January 2014 Harleston’s Future
2014 Harleston’s Future Town Team Action Plan
Redenhall with Harleston Town Council
Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Contents 3
Chairman’s Introduction
4-5
Marketing Plan Summary
6-7
Marketing Plan
8-11
Events Plan Summary
12-15 Events Plan
16-17 Environment Group Plan Summary 18-19 Environment Group Plan
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
An Introduction from the Chairman of Harleston’s Future Harleston is a thriving, vibrant and successful market town. But, look around at other market towns in Norfolk and in some you’ll see obvious decline. Take into account the recent withdrawal of two financial institutions and you will understand why the Harleston and District Business Forum held the ‘Great Debate’ at The Swan Hotel, controversially entitled ‘Can Harleston Survive?’, in July 2013? Although the title provoked criticism, it was enough to get my wife Trisha and I, residents of Harleston, out of our home to attend, together with around one hundred other interested parties who expressed varied views on what needed to be done to secure Harleston’s future success. My contribution at that meeting was seemingly enough to place me where I am now, as Chairman of Harleston’s Future. With volunteers enlisted at that same event, the Harleston Town Team was formed and is now working hard to help deliver Harleston’s Future. Since then, the dedication of our team, each one a volunteer, has amazed me. Amongst our number are residents, councillors, shop-keepers and business people. All give of their time freely to help achieve our adopted objective – ‘To ensure the continued prosperity and well-being of Harleston, for the benefit of local businesses, the local economy, residents and visitors’. The Town Team has been split into four working groups – Events; Marketing; Funding and Environment – and each has contributed to this, our first Action Plan. By taking a lead from previous research (including, of course, the ‘Have Your Say’ community research from three years ago) and by
working in partnership with Harleston Town Council, South Norfolk District Council and Harleston, District Business Forum and the Federation of Small Businesses we intend to demonstrate some real action on the ground in this, our first year, but with much, much more to follow in coming years, as we gather pace. And this planning has taken place just in time to take advantage of a coinciding awareness in South Norfolk District Council of the need to invest in their four market towns, through the current ‘Market Towns Initiative’. The action planning that we have engaged in over the last few months has partly been in order to secure funding from this Initiative. If you would like to become involved in Harleston’s Future please don’t hesitate to contact me or any other member of Harleston’s Town Team. Or why not keep up with us on Facebook or on Twitter or follow the debates on ‘streetlife.com’? Harleston is a unique Waveney Valley market town, with an admirable retail offer. In helping to deliver Harleston’s Future and in concert with South Norfolk District Council, Harleston’s Town Team aims to help keep it that way!
Best wishes Paul Stephen Chairman, Harleston’s Future and Town Team. Tel: 0786-7531817 paulstephen2@btinternet.com
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Marketing Plan Summary A marketing Plan to help deliver Harleston’s Future, a partnership project being delivered by Harleston’s Town Team The marketing group was convened for the first time on 19th August 2013, on an entirely voluntary basis, as one of four working groups constituted to deliver an all-important marketing element to the 2014 Harleston Action Plan. The Group has amongst its number, current and ex-marketing experience, as well as those with prior experience in similar environments. The Marketing Group currently comprises:Paul Stephen (Chairman) - ex-American Express Marketing Manager Chris Aldrich - Red Dune Marketing Nicky Stainton - Harleston business owner Carolyn Malinowski - Harleston Information Point/ community. Virginia Skoyles - marketing experience with regional private sector companies/arts venues Thanks also to Rev Nigel Tuffnell for his contribution. We have taken guidance from earlier research, which has provided us with direction:• • • •
Development of the town’s tourism infrastructure appears central The town centre must be developed as a product or a destination Well organised events to extend the season MTI Research 2002
We have agreed the following marketing objectives to ensure focus on what we seek to achievea. To enhance the profile of Harleston and its position in the heart of the beautiful Waveney Valley; b. To increase footfall within the town, from which local businesses might benefit and the local economy flourish; c. To ensure full communication across all local groups and all constituents; d. Specifically, to promote local events. The market segments we aim to target are • Harleston residents and businesses • Potential visitors and tourism from a 25 mile radius, including the City plus coastal, and tourist towns • Global, in concert with wider, perhaps Council-led, Norfolk and Norwich, South Norfolk and Waveney Valley initiatives.
