apprentice, assisting the Destination Chesterfield team in organising and managing key events for the town, including the annual Retail Awards, food and Drink Awards and Made in Chesterfield festival. Additionally, she will be working with more than 160 businesses that are members of the Chesterfield Champions scheme which is managed by Destination Chesterfield. She will be also be responsible for posting new events and news on the Destination

Destination Chesterfield marks fifth birthday with apprentice appointment Chesterfield website, social media activity, processing invoices and office administration. Delighted to join the team and progress her career with an apprenticeship, Kayleigh said: “Apprenticeships increase your knowledge, whilst being able to apply it straight away. It’s practical work experience alongside a qualification. “I am really looking forward to supporting and promoting the local area and the friendly, welcoming and tightknit business community in Chesterfield. My role is also working with the Chesterfield Champions, who create a friendly and connected environment.” Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager, added: “The Destination

Chesterfield campaign is now in its fifth year. Like the town, we have developed and grown during this time and we’re delighted that we’re able to give a young person the opportunity to do the same. Kayleigh is our first apprentice appointment and we’re really excited to have her on board. It’s a great opportunity for us to nurture local talent.” Outside work, Kayleigh enjoys eating out in around Chesterfield. She also loves taking long walks around the local country parks with her boyfriend and her family. To keep up to date with events and developments in Chesterfield, visit www. chesterfield.co.uk


The work and vision of Revive & Thrive I wanted to introduce you to the work and vision of Revive & Thrive.

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We've been around for just over three years now and our intent is to enable towns, cities, communities and other destinations to have readily available access to ideas, best practice and solutions to any problems they might be experiencing locally. Our raison d'être is honourable and is purely to create routes to results for places. Our view and intent is that we are complementary to other organisations who are respected for different reasons to Revive & Thrive but possibly may not have the same entrepreneurial skills as those within the Revive & Thrive Networks. Highlights of our higher profile work to date include: •

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Retweet For Towns Day March 2013 which saw discussion about where we live reach nearly 6 million Twitter accounts from 900 contributors over 157 communities in 18 hours £191,000 Revive & Thrive Challenge May 2014. Around 100 communities applied for a package of solutions for their town or city centre after being asked how connected their community was or their vision for the perfect connected community. The prize went to Wyre Borough Council after a fiercely contested final at Earls Court.

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Revive & Thrive Christmas Light Competition September 2015 sponsored by Blachere Illumination. Around 60 communities took the challenge to consider the wider economic and social value of Christmas Lighting. The prize pot, which ended up at £17,000, was awarded at the home of lighting Blackpool with the winners being the Town Team in St Leonards. Revive & Thrive Town Centre Solutions Challenge September 2015. Around 120 delegates joined us at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley to compare and contrast towns of the past with towns of the future. Around 20 place solution providers presented their work to 40 Judges consisting of Councils, BIDs, Town Teams and other place professionals. The overall winner was City Dressing.

We have built an impressive network in a short period reaching out to around 30,000 people involved in or interested in the future of UK places. You will see from our membership options that we are not in this for money and we don't take commission from any Business Group members. In fact that would take us a long way from our aspirations to make inspiration, ideas and solutions for regeneration available for all. We see a sustainable future coming from small income from a growing following of supporters. As well as creating thought provoking projects for communities to engage in, we hold regional Talking Towns events

which take our ideas and solutions on the road. Our venues include Pontypridd, Winchester, Tamworth, Hastings and Frodsham. You can see some testimonials here. We see the focus for this year to be building on the visitor, resident and shopper experience and measuring the results of these activities and other activities in a centre. To support this we have increased involvement with Blachere Illumination who have recently acquired Blachere Theming and also have a new relationship with PFM Footfall Intelligence. We are great supporters of Business Improvement Districts but feel that some of the processes involved in delivering these are flawed and that the challenges involved with both delivering successful ballots and delivering successful BIDs are only likely to increase. To help us address this we are working closely with The Mosaic Partnership who have advised over 100 individual locations around the world, and have successfully assisted in the creation of more than 75 BIDs in the UK. We intend to not only grow this network but also to consider how to address any weakness in BID delivery and management. Revive & Thrive is here to support any organisation, place, business or individual who has ambitions for similar outcomes as us – whether for one location or for many. If you see value in our activities, then get involved! Our events, competitions and magazine and other promotional tools are open to anyone who wants to deliver real and honest change and we would welcome the opportunity to have discussions about mutual opportunities for collaborative working or about how we can help.

