City centre trader responses presentation

So what do traders want?Here’s the top 15 ideas(or top 10 if you score on total votes)

Traders want a brand for the city that appeals to shoppers, restaurant and bar goes, not just tourists. This scored the largest percentage of votes (15%).

This will be relatively simple to take forwards:•A brainstorm with traders to generate a design brief•A competitive pitch by local companies•A selection process•Development of a brand•Application to various e-tools and marketing

Likely costs For branding design, website design, mobile site design, etc £1,500 - 2,000

Traders want a town centre manager. This scored 11% of the votes.

With the available funding, a town centre manager could be appointed for a number of months, however with 14 other top ideas, we need to consider this carefully. Issues to consider:

Sustainability If we appoint a town centre manager, what would their brief be?Would it be to generate support for a BID?

Duration How much money will we have left after the rest of the ideas have been funded? How long will this last?

Impact If we don’t want the role to deliver a BID, what impact will a short-term post have? Will it make a difference? Is it a good investment of money?

Traders want a city website that appeals to local people and not just visitors. This scored 9% of the votes.

Maintenance and ongoing management We already have a website www.visitlichfield.co.uk that represents city businesses and its maintenance is funded through core council funding. Think of this website as a database of city centre retailers, events and attractions data!

Brand issues It would be simple to create a newly branded sister website to www.visitlichfield.co.uk that publishes the same data, but in a different order/format to promote Lichfield to locals.

Benefits We would not be creating a whole new website, and a whole new set of data to keep up to date. The website would be supported by existing infrastructures. The website comes with a sister mobile website, whichcould be treated in the same way – new brand, new audience.

Coverage The website could (if traders engage) represent 100% of city traders. The challenge is engaging traders, but this could be attempted again, through the improved communications this process is delivering

Likely costs £In addition to the design (see branding) this couldcost in the region of £2,000 - £3,000 to deliver.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

www.visitlichfield.co.uk lists all shops, restaurants and bars for free www.visitlichfield.co.uk lists all shops, restaurants and bars for free

Over 35 restaurants and bars listed and over 40 shops listed, but we could list all if traders engage and sign-up for free

Listings can include pictures, maps, contact details and moreListings can include pictures, maps, contact details and more

Visit Lichfield team will keep listings up to date and also includeinformation in other guides/documents produced by the team

Food listings can feature Rate My Place scoreFood listings can feature Rate My Place score

Shops and restaurants can also listSpecial Offers online

Traders want more seasonal events. This scored 7% of the votes.

Lichfield is rich with events, and most people visiting from outside the area are amazed at the breadth of events that take place, and the wide promotion of them through What’s On.

Where we are now In recent years we have made a concerted effort to boost the city centre presence and appeal of existing events, including the Heritage Weekend and The Christmas Festival Weekend, as well as host new city centre based events, including the Lichfield Food Festival, the Olympic Torch Relay and the Jubilee Big Lunch.

Moving forwards Our annual events (Heritage Weekend & Christmas Festival Weekend) are delivered on a shoestring budget and are only possible thanks to heritage/trade partner support. Additional budget (marketing and event programming) could enhance these events (and others – think Lichfield Festival Fringe and pigs?) and transform their impact. Existing events are well spaced throughout the year, however a spring event may also want to be considered?

The impact of the switch-on of the Christmas Lights on a week night, and the corresponding late date of the Christmas FestivalWeekend should also be considered. This was mentioned by two traders.

Likely costs £1,000 - £2,000 per event

It is estimated events like the Heritage Weekend attract thousandsIt is estimated events like the Heritage Weekend attract thousands

They are arranged on a shoe string. How much more effective could they be if they were funded effectively?

Do events like the Christmas Lights Switch On boost trade?Do events like the Christmas Lights Switch On boost trade?

How can we focus resources on events like thisto help them boost trade and make Lichfield stand out? What USP?

Traders want more business associations and networking opportunities. This scored 7% of the votes.

