Around Town, the monthly column by Town Centre Manager, Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury - April 2008
April is the start of a new financial year for many businesses as it is for the town centre Business Improvement District (gyBID) that commences its third year of operation this month. The gyBID was proposed by the Town Centre Partnership and was agreed following a successful ballot of businesses in 2006. Nearly 200 businesses in the town centre are now funding the cost of a range of initiatives to promote the viability of the town centre via an annual ‘BID levy'. The levy is only applied to businesses with a ratable value of over £8,000 leaving the town centre's smaller traders the option of voluntarily contributing to the scheme, which is spent on projects to improve the trading environment of the town centre. Last year the total BID levy collected was spent in the following way; Street Wardens (44%), town centre CCTV funding (24%), Retail Crime reduction coordinator (14%), Events and Marketing (15%). The remainder of the BID levy is added to contributions from Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norfolk Constabulary to support town centre management and administration costs. Additional funding was also secured for other projects and events, including the Town Centre Enterprise training initiative and the Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre.
Reductions in retail crime and anti-social behaviour are very much the priorities for gyBID. The BID funded town centre wardens have worked closely with the Retail Crime reduction manager, retailers, police and CCTV operators to achieve big reductions in shoplifting and minor crime in the town centre. During the last six months of 2007 official police statistics show a 44% drop in recorded retail crime in the town centre. Anti-social behaviour, including street drinking, was another area that has seen significant improvement with a 51% reduction. The street wardens are also tasked with monitoring the cleanliness and state of repair of the streetscape with daily inspections and reporting to the responsible agency when shortfalls are found, this has resulted in a further 36% reduction in incidents of fly-tipping, fly-posting, criminal damage and dog litter, when compared to the first year of the BID.
Encouraging people to visit the town centre through marketing and events is another main element of gyBID. The range of events including Family Fun days, Arts Festivals, Music Festivals, Christmas entertainment and Continental Markets, including our first Italian Market last month - which attracted shoppers from as far as Kings Lynn and Peterborough - when combined with increased advertising and marketing, has, at the very least, slowed the decline on footfall being experienced in many town and city centres across the U.K. The addition of new events such as the Italian Market or the Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival, are crucial to improving the perception of the town centre as a vibrant place to visit and enjoy.
On the subject of the Beer Festival, which is only a month away now, advance tickets are being snapped up very quickly with many people planning their visit to the festival to sample a great range of beers and ciders that aren't readily available in pubs and supermarkets. The event is made possible with the help of volunteers to pour the beers and offer advice on what is available. Last year the event proved to be as much fun for those serving the beer as those drinking it, anyone interested in helping out for a few hours at this years festival, all for a free t-shirt, a free meal during your shift and the chance to taste a few of the beers can contact me for more information.
Around Town from April 2008 It's a busy month ahead as the Town's celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the granting of Charter to the Borough by King John are launched on Sunday 16th March. A special service is being held at St.Nicholas Church at 3.00pm and will be preceded by a civic procession from the Town Hall, as part of the ceremonies a copy of the Charter will be delivered to the church on horseback. The Easter Fair returns on Thursday 27th March, the traditional post Easter weekend event has been extended by an extra day to include Sunay and will also feature additional activities to celebrate the Charter Anniversary.
Recent figures released by Norfolk Police confirmed that Great Yarmouth town centre shops are winning the battle against retail crime. Members of the Town Centre Partnership's ‘ShopSafe' scheme, a retail crime reduction initiative, were presented with figures comparing the shop thefts in 2007 to 2006 at a meeting earlier this month. A total of 96 fewer shop thefts were recorded by Police between July and December 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, an incredible reduction of 44%. In December, historically the busiest month for retail crime, recorded shop thefts were down over 60%. In contrast the first six months, January to June 2007, saw an increase of 40% in reported shop thefts.
Cynics may suggest the more recent drop in ‘recorded' thefts may be down to more thefts going undetected, however the people close to this subject, the owners, managers and staff of the shops at risk from criminals know different. Early last year the Police increased their presence in the town centre, particularly during retail trading hours, creating a higher visibility of patrols of dedicated ‘Town Centre' Police Officers, Special Constables and Police Community Support Officers in the town centre. This in itself will have helped but with each of the officers carrying with them a ‘ShopSafe' radio that links them with the majority of town centre shops, Street Wardens and the CCTV Control room, the result was an increase in the detection, and arrest, of shoplifters.