Call us on 03330 124285 to find out more


Memberships 2016

PLACE MAGAZINE WWW.REVIVEANDTHRIVE.CO.UK REVIVEANDTHRIVE @REVIVE_THRIVE Tel: 03330 124285 © 2016 Revive & Thrive

The Blachere Experience The latest exciting news in the world of Blachere Illumination

THE BLACHERE EXPERIENCE

for Places The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places is about connecting your place – the people and businesses in it – to make a real and lasting difference. In today’s towns, cities and high streets, it is no longer sufficient to provide a passive service, assuming that businesses will thrive and visitors will come. It is not even enough to manage a well-kept and attractive environment. Visitors to your place, whether local residents or tourists, will research, document and comment on their visit so they need to be able to understand your offer before coming, have a great experience whilst there and provide positive feedback after the event. Businesses face similar challenges: they need to not only be online but use the digital world as an opportunity to showcase their brand and, importantly, attract new customers and

promote what they are doing. And what technology offers is the opportunity for all of this to be done seamlessly, connecting places with their business community, businesses with customers near and far and reengaging visitors with the places they know and love (as well as discovering new places to fall in love with). The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places is being launched as a way for you to discover where your place sits on the road to becoming a fully integrated digital town or city and how you can more easily travel along the road to connectivity. Blachere Illumination are proudly getting behind this initiative as they fully understand the wider benefits of connecting places

with their communities, not just through lights but through all experiences and how, in this digital age, the things that we see, hear, feel, taste and touch in the places we visit or work in are talked about and celebrated online. The starting point for the Digital Pathway for Places is a straightforward series of questions that will allow us to understand what you have achieved so far, what your digital aspirations are and how we can help you realise them. We will tell you if you are “aspiring,” “achieving” or “exceeding” against your own targets and against other places around the country, and will help you to promote and celebrate brilliant connected, collaborative,


innovation. Equally, this process will allow you to learn from those great initiatives happening elsewhere. And because the pathway is about connecting your community, we are encouraging users of your town or city to get involved too. Once we have begun the initial process with you, we will give you two online surveys for you to share with your businesses and your visitors. The results of these will help shape the next steps that you can take to continue moving your place forwards digitally. The Blachere Digital Pathway for Places will add to the experience that businesses and visitors receive and will enable your place to compete and enjoy at least some of the tools that large

retailers, shopping centres and online retail enjoys. The Pathway covers all aspects of “digital,” from static websites, local apps and high street marketplaces to wi-fi, augmented reality and data capture and management. All, though, as these things relate to the physical appearance, experience and infrastructure of your place – the bits that will ultimately encourage visitors to come to you. Revive & Thrive is fundamentally committed to helping places be better and do better and this invaluable tool will both reward you and make it easier for you to achieve your digital dreams. Participants will receive an accreditation certification, a benchmark of achievement and a

pathway to further development, along with support and advice to help move you up the league table of digital towns and a review of your on-going progress. Sign up to Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Membership in May, and receive all of this for just £50. That also includes additional editorial content in Place Magazine and on the Revive & Thrive website and social media coverage to encourage your residents and businesses to participate. Standard prices for Blachere Digital Pathway for Places accreditation: Revive & Thrive Town Leadership Members can join the Blachere Digital Pathway for Places at a reduced rate of £325+ VAT. Non-members can also get involved for just £375+ VAT.


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Ronnie Brown

Choices, choices… There are many lighting options available to places planning their displays. From single lights, strings and projections to uplights for trees or buildings, lasers, floods, festive motifs and even underwater lighting. Choosing the correct product for the effect you are trying to create is paramount. Depending on what you are planning, it may be worthwhile calling in a lighting professional to help you (this can be free advice). Certain basics are required, though, whatever you are seeking to illuminate. Power supply being the most obvious example. Mains power is still most common, although, solar, battery or even a generator can be used. There could be a lot of cabling involved and consideration of how these could be hidden will help create the magic. There are many was to calculate how much light or how many lights you need. Lumens is a measure of light output but is a poor measure of the suitability of a lighting fixture for a given task. This is where a lighting professional could be invaluable. The alternative could end up being trial and error, which can be fun but could equally turn out to be soul destroying.

