Mike King Senior Research Consultant amt-i 07818 068982 mike.king@towns.uk

1. Mike King • Senior Research Consultant • amt-i • 07818 068982 • mike.king@towns.org.uk

2. Stamford: benchmarking over time

3. Stamford: Gateway Project

4. Stamford: Adaptive Reuse Grants • Over £300,000 private sector funding attracted • 6 premises brought back into economic use • 30 jobs created/ retained in Stamford

5. Why Market Towns need an identity • Powe, Hart and Shaw, ‘But with the loss of livestock and produce markets in most towns, there is no longer a clear picture of what defines a market town.’ (Market Towns- Roles, challenges and prospects, 2007)

6. Why Market Towns need an identity British Retail Consortium note- • A unique sense of place • Building on existing strengths- maximise the inherent advantages of heritage features or natural surroundings- • Appropriate retail diversity- • Marketing and delivering High Street identity effectively • British Retail Consortium ‘All this needs to be underpinned by good data on existing provision..changes in public perception should be measured.’ WE NEED TO CONSULT, WE NEED EVIDENCE, WE NEED TO MEASURE

7. Market Towns Recession Research

8. Market Towns- Unemployment

9. Market Towns- Vacancy Units

10. Market Towns-Footfall

11. Concerns…………………. • So many respondents could not provide us with data on what was happening in their towns • Real issues with Footfall Data and Town Centre users, e.g. residents, visitors, employees and employers • So if they were implementing new schemes, how did they know they were the right ones? • What evidence did they have for funding applications? • A general lack of systematic collection…………………… ‘

12. Footfall Counting Comments • No hard evidence but Shops stating that there is less business and also the market slowing down • ‘Comments from shop keepers’ • ‘Market traders and shop keepers comment weekly on lack of shoppers and people about. • The local cafe reports a drop of 15%’

13. The way forward for towns • Making physical improvements to the town • Development of/ Increased Town Centre Initiatives • Increased Local Authority Support • Support for Independent Retailers • Investing in Marketing and Tourism

14. Evidence of help? • we know haw the Town ticks...!

15. Importance of Data Gathering • Does not need to be expensive • Understand the need of town centre users- Residents, Visitors and Businesses • What’s happening in the town- Footfall • Where your town centre users come from: Shoppers Origin • Measure projects, impact and income • Evidence to produce a vision for your town

16. Moving forward

17. British Retail Consortium • ‘Monitoring the health of town centres should underpin any effective town centre system’ • ‘A clear strategy must be established to Address increasing rates of vacancy and the accompanying decline in fortunes of some town centres • Parking should be seen as a way to attract customers to the town

18. Website – www.townbenchmarking.org.uk

19. Benchmarking- a Holistic way forward • “The Benchmarking project and its report has been used to support a funding BID for the IRIS (Independent Retail Improvement Scheme) project.  This delivered over 30k worth of grants and retail advice to retailers in Market Harborough, Lutterworth and Broughton Astley to enable them to improve the exterior and interior retail space of their businesses.  The improved retail experience offered to users of theses 3 key district retail centres aimed to increase footfall in the town centres (KPI 8)” • Chris Sewart, Market Harborough Town Manager