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
From our discussions, several issues of relevance have become apparent to the Marketing Group a. Harleston should benefit from having a descriptor or brand much like other towns around it, one that capitalised on the town’s position in the Waveney Valley, one that quickly communicated our attraction, but one that also generated a warm and friendly image. Through consultation and by a process of elimination, we have proposed the following phrase for adoption by Harleston Town Council so that it might be used in future marketing materials-
‘Harleston - Heart of the Waveney Valley’ b. The critical need to ensure all of our constituents are engaged has been recognised. We have therefore planned to ensure ongoing communication with local Harleston businesses and local Harleston residents and, in addition, with those who visit Harleston for shopping and recreation, the populations of surrounding towns and villages. c. The potential for increased tourism has been identified by earlier research, in recognition of the huge influx of visitors to the nearby East Coast, at certain times of the year. d. It has been identified too that the population of South Norfolk and the Waveney Valley (and incoming tourists too) are avid consumers of events in the region (demonstrated by the success of, for instance, the Harleston Ladies Tractor Run, the Halesworth Food and Drink festival, the Bungay Antiques Festival and the Harleston and Waveney Festival). Properly planned and promoted events will draw substantial additional footfall to our town and so, our Marketing Group plans to ensure that Harleston’s new events, as planned by our Events Group, are properly maximised upon.
Our Marketing Plan follows in detail. It includes • an ongoing programme of events promotion; • a substantial print-run and professional year round distribution of Harleston tourism leaflets to seasonal tourist sites, including Norwich and the East Coast • a bi-annual newsletter to Harleston businesses and residents, to ensure local engagement (all subject to funding). This marketing plan has been compiled taking guidance from earlier research mostly embedded in the community; has been informed by consultation with a wide range of constituency groups and has been shaped by the views of the group members who represent a range of interested parties and who have worked diligently to produce a plan which they themselves believe in. We trust that it will assist in delivering ‘Harleston’s Future’.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Marketing Plan Target Date
Campaign
Ongoing
Networking, lobbying & presentations – with business, shop-keepers, MP’s, Town Council, SNDC etc.
Manage on-line presence, to ensure Harleston inclusion & to maximise exposure on and links to tourism sites, Norfolk/Suffolk County Council sites, SNDC & local sites
Press Releases Social Media + Park Radio for Harleston liaison January
Letter of introduction to 200 local Harleston businesses
Print & production of 2014 Harleston’s Future Action Plan (for businesses, council, funders) x 100 colour photocopies, A3 folded to A4 and stapled
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February
Design and production of HF Vertical Display Banner inc. new ‘Harleston Future’ logo design for events, meetings and presentations.
April
‘Summer Attraction’ Newsletter # 1 of 2 x 3,000 Harleston residents and businesses (to include 1 page poster promoting event+ events calendar).
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
Target Date
Campaign
April
Main Event 1
‘Harleston’s Future’ EASTER EGG EVENT AND EASTER BONNETS PARADE, to include SNDC ‘Eggcellent Easter’ MTI Promotion.
June
Main Event 2
‘Harleston’s Future’ ANTIQUES FESTIVAL promotion.
Tourist Information leaflets-design, production and distribution. In partnership with SNDC Market Towns Initiative. August
Advertorial feature to include Harleston advertisement & requiring supply of potential advertisers list. Main Event 3
September
AGM/Public Meeting.
October
‘Christmas Shopping Newsletter # 2 of 2. 4 page, folded, colour x 3,000 (to include 1 page poster promoting events) for Harleston & District residents and businesses.
November
‘Harleston’s Future’/Ben Potterton ROSE FESTIVAL/PLANT FAIR/OPEN GARDENS promotion.
Main Event 4
‘Harleston’s Future’ CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATIONS Carol Singing; Santa’s Grotto + New Year’s Eve celebrations. inc. Xmas Shopping in Harleston promotion, with traders discounts/incentives. In partnership with SNDC’s ‘Festive Fusion’ initiative.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Events Plan Summary An Events Plan to help deliver HARLESTON’S FUTURE a partnership project being delivered by Harleston’s Town Team
1. EVENTS TEAM OBJECTIVE To put Harleston on the map, raising its profile and securing its future as a good place to live, work and visit.