Where to start when planning your lighting display As in any industry there are jargon terms in lighting. LED (the newest one, I guess. Stands for Light Emitting Diode), String lights, Ropelight, Curtain Lights, watts, amps, lumens, transformers, dimmers, DMX, Projection, Projection mapping and so on. You will need to take into consideration length of strings - are they connectable? Power requirements: products can be mains voltage 230/240 volt, low voltage 110 volt, extra low voltage 12 or 24 volt. Low and extra low voltage will require a transformer to suit the input voltage. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make an impact. Yes, the bigger the budget the more you can do or the more areas you can cover, but many products can be used creatively in many ways without spending any more money. Also, outright purchase isn’t the only option as you can rent lighting products on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Follow the Rules… There may be local lighting design rules in your area. It is always best to check with your local planning Department. As a rule of thumb, though, if lights are temporary then there should be no need

for planning permission. What makes a beautiful installation? This is a great question, but one that is difficult to give a definitive answer to as “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” At the end of the day, you will know best what is likely to work for you. To start the design process you could involve a consultant to avoid costly mistakes. There are a number of reputable companies that would provide this service, although this may only be affordable with a bigger budget. For a smaller project or event you may want to experiment with a few strings of lights or colourwash lights. Whatever your budget or aspirations, the team at Blachere are more than happy to point you in the right direction to make sure that you end up with a lighting display that creates an experience that your visitors will talk about and want to come back to again and again. Have a great April everybody and if I can be of any help to you please email me on [email protected] Ronnie Brown, Managing Director, Blachere Illuminations


Blachere bolsters its Management Team ahead of bold expansion across UK Places Blachere Illumination and Blachere Theming continue their current expansion programme by adding extra skills and experience to their Management Team. Newly appointed Head of Business Development, Chris Manka, brings extra in-depth experience in international trade and strategic management development to the rapidly expanding Blachere Group of Companies. Referring to the new position

and the recent Blachere business acquisitions, Chris said “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with two such talented teams. Blachere and KD Decoratives are undoubted experts in their respected fields, and this strategic partnership creates a genuine force in the display and experiential sectors. The skills within each team are highly complementary, and I am looking forward to developing some very creative and innovative solutions for our clients.” Blachere Managing Director, Ronnie Brown said “We only offer

the best service and products to our clients and for this reason we only bring the best talent into the company. In Chris, we have found the right professional to help us through this exciting and key period of expansion and I look forward to introducing him to our clients.” You can find out more about Blachere Illumination at: www.blachere-illumination.co.uk www.winterlighting.co.uk Chris can be reached via email on c.manka@blachere-illumination. co.uk or by phone on 01484 513188.


Blachere Illumination welcomes KD Decoratives into the international Blachere family of companies. Experiences for towns, cities, shopping centres and other destinations are about to become even more breath-taking thanks to a new company acquisition. KD Decoratives of Huddersfield, already a world leader in theming for shopping centres, cruise ships, theme parks and visitor attractions, has become the latest company to be welcomed into the Blachere family. Blachere Illumination is Europe’s largest manufacturer of festive lighting with offices and warehouses in 22 countries throughout the world. Bringing KD Decoratives into the Blachere group further enables shoppers and visitors to enjoy exciting and memorable experiences all year round when visiting UK places and other destinations. Blachere Illumination Managing Director, Ronnie Brown said...

“Blachere’s passion for illuminating Britain’s retail and other destinations has always gone way beyond Christmas. The services, products and experience offered by KD Decoratives and its team is second to none and we know that working together we can offer unparalleled and unique experiences and customer service”

KD Decoratives, which is to be renamed Blachere Theming, offers experiences that are only limited by the imagination. These include interactive displays, animatronics, spectacular music and light displays, special effects and of course some of the best lighting displays in the world. Mr Brown is very keen to share the message that customer and visitor experience is affordable for places of all sizes and budgets and fundamental to the success of any town or city. He is inviting new and existing clients to come along to a tour of the KD Decoratives premises in Huddersfield on June 23rd. More information about this event will be updated on www.reviveandthrive. co.uk or to request a place please email [email protected] Find out more about Blachere Illumination at www.winterlighting.co.uk



Light Fantastic Light it and they will come! So says Ronnie Brown Lights work. They can create a statement, an atmosphere and even safety, whether you are lighting a small venue or an entire street. Done well, lighting can completely transform a venue or an event. I usually give three examples of when and where lighting really works: Walt Disney World, Blackpool and My House. OK, I use lighting for fun but the other two use it for the return they attract so abundantly. Now these examples may be a little extreme but they show what is possible. Blackpool spends in excess of £2.2m each year and attracts 3.7m visitors during the two months of the Illuminations. That’s a lot of ‘Kiss me Quick’ hats, not to mention revenue taken for taxis, hotels, pubs and clubs, etc. As for Disney? Well, the extra photographs taken of guests in front of the Castle paid for the lighting in the first year (in excess of $m). Now, don’t rush out and buy the Rolls Royce just yet. These attractions have a head start on most of you guys, but the concept remains the same. It is a simple strategy to take the opportunity that Christmas presents, as well as dark afternoons and evenings, and use it as a marketing tool. Build on it year-by-year, event-by-event and you too can achieve the success of a Blackpool or a Disney (albeit on a smaller scale). I would suggest that your lighting display is part of a bigger marketing plan; lights may be a good starting point but should not be

"OF COURSE, THE BIGGER THE BUDGET, THE MORE YOU CAN ACHIEVE BUT CREATIVITY CAN PRODUCE FANTASTIC RESULTS WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK." the end.