It is not just the increased presence of dedicated town centre Police officers alone that has helped improve the crime figures, but the way they are actively working with the retailers, the security staff and street wardens. The radio link, monitored by the CCTV operator, helps to keep everyone aware of what is going on and engenders a feeling of community spirit amongst its users - knowing that you are not alone when facing up to thieves is a major factor. The overall effect is that known and would be shoplifters are finding it more and more difficult to operate in the town centre, hence the significant drop in retail crime.
Great Yarmouth town centre has much to be optimistic about. The work on the Market Gates 55,000sq. ft. extension continues and having a Debenhams in the town centre later this year will most certainly improve footfall for all town centre traders. Much needed improvement work on the ailing Victoria Arcade is planned to begin next month. Over £300,000 will be spent by its owners on repairing and improving the roof and both entrances to the covered Arcade. The investment is hoped to improve the fortunes of the shopping arcade, which has seen occupancy decline rapidly over the last few years. The small shop units are suited to independent retailers and with such an emphasis on small business and entrepreneur growth through the Enterprise GY initiative, take up in a revitalised Arcade should be encouraged.Around Town with Town Centre Manager Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury December 2007.
As we look forward to welcoming in the New Year with the ‘January' Sales already in full swing, it is an apt time to review how the town centre has faired during 2007. For the town centre and its shops it has again been a challenging year with a start hampered by the introduction of residential parking between the town centre and seafront. The reluctance of people to use town centre car parks instead of the free parking they had long taken for granted certainly had an effect on trade, particularly for those stores in the outside the main centre. As March approached the town began to get busier with a French Market being held which was followed by a very busy Easter as the seasonally warm weather encouraged lots of day and short stay visitors trippers to the seaside, some of which joined in the Easter workshop, treasure hunt and parade that was held in the town centre Easter Monday. During this time, a few new shops opened including 25 Market Row re-opening as Avenue Fabrics after being boarded up for over 25 years, and with the start of extension works on Market Gates shopping centre imminent, the signs were that the town centre is on the up.In May, the town centre held it's first Beer Festival at the Priory Centre during the Spring bank holiday weekend, the latter part of which provided a very wet clue to the sort of weather we were to get during the Summer. However Great Yarmouth shone with a touch of glamour when Supermodel Caprice visited Palmers Department Store during its 170th anniversary celebrations this month. In July the second Town Centre Music Festival was held and the town centre changed into a live music venue with over 700 people taking part over the 9 days of the festival. The music festival preceded the start of the Great Yarmouth holiday season and the summer greeted holidaymakers with a wet welcome with weather more suited to shopping than sunbathing. The summer weather did improve eventually and in August the Town Centre Partnership held it's first "Help Change Someone's Life today" charity fun day for both the Cancer Research and Children in Need charities.
In September the Town Centre Partnership unveiled it's new look website that now has a directory of its members with each one being able to update their own page directly, even allowing them to advertise special offers and promotions. The first Town Centre Conference was held in October where members learned the latest on developments including Market Gates and Palace Casino. The forecasts for the Christmas season were not for the faint hearted and these started to look accurate as internet sales records were again broken as we got into December, However, with the help of events such as Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre, late night shopping events, free Sunday parking etc, the town has held its own and recovered very well in those all important last few shopping days before Christmas. Which leads me back to the present where I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2008!
Around Town with Town Centre Manager Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury November 23rd 2007.
The traditional Great Yarmouth Christmas Tree, which was relocated back to the Market Square last year, was delivered to the town centre earlier this week, and it looks to be even bigger than last year's massive pine. Good news then that Great Yarmouth Borough Council has added to it's collection of tree lights ahead of next weeks Switch-On! Yes, the traditional switching on of the Christmas Lights takes place in the town centre on Wednesday November 28th, the first night of late night opening for most town centre shops. The Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Paul Garrod, will do the honours, assisted by Miss Great Yarmouth, Holly Smith, at 6pm. Radio Broadland Breakfast Show presenters Rob Chandler and Chrissie Jackson will start the countdown with the help of Pantomime Dame, Mark Hudson. Rob and Chrissie will also do a count down to a special fireworks display taking place from Market Gates roof at 7pm that evening. This will also be the first day that the Santa's Grotto will be open in the shopping centre. Parking in the Borough Council's town centre car parks will be free this and every late night shopping Wednesday from 4pm (and all day on Sundays) until Christmas.