Lichfield is rich with trader organisations – from the Lichfield City Centre Coordination Group, to the Chamber of Trade & Commerce, to business breakfasts that take place regularly. The question is do we really need to create more, or do we need to strengthen and improve existing structures? Issues to consider include:

Fees Four traders requested membership/networking organisations that didn't charge fees. The fees charged by most organisations are very low. Could organisations considera free year’s membership/six months’ membership to encourage new members?

Timings/regularity Six traders mentioned the timings of meetings. It might be worth speaking to traders to see when the want meetings to take placeand what locations are easy to get to.

Above all, can we argue it is best to encourage traders to get involved in, shape and improve existingbusiness associations/networks – rather than re-invent thewheel.

Likely costs £ minimal / cover membership offer?

Traders want more social media promotion. This scored 6% of the votes.

Without an identity and underpinning structure (with someone given the responsibility to keep social media up to date) it is difficult to deliver in a meaningful way. If a website is developed for shopping, eating, drinking in Lichfield, it will create the necessary identify/platform to kick start more social media activity. Issues to consider include:

Maintenance and management If a town centre manager is appointed, they would be the ideal candidate to deliver social media. If not, could the Visit Lichfield team add this to their work on tourist social media, including twitter and facebook?

Likely costs £ Dependent on who delivers it?

Traders want street champions to be voted in/appointed. This scored 6% of the votes.

This links to comments traders have made about the difficulties of attending networking meetings and communications in the city. Traders have suggested that a ‘street champion’ or ‘street representative’ should be appointed to each area. This person would be invited to attend Town Team meetings, and then be the main point of contact for other traders in their street/area. Issues to consider include:

Supporting street champions Would street championsbe happy to take on the role? What could we do to support them? Could we offer training/support to help them carry out their role ofstreet champion? How do the Town Team meetingsneed to change (timings etc) to allow all streetchampions to attend?

Likely costs £ Cost of training/reordered town teammeetings.

Traders want more parking offers.This scored 6% of the votes.

To set this into context, cheaper short-stay parking received 5 votes and free parking received only one vote, but more ‘parking offers’ received 15 votes. Issues to consider include:

Loss of income Parking offers result in a loss of income for the council. How is this income going to be replaced? Will traders/the press warm to the idea of the pot being used to replenish the council for a loss of parking income? How could wemeasure the loss of income/increase of income in other areasas a result of the offer?

Using the money in this way could see the pot deplete quickly. And, do we know that parking offers really bring in additional, rather than displaced footfall? Likely costs £ Dependent on offers

Traders want more and better communications. This scored 5% of the votes.

We recently launched a reformatted City Speak (now in its 4th issue). Those traders that are aware of the publication tell us it is very good and delivers them all the information they need. Issues to consider include:

Moving forwards We could look to boost City Speak, but before we do that, we are keen to know whether traders read it, and whether we should delaya decision on this until people have had the chance to look out for it and start to rely on it as a key publication.

We are also updating the City Speak website www.cityspeak.info to ensure there is an online version of City Speak for traders to rely on.

Likely costs £ Dependent on decision

Are traders looking out for City Speak?Are traders looking out for City Speak?

What more communications are needed?Are they getting enough, but just not knowing what to look for?

Traders want more city advertising and promotion. This scored 5% of the votes.

We have never advertised Lichfield City as a shopping, eating and drinking destination to neighbouring areas. Often times you will see advertising campaigns for nearby areas (Stafford at Christmas / Solihull in the spring) on buses, trains and more. Whilst Lichfield markets itself to the tourist trade (funded by partner contributions), we have never had budget to deliver a marketing campaign for the city. Issues to consider include:

Branding and messaging The branding for the marketing activitywould be delivered from the city branding workshop, andwould direct people to the website. Without the branding exercise and website development, the success of the marketing campaign would belimited. It is essential they are all delivered as a package.

Likely costs £ Anywhere between £5,000 and £10,000, depending on media chosen and frequency.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

Traders want a mobile application or website. This scored 4% of the votes.

Traders would like a mobile phone application or mobile website to promote shops, restaurants and bars. They would like this to be widely marketed throughout the town – think door stickers encouraging people to use the mobile phone app to find their way around. Issues to consider include:

Reuse Visit Lichfield mobile website www.visitlichfield.mobi We have developed a mobile phone application for Visit Lichfield that listsall the content included on the Visit Lichfield website. Muchlike the website, we could reskin, or duplicate the mobile siteto create a shopping mobile site, using the same data.

