One of the region’s leading business centres, The Quadrant off the Parkway in Sheffield, has celebrated its 10th anniversary this June. Also this year, Manor and Castle Development Trust (MCDT) – the community charity founded to regenerate the Manor and Castle wards which set up the successful business centre celebrate their own 18th birthday. The […]
Portas returns with 38 recommendations for thriving towns
June 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Time flies when you’re having fun, right? It seems astounding that it’s now 2 and a half years since publication of the Government-commissioned Portas Review of the high street. Has it been a ‘fun’ time for independent retailers, high streets, and town centres though? And what can we learn from town teams and Portas pilots? […]
Northern prosperity is national prosperity – IPPR report
December 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
IPPR North’s Northern Economic Futures Commission has published its final report which sets out “a new economic agenda for the north of England, one which seeks to place the region at the heart of the UK’s ‘rebalancing’ towards business investment and export performance”. Alongside recommendations focused on jobs and skills, innovation, SMEs, natural assets, transport, […]
From library ‘at risk’ to prestigious award
October 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment
A library and tourist information centre which was at risk of closure but fought back, increasing opening hours by 300% whilst saving its local authority 30% in costs, has won “Britain’s top award for town community projects,” from my client, Action for Market Towns. When Northumberland County Council needed to make significant cost savings, there […]
TV and radio coverage for AMT
October 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Really busy week with my client Action for Market Towns. Their annual convention took place in the lovely Shropshire market town of Ludlow last Thursday: pretty much every hotel and B&B in the town was fully booked, and we reckon the event injected well over £100,000 into Ludlow’s economy. The convention marked the launch of […]
Death of the High Street
September 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Last night’s Tonight Programme on ITV1, titled ‘Death of the High Street’ is worth a watch (http://www.itv.com/news/tonight/episodes/death-of-the-high-street/ ). At 25 minutes it could barely scratch the surface, but was a short and succinct summary of the well known issues affecting UK High streets – average vacancy rates have tripled in the last three years – […]