And lights are not just for Christmas. Some products can be used for different events. Tree lights on a summer evening create a wonderful a wonderful ambience. There are also a number of lighting ‘motifs’ for summer displays. You can also light during the day; you just have to be aware of the big yellow thing in the sky. If the sun is in full effect it can seriously affect your lighting display’s impact so be clever about the positioning of your installation and create some darker areas for contrast. Back at my house, in the run up to Christmas one year, I planned some research into a couple of new products I had received. I wanted to see how they came out of the box, how they went up, how they lasted a Scottish winter, how they went back in the box (they never go back in the box). A day or two after installing them outside I noticed a car

drive up to the house, then another and another, then up to 25. I live in a cul-desac so don’t have passing traffic. Wow! That’s the power of lighting. What do you Need? There are loads of lighting options from singles, strings, projections and uplights for trees/buildings to lasers, floods, festive motifs and even for underwater. Choosing the correct product for the effect you are trying to create is paramount. Some may want to call in a lighting professional to help (this can be free advice from a reputable lighting supplier). Certain basics are required, for example mains power is most common although solar power, batteries or even a generator can be used. There can be much cabling involved so consideration of how this should be hidden will help create the magic. As in any industry there is jargon.


However, above all you need to be aware of the length of lighting strings and what power is required to light them. Lighting products can be mains voltage (230/240V), low voltage (110V) or extra low voltage (12 or 24V). Low and extra low voltage products will require a transformer to suit the input voltage. Lighting Design There may be specific rules for your area so it is always best to check with your local planning department before undertaking a large installation. As a rule of thumb, if your lights are temporary then there is no need for planning permission. What makes a beautiful installation? This is difficult to answer definitively since beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To start the design process you could involve a consultant to avoid costly mistakes and there are a number of reputable companies that would provide this service. For a smaller project or event you may want to experiment with a few strings of lights or colourwash lights. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make an impact. Of course, the bigger the budget, the more you can achieve but creativity can produce fantastic results without breaking the bank. Neither need you buy; lighting products can be rented on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.

First published in Open Air Business magazine www.openairbusiness.com

About Ronnie Brown

“I want to sell light bulbs like my Dad,” said Steven Brown aged five. That was my son’s response to the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” When I get asked the question, “What do you do?” a smile will always appear on my face. It is interesting to see people’s reaction when I say, “Christmas Lights - not the ones you have in your house, but for towns and cities, events, the odd theme park and iconic buildings.” I’ve been saying this since 1987. Of course the client list wasn’t as well known back then. But as time went on the towns and cities we worked with became some of the biggest in the UK. I was first introduced to Blachere Illumination in 1996 and became a distributor for them that same year. It was a no brainer; the product range and the quality of design and manufacture were light years ahead of any of the suppliers in the sector. In 2001 Blachere bought a major share-holding in my company Wonderland Illuminations and we became Blachere Illumination UK Ltd. We supply anything from a single string of lights to a fully designed themed display and all points in between. www.blachere-illumination.co.uk

Lighting Terms • LED – when compared to old style bulbs, light emitting diodes are by far the most energy saving solution • Lumens – a measure of light output. The higher the lumen the brighter the light • Colour Temperature - a method of describing the colour characteristics of light, usually either warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). It is measured in degrees of Kelvin (°K). • String Lights – highly versatile, strings of lights can be hung, strung, twirled or wrapped • Ropelight - a decorative lighting fixture featuring small light bulbs linked together and encased in a PVC jacket to create a string of lights • Curtain Lights – these feature a top cable from which a number of strings of lights can be hung vertically. Great for lighting buildings • Watts - in lighting, a watt is used to measure how much electrical power is used by a light fitting • Amps - the basic unit of electric current • Transformers – these can be used to alter the voltage going through a circuit to a suitable level or make lights dimmer or brighter • DMX - a system of controlling ‘intelligent’ lighting fixtures and dimmers • Projection Mapping - a projection technology used to turn objects, often irregularly shaped, into a display surface (such as a building) for video projection


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