2. AIMS To achieve this by putting on events and working with and supporting existing groups that are developing their own, to encourage more people into the town, thereby contributing to securing and enhancing the town’s economic prosperity.
3. BACKGROUND The Events Team has been formed as a sub-group of the Harleston’s Future Team from the wider group of volunteers formed from the Great Debate open meeting.
The Team has met frequently, with the objectives of scoping the potential for enlarging the events portfolio of the town and its surrounding area and of prioritising and progressing key areas for action in the short, medium and long-term.
The Events Group currently has the following membership: Meryl Harding - The Pod Chocolatiers ; Sara Whiting – Town Living ; Cindy Debenham & Rachel Smith -Home Comforts; Carol Wiles – resident and community activist; Nicky Stainton – Wilderness Stores; Ben Potterton – Blacksmith’s Cottage Nursery.
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
4. EVENTS AND ACTIVIES AUDIT Our initial work has been to identify those activities that currently exist within and nearby the town and to assess, from local and personal knowledge, whether their primary benefit is currently solely to the town community, the surrounding localities, or whether they reach, or could reach, a much wider audience.
The Events Team believes that although many of these activities, in isolation, are unlikely to attract a wider audience than their traditional attendees, if they were to be grouped into clusters they could become part of a marketable product – such as the various workshops that take place within the town.
Similarly, there are established and well-attended events within the town that, with enhancements and stronger marketing have the potential, as part of a visitor offer, to attract a much larger audience from farther afield - examples being the various Harleston & Waveney Festival events, the Waveney Art Trail, Easter Egg Trail and Christmas Lights’ night.
The Ladies’ Tractor Road Run, for example, whilst not an exclusively a Harleston event, nonetheless attracts people to the town and there is potential to organise fringe events around this theme, to mutual benefit, without compromising the purpose of the Tractor Run itself.
In order to reach the wider audiences we require it is essential to promote Harleston’s portfolio of activities constantly, and the town itself as an entity, to attract local and wider audiences.
One of our first actions has been to approach Harleston Information Plus to publicise their diary of events and to encourage any event organisers to check the diary for clashes and also to book their event in.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
5. GAPS AND DESIRES Having looked at existing provision and their context, our next task has been to plot known local activities into a calendar of events and identify gaps and opportunities to fill these.
It is immediately obvious that most public events take place during the summer months and our intention is to develop a year-round calendar of events in order to extend the visitor season and also to maintain the vibrancy experienced during the summer, throughout the other seasons.
Given that food features highly in the Harleston economy (butchers, greengrocers, delicatessen, pubs, restaurants, cafes, take-aways, chocolatier, food festival, farmers’ market, bakery, farms) we feel that food should be promoted in conjunction with other events as well as having the potential to feature in its own right.
The Events Group wishes, wherever possible, to increase the effectiveness of its efforts by working in partnership with other active organisations and individuals, thereby encouraging a greater diversity of activities and, potentially, to attract external funding to benefit the town. We will therefore be open to new ideas for collaborative working and looking for ways in which other organisations’ initiatives can dovetail with our plans.
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
6. PORTFOLIO PROPOSALS In producing our plan for 2014 we have prioritised those events and activities where we can see the potential to strengthen our efforts through partnerships (whether as a lead or minor partner), through enabling and/or through provision of in-kind contribution, which will lessen the burden of cost as well as demonstrating local commitment to Harleston’s Future.
Some ambitious events will inevitably have financial implications but our intention is to minimise actual costs on every possible occasion through seeking in-kind contributions, using local goodwill and expertise and co-ordinating effort with other organisations.
We wish to investigate the potential for future commercial sponsorship, with the intention that sufficient revenue be generated to enable the tapering of external support in future years. We view commercial sponsorship as a form of partnership that the sponsor will include in his future plans in order to benefit Harleston’s future.
