2012

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This year has not been the best  for footfall and revenue generation at many attractions.  The negative impact of the Olympics on incoming tourism , unforgiving weather conditions and the ongoing gloom over the economic climate all contributing to a severe downturn in attendance figures across the sector.

Taking time out to look at your attraction from an impartial viewpoint, particularly that of the customer,  is never easy and certainly one of the major challenges facing retailers in their fight for survival on our high streets.

Applying his extensive business development skills, understanding of how customers perceive and use space and wide marketing expertise our ‘Shop Doctor’ can bring a refreshing insight into identifying issues impacting on business performance at visitor attractions.

Looking at an attraction through  a fresh pair of eyes can provide an insight into the business that may not have previously been considered. Link this to recommendations as to how to improve the way the attraction interfaces with the customer, ideas to improve catering or retail efficieny and suggestions regarding routes to effective diversification the outome could prove very stimulating. 

If you are considering how to revitalise your attraction in time for 2013 now might be a good time to talk to Let’s Talk Shop.  Our skills are not just orientated towards retail development alone, they are transferable into any business where direct customer interface and delivery of high levels of customer service are critical to maintaining existing levels and, ideally, attracting increased and profitable attendance in the future.

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Charity shops exist mainly to fund the great work done by their charity yet, as with all retail businesses in the present economic climate, they are facing an increasing number of challenges when it comes to sustaining their income streams .

Common concerns include: …. how can they continue to attract customers to buy from them when there is greater competition? How can local charities compete against national charity shops and how can they access good quality donations to maintain an appealing product range?

To assist those that manage and work in the charity sector to better understand how subtle changes in their approach to retailing might help improve their trading vitality “The Shop Doctor”  presented a special retail masterclass for local charity shops.

The free evening event  on 7th November was coordinated by Kelly Metcalf from Business in the Community and held at the excellent facilities provided by Caritas at the Salford Cathedral Centre. Further information via kelly.metcalf@bitc.org.uk or 07867 826271. 

For more photographs of the evening click here

Charity Shop Doctor feedback from attendees 

post updated 16.00 22.11.12

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The Shop Doctor is currently working on a project  to assist Cheshire East Council identify opportunities to improve the shopping experience in the ten market towns involved in the Love Local Life Loyalty Card initiative.

The Shop Doctor is assessing the physical experience of shoppers in the towns  and also evaluating the effectiveness of their on-line presence and how it might be more effectively utilised to attract increased shopping activity to each of the towns.

The final report will highlight issues  impacting on the shopping experience and propose recommendations that will help inform future initiatives to help maintain and develop retail vibrancy in towns across the County.

The towns involved are Alderley Edge, Alsager, Bollington, Congleton, Disley, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Middlewich, Sandbach and Wilmslow.

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The Shop Doctor will be spending  4 days in Stranraer between the 25th and 28th September in the latest Let’s Talk Shop  support programme funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.

The visit follows recent work undertaken in Annan and Dumfries and includes anevening Masterclass Workshop on the Tuesday 25th helping retailers understand the importance of providing a strong first impression to customers and how application of some straightforward common sense can make a real differences to shop performance.

During the programme the Shop Doctor will also be visiting individual retailers assessing their businesses potential and presenting recommendations for change that need cost no more than a little time.

The Shop Doctor commented “in the present economic climate it is not always possible for retailers to invest in new shop fittings, lighting or even redecoration. My challenge is to identify cost effective routes to improve retail performance, working with what the retailer has already got by making it work even harder” he added “where investment is an option I can help ensure that the investment is one that can really help build performance and onward profitability”

For further details of the retail masterclass or to discuss the possibility of arranging a ‘one to one’ visit contact:

Wendi Cuffe, Economic Development Officer, Dumfries & Galloway Council
Phone: 0303 333 3000
Email: wendi.cuffe@dumgal.gov.uk

 

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A further 15 towns have been identified today to receive funding to help implement some of the Mary Portas recommendations to government, bringing the total of supported towns to 27.

The full list of the  towns announced today are:

Ashford, whose Town Team will use its local market to attract people back to the high street by offering new stall-holders the opportunity to have a ‘stall for a tenner’;

Berwick, who will work with local builders and other businesses to give their high street a much-needed facelift;

Braintree, who will provide mentoring support to the high number of independent shops in the area;

Brighton (London Road), who will encourage retailers to work together to tackle vandalism and crime to help realise the area’s full potential;

Hatfield, who will look beyond retail to provide community and event facilities to encourage more visitors to the high street;

Leamington (Old Town), who plan to focus their efforts on tackling the high vacancy rate in the high street and encourage new businesses to the area;

Liverpool (Lodge Lane), who will help aspiring young entrepreneurs in the community by offering a mentoring service;

Waterloo – Lower Marsh and the Cut (London Borough of Lambeth), who plan to set up satellite markets and tackle the high number of empty shops in the area;

Forest Hill, Kirkdale and Sydenham (London Borough of Lewisham), who plan to renovate 12 empty premises and improve signage in the local area;

Chrisp Street, Watney Market, Roman Road (London Borough of Tower Hamlets), who will use exploit their high visitor numbers to run a series of public information programmes;

Loughborough, who plan to involve students from Loughborough University to reinvigorate their high street and encourage budding business owners to consider setting up locally;

Lowestoft, who will create a Town ‘group’ discount scheme to attract local people, and establish a mentoring scheme in conjunction with schools, colleges and retailers;

Morecambe, who will set up a community café to provide advice and support for those looking to take up business opportunities;

Rotherham, who will launch a publicity campaign to highlight the unique nature of the high street and encourage people to ‘shop local’; and

Tiverton, who plan to improve parking facilities to encourage more visitors and tourists to the town centre.

The government has said it will share £5.5m between the 27 successful bidders and 392 other town teams. The 15 pilots will receive a share of £1.5m to make their ideas a reality. This includes £300,000 from the Greater London Authority for the London pilots.

Towns not selected to be pilots are to be supported a new online encyclopaedia – 100 Ways to Help the High Street and run by the ATCM.

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Following completion of an extensive £3million infrastructure project to provide Poynton with equal priority shared space  for pedestrians and road users it is intended that the  environment created will help to revitalise the local economy by making Poynton and the local area even more attractive in which to live, work and visit.

The innovative high quality scheme sets Poynton apart from other trading centres providing an opportunity for the village and its wider economy to benefit from the unique nature of the presentation of Park Lane and its junction with the A523 London Road.

Let’s Talk Shop Ltd is currently engaged in meeting with businesses operating in Poynton to identify the impact of the improvements and the aspirations for businesses operating in the village. The work follows an initial exercise undertaken in 2010 prior to commencement of the scheme and will help to draw conclusions as to the economic impact that the scheme will have on Poynton.

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Less than a week to go before “The Shop Doctor” visits Annan to commence a “Let’s Talk Shop” Retailer Support programme funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.

The programme commences on the evening of Tuesday 26th June with a retail masterclass identifying issues felt to impact on the retail vitality of shops in the town. The presentation will include examples of The Shop Doctors first impressions of Annan and its shops together with examples he has observed from other areas.

In the days following the presentation ‘one to one’ in store sessions are being arranged with an initial base of 12 shops  being visited. During these sessions  The Shop Doctor will looking closely at each of the businesses and developing individual solutions to help each  improve their retail vitality.

The programme follows work recently undertaken by The Shop Doctor with 24 shops in Dumfries where the response to the very individual assistance was extremely well received.

Retailers interested in attending the masterclass or participating in the programme should contact Beverley Bamford via email at beverley.bamford@dumgal.gov.uk