Likely costs £ Mobile phone website design, plus a small amount of development costs. Plus costs ofwindow stickers.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

May be part funded through additional

MP/High Street Innovation funding.

Awaiting confirmation.

Mobile phone applications or websites can cost thousands to developMobile phone applications or websites can cost thousands to develop

Do we need to reinvent the wheel,or can we make the most of what we already have?

www.visitlichfield.mobi - a website that acts like an ‘app’

Traders want a loyalty card scheme and/or a shopping crawl passport. Loyalty card scored 5% of the votes. Shopping crawl scored 4% of the votes.

Loyalty card schemes can come in all different shapes and sizes. From the idea of winning a car every month for shopping in Lichfield, through to a paper card that is stamped every time a customer makes a purchase in a local independent shop, and then when full, the shopper can claim x% off in shops, or be entered into a prize draw. Issues to consider include:

Special Offers Card We currently have a special offers card which is free for traders andcard holders free to take part. We are adding this to the mobile phone application at the moment. This is maintained by Visit Lichfield and we could create a shop, eat, drink Lichfield special offers card to accompany the brand/website/window stickers etc. The card/offers are supported by emails to over 3,000 customers every month. These emails could be co-branded Visit Lichfield & shop, eat, drink Lichfield. We could also look to do seasonal card promotions, such asChristmas shopping crawl passports.

Likely costs £ Cost of card reprint, plus cost of email rebrand andmonthly emails and any seasonal promotions

Maybe funded through additional MP/High Street Innovation funding. Awaiting

confirmation.

Maybe funded through additional MP/High Street Innovation funding. Awaiting

confirmation.

The Visit Lichfield Special Offers Card Scheme has 3,000 email customersThe Visit Lichfield Special Offers Card Scheme has 3,000 email customers

And 2,ooo card holders – can we extend thisto benefit local shops and traders?

Traders want more Covent Garden style entertainers. This scored 3% of the votes. Traders see the benefit of making streets a more exciting place to be, and the benefit of well regulated and well managed street entertainers. Issues to consider include: Branded entertainment spaces We have discussed the possibility of branded entertainment spaces, marked with floor vinyls. Issues to consider include planning permission, how long the vinyls last, how they are maintained and limitations on cleaning, as well as costs.

Entertainers It is possible we could use the money to recruit a series of entertainersto provide quality on-street entertainment over a set period of time. This isa short-term fix and will not necessarily result in a long-term street entertainment reputation.

Busking strategy Another alternative is to develop a buskingstrategy to attempt to support and encourage quality buskersto frequent Lichfield City centre. There are examples of successfulbusking strategies elsewhere, and it may be worth investigating.

Likely costs £2,000 - £5,000 for street entertainers, depending on frequency and duration. Vinyls tbc, busking strategy foc

Traders want a city map. This scored 3% of the votes. Traders have expressed a desire for a city centre map, to advertise the shopping, eating and drinking areas of the city. Issues to consider include: Frequent opening and closings A city map that includes detailed listings of all shops etc will go out of date as soon as it is printed. An alternative would be a map that includes a very clear map, and clearly zoned areas – Visit Tamworth Street for a wonderful variety of independent stores, from beads,to sewing and children’s clothes, Tamworth Street is a lovely place to mooch for a uniquegift or purchase.

Traders could then pay for advertising on the reverse of the map, which could also include editorial about why to come to Lichfield and promotethe mobile phone application and website for store listings.

Likely costs £1,000 - £2,000 depending on design andprint run. Potentially lower if advertising revenues can be Generated.

May be funded through additional MP/High Street Innovation funding. Awaiting

confirmation.

May be funded through additional MP/High Street Innovation funding. Awaiting

confirmation.

Where next?Do you agree with the issues discussed?Do traders need to see this presentation?Do we need to consider other ideas voted on?

What else do we need to do?

Presented [email protected]