The Christmas light switch-on is the annual curtain raiser to festive events in the town centre and is followed by the Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre taking place over next weekend. Once again we welcome back the Norwegian crafters, who, along with the many home-grown art, crafts and specialist food and drinks stallholders taking part, make the Fayre a great place to start your Christmas shopping. As well as the many stalls selling their unique wares, most town centre shops are open all weekend, including Sunday, so you can do your high street and Christmas market shopping in one trip. The Christmas Fayre will be taking place across the entire Market Place and in St. Nicholas Church, which is where you will find the Norwegian stalls. The Fayre is free entry, with free entertainment going on throughout the weekend and even free parking on the Beach Coach Station car park - complete with a free Road Train ride at peak times. The Mayor will open the Fayre at 10am Friday morning and there will be a closing ceremony at 3.00pm on Sunday each starting with a Civic Parade from the Town Hall.
To further add to the festive atmosphere on the weekend two special concerts have been arranged for Friday and Saturday nights in St. Nicholas Church. Starting at 7.30pm on Friday, the Maria Myers players perform an alternative Nativity in ‘BC-AD', Whilst on Saturday at 7.30pm the Lardal Kantori return to Great Yarmouth to perform a collection of English and Norwegian Christmas Carols in an exclusive concert not performed anywhere else in the U.K. Doors open for both concerts at 7.00pm and tickets will be £6 on the door or £5 advance - see http://www.gytcp.co.uk/ for more details about these and the other events planned for Christmas in the town centre.
Around Town with Town Centre Manager Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury October 26th 2007
With ghost's, goblin's, witches, pumpkin's and Bonfire night preventing shops being completely geared up for Christmas for another week I want to let you know about a Halloween workshop the Town Centre Partnership is sponsoring this Sunday in Market Gates. Jankie D's workshops are putting on the free Hat, Mask and Halloween Costume making workshop for children in Shopping Centre. The free workshop will take place between 11am and 3pm on the Mall floor between Iceland and F.Hinds, an adult must accompany any children wishing to take part.Having been concerned for some months now that an outbreak of foot and mouth disease would prevent the annual Christmas visit by the Cairngorm Reindeer, it was the little midges carrying the Bluetongue infection that has caused the trip to be cancelled. But not to worry, we shall still have Reindeer for Christmas in Great Yarmouth. The lovely people at Pettitts Animal Adventure Park have come to the rescue with their reindeer. So we will be now having Reedham reindeer taking part in the Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre and Town Centre Christmas Parade this year.
The Christmas Fayre is taking place from Friday 30th November to Sunday December 2nd, a major change to previous years when the Fayre has been held from Sunday to Tuesday. This change has been made possible with the permission of Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the cooperation of the Great Yarmouth Market Traders. With the Fayre on for a full weekend, including marquee's on the market full of Christmas food, craft and gifts stalls, a large range of special hand made crafts in St. Nicholas Church, the Norwegian crafters again returning to Yarmouth and many of the town's market traders participating with their own stalls as well, the Fayre looks set to be bigger than ever this year. As well as the party of Norwegian crafters participating in the Christmas Fayre weekend, the Norwegian Choir, Lardal Kantori, will be putting on a Christmas Carol Concert in St.Nicholas Church on the evening of Saturday December 1st.
The Town Centre Christmas Light switch on takes place on the first late night shopping evening on November 28th. Radio Broadland breakfast show presenters Rob and Chrissie will be assisting the Mayor with the countdown. All the Wednesdays in December will have shops open till late with special events going on also, including the Reindeers participating in a Christmas Lantern Parade on December 5th. Town Centre council car parks will be free to shoppers after 4pm on the late night shopping evenings, as they will be on Sundays throughout December also. More information on all these events can be found on www.gytcp.co.uk.
