A VERY HAPPY & SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL
I’m looking forward to catching up with many of you at our forthcoming one-day conference on 25th January which will include the Great British Market Awards sponsored by KPR Midlink. We’ll be sending out the latest programme next week and there’s still time to book your place here
Hilary Paxman – Chief Executive
MARKETS IN HEADLINES
The dawn of 2018 has brought some turbulence. Amongst some of our markets making the news last week and over the Christmas period, Storm Eleanor caused temporary closure of Derby Market Hall, with Nuneaton and Bedworth Market amongst the reported cancellations. There was full page national coverage in the Telegraph of traders’ petition against changes to the running of Knaresborough market by Harrogate Council.
Huddersfield Examiner reported that Kirklees Council have hired consultants to transform Dewsbury Market into a “world-class” attraction by unlocking the secret of its appeal.
Market Place Europe “will spearhead a scheme to further regenerate the town by quizzing traders, customers and the wider Dewsbury community.
From January they will be gathering knowledge about the market to give it “a positive future” and develop a “long-term strategic plan”.
Kirklees Council Leader David Sheard called it “an exciting time for Dewsbury.”
IMPROVING THE PROSPECTS OF UK TOWN CENTRES
NABMA members will be well aware of our close working relationship with the Institute of Place Management , and their recent “High Street UK 2020“ project, which the IPM have recently shared the latest progress of. IPM recently published a series of six articles dealing with different aspects of town centre revitalisation.
The publication of these articles is part of High Street UK 2020 Project which is led by the Institute and supported by a number of other retail and intellectual partners. The intention of this research is to help “the process of ensuring that the offer matches the needs of the catchment”. As a further element of the Institute’s work they are working with six towns to pursue a project led by retail intelligence specialists to incorporate 25 factors into a dashboard that can assist in forecasting the impact of town centres of certain action. Markets must always be aware of the wider town centre picture and you are encouraged to have a look at the published articles via the following link: http://placemanagement.org/news/full-research-details-on-town-centre-vitality-released/
CHRISTMAS MARKETS PROVIDE MUCH FESTIVE CHEER TO BRITAIN’S HIGH STREETS
The LGA and NABMA issued a press notice just before Christmas on the first messages emerging from the work undertaken by NABMA Market Place on Christmas markets. Preliminary findings in this new research for the Local Government Association, in partnership with NABMA Market Place, reveals that “some areas have seen a 50 per cent jump in visitors compared to last year, despite the snowy weather, and that Christmas markets are on track to have broken the record £250 million spent in markets in 2015.
“Coach tours and “staycations” have contributed to this seasonal surge, showing that many Brits have preferred to spend their money locally rather than travel abroad to markets on the continent”, according to the LGA which represents 370 councils in England and Wales.
“Councils have worked closely with local traders and operators to make sure a variety of stalls and attractions have kept people coming back, in a tradition that stretches back 35 years since the first dedicated Christmas market in England was established.
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “These findings show that people have embraced new ways to come together and enjoy themselves in our towns and cities at this special time of year.
“Our Christmas markets have grown from strength to strength, rivalling even the long-established German markets as places to visit and spend their time and money.
“Councils have also worked with organisers to bolster security measures, helping everyone relax and enjoy these markets as safely as possible to make the most of the festive period.”
NABMA President, Cllr Chris Rosling-Josephs, said: “NABMA are delighted to be working in partnership with the LGA on this important piece of research that will help councils take decisions on their Christmas retail offer.
“Markets are a key part of the retail offer of a place, not just at Christmas, but may places up and down the country are providing quality events that appeal to families, offer opportunities to buy something different, enjoy festive food and drink, and encourage dwell time in town centres.”
It is hoped that more information on the research will be shared at the NABMA Birmingham Conference.
APSE MEMBERS MARKETS BENCHMARKING WORKSHOP
MANCHESTER 14TH FEBRUARY
The next bench-marking workshop for local authorities with membership of APSE will be held next month in Manchester on Wednesday, 14th. Following the success of the launch and ten pilot projects we are keen to see more markets sign up to scheme to standardise performance indicators and report across the sector. Measurements include occupancy rates, financial performance, recycling rates, average age of traders, staff absence. Non APSE members can also take part in the workshop but will need to take up membership at a cost of approximately £1,000. Participation is free to all APSE members. Please contact Graham Wilson if you are keen to participate.
UK MARKETS INDEX for November 2017
This year’s Black Friday experience (November 24th) has surely confirmed the discount-fest as an unwanted development for UK retail. Online sales were up by +11.3% during the week prior to Black Friday – but footfall in retail locations took a further hit, with Friday itself showing a decline of -4.2% and the whole weekend down by -0.9%, according to data from Springboard. Predictably retail parks were busy on Saturday 25th, as customers took advantage of their free parking to pick up click & collect purchases.
Across the month of November shopping centres showed a decline of -1.3%, continuing towards a very weak year for the sector.
With the weather wintry for most of the month, retail markets echoed the weak footfall theme, with data from PFM Intelligence showing a YoY decline of -2.9%. The markets sector will hope for a fillip from the opening of a large slate of Christmas Markets around the end of the month.
ANDREW MCCALL
ROI
DATES FOR YOUR 2018 DIARY
Thursday 25 January
NABMA ONE DAY CONFERENCE, Birmingham Council House, 9.30am for 10am start – 3.30pm
Wednesday 14 February
APSE Benchmarking Workshop, Old Trafford, Manchester
Thursday 17 May – Thursday 31st May
LOVE YOUR LOCAL MARKET 2018
Sunday 16 September – Tuesday 18 September
NABMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Stratford upon Avon