Around Town with Town Centre Manager Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury September 28th 2007
The latest C.C.T.V. and Street Wardens statistics support the claim made in last weeks Mercury by Chief Supt. Charlie Hall that anti-social behaviour in the town is being tackled effectively. The number of public order incidents recorded by the CCTV control room between May and August, has dropped by 20% when compared to the same months last year. Whilst the number of anti-social behaviour incidents attended to by the town centre street wardens, these mostly involving illegal street drinking, has reduced by over 40%. Although these statistics only relate to areas of the seafront and town centre, it is further confirmation that the positive collaboration between police officers, police community support officers, street wardens, shop staff, nightclub door supervisors and c.c.t.v. operators is having the desired effect in reducing low level crime and nuisance behaviour.
Actual crime statistics are just one indication of the health and vitality of any town centre, another one is the measurement of ‘footfall' - the volume of people traffic through the town centre. Great Yarmouth has a number of footfall counters in place, as have a number of other towns and cities in the UK. A footfall counter is in effect a small CCTV camera linked to a computer that monitors and records pedestrian activity across its field of vision. With counters located on King Street, Market Gates and Market Row for the last three years it is possible to compare the numbers of people using the town centre to previous months and years. With this summer having been particularly poor in terms of ‘good' weather, it is interesting to see how the footfall has fluctuated each month. April started the summer off well with a 3% increase against last year but in May the growth was static. June was particularly poor with a drop of 14% against last year, however, after a small recovery of 3% in July, August saw an increase of 13% against last year. Probably no surprises within these figures alone, however, when compared to the national picture the town is doing better than most. Great Yarmouth town centre has seen an overall increase in footfall of 12% since January, this is streets ahead of the 4% decrease in footfall that is the average of the 49 other towns and cities being measured in the same way.
The Market place will be alive with dancers and displays on Saturday 29th September as Norfolk Black History Month is launched. Dance workshops, performances and information about the many other events taking place during October will be available throughout the day. And on Saturday 6th October the Market Place will play host to an African Market which will have tempting displays of African crafts, goods, foods and much more. The Market will be open from 9.30 to 4pm and is supported by the Norfolk Racial Equality Council and The Great Yarmouth International Association. Information on these and other events taking place can be found at http://www.norfolkblackhistorymonth.org.uk/.
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'Around Town' with Town Centre Manager, Jonathan Newman, published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury Friday 24th August
Great news this month that Debenhams have confirmed that they are taking much of the Market Gates Shopping Centre extension. As well as increasing the attraction of the town as a shopping destination, their return to the town is likely to encourage a raft of other key high street retailers not currently represented in Great Yarmouth to look for premises in the town.
Most national retailers these days have an e-commerce website to help them compete in this fast growing market. An increasing number of consumers check the Internet before making a purchase, even if they do eventually make that purchase in a real shop, rather than on-line. With this in mind the Town Centre Partnership recently hosted a series of workshops for local retailers on the subject of Internet marketing. Businesses were given a thorough briefing on the rise of ‘dot.com' businesses and how traditional high street traders can have a visible presence on the ‘net' to direct potential customers to their stores.
To further improve smaller retailers chances of being found by Internet users and search engines such as Google, the Town Centre Partnership's own website, www.gytcp.co.uk has been getting a bit of an overhaul itself over the last few weeks. The main purpose of the changes have been to create a directory of Partnership members so that visitors to the website can identify the wide range of shops, cafés, pubs and services that are available in the town centre. Members have also been given the opportunity to add additional information themselves including special offers and promotions. As the number of traders using the website grows then so will the number of special offers, readers may want to check what offers are available today.
The Maritime Festival returns in just two weeks time and shoppers will be entertained with traditional sea shanties as performers will be in the Market Place on the Saturday encouraging shoppers to visit the annual celebration of the town's rich maritime heritage on South Quay. The Festival runs during 8th and 9th September and visitors to the town on Sunday are reminded that many of the town centre shops are open 10am to 4pm with the last of the town centre Sunday Markets being held that day also.
It may seem a bit early to talk about Christmas, however I think it is worth mentioning the changes to this years Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre now as the days of the annual event are changing for the first time in it's nine year history. This year, with the co-operation of the town's market traders, the Fayre will be held over a full weekend, that is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The change will allow the Christmas Fayre to have entertainment and activities over the entire weekend and double the appeal to families with children at school and family members at work on the days the Fayre has been held in the past. The Christmas Fayre will open at 10am Friday November 30th and run through to 5pm on Sunday December 2nd.