However, as a newly formed organisation we remain mindful of our unproven standing in the eyes of potential financial supporters and are therefore planning events consisting of modules of activity in order that any financial shortfall in one element will not compromise the whole programme.
7. OUR 2014 ACTION PLAN There follows our 2014 Events Action Plan which we are confident will add to the already wide range of Harleston attractions, extend the existing programme and will work in tandem with both Harleston’s Future’s Marketing Plan and South Norfolk District Councils Market Town Initiative to attract new visitors into Harleston, for economic gain.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Events Programme - March - April 2014 Event/ Activity
Season
Status
Resources
Tuesday March 4th
Harleston’s Future event
• Stationery and printing • Certificates for entrants • Medals for winners • Town Crier/ Host • Marshalls (assume 8 needed) • High vis vests for marshalls • Signage/ banners • Equipment (gas bottle) • Pancakes • Partner organisations (Lions?) • First aiders – St Johns
Thursday 17th, Friday 18th, Saturday 19th April.
Partnership event – • Just Truffles • Participating Harleston businesses • Schools around area
• Entry forms • Easter lollies • Prizes
Saturday 19th, parade and judging
Harleston’s Future Event
• Competition prizes • Entrants provide their own pans
March 2014 PANCAKE RACE Thoroughfare races from Market Place to The Swan. Different entry categories for, eg: businesses, shops, café/ pubs, organisations, sports clubs etc. Possibly fancy dress.
10.30am – 1pm
April 2014 2nd annual charity EASTER EGG HUNT In co-ordination with SNDC MTI Eggcellent Easter Promotion and ‘South Norfolk Local Flavours’ event.
EASTER BONNETS PARADE & COMPETITION Partnership event with schools, voluntary organisations and the church. Shop window display
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
Events Programme - June - August 2014 Event/ Activity
Season
Status
Resources
Sunday 15th June
Harleston’s Future Event
• Road closure costs • Signage • Entertainment
Sat 16th Sun 17th August
Harleston’s Future Event
• Admin expenses • Base venue to issue maps and entry badges • Trail maps and badges • Garden ‘open’ signs
Sat 23rd, Sun 24th August
Partnership with Blacksmith’s Cottage Nursery, Wharton’s Nursery.
• Harleston shops guide – leaflet to circulate amongst attendees • Signs • Displays
June 2014 ANTIQUES & VINTAGE STREET MARKET Daytime event around town centre with early evening music performance.
August 2014 OPEN GARDENS weekend To coincide with the opening weekend of Harleston & Waveney Festival. Individual garden owners are at liberty to provide chargeable refreshments, plant sales etc to raise additional funds/ charity donations. Promotion will be assisted by HWF which will include the event in its festival programme
ROSE FESTIVAL Based around Whartons Nursery rose fields, South Green and Blacksmith’s Cottage Nursery, Rushall. Rose fields will be open as part of the National Gardens Scheme and receive national publicity. Estimate 1000+ attendees. Ben Potterton of Blacksmith’s Cottage Nursery to lead nurseries input. Does not require financial support from HF. Shops and eateries in the town will be encouraged to adopt a rose theme for the weekend, in whatever way suits their business best. To coincide with the final Saturday and Sunday of Harleston & Waveney Festival i.e. August Bank Holiday weekend.
Harleston shops to be invited to adopt the rose theme and visitors to the nurseries will be encouraged to visit the town.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Events Programme - October 2014 Event/ Activity
Season
Status
Resources
Friday 31st October
Harleston’s Future event
• Resources, research and Tour Leader • Congregation and finish point – possibly The Swan Hotel. • Information sheet for participants. • Publicity and promotion.
Saturdays, 6th, 13th, 20th.
Harleston’s Future event
• Performers will be collecting for their own charities – no financial implications for HF • Gazebo for shelter – on loan
Saturday 13th December
Harleston’s Future event
• Decoration for grotto • Gifts for children
October 2014 (tbc) GHOST WALK - Halloween Local tour guide, famous for his legendary historical knowledge of Harleston, his historically-based walks around the town and his research of the local paranormal, will lead this timely walk around the area.
December 2014 CAROL SINGING Local singers and musicians to perform carols in the town centre on the December Saturdays prior to Christmas
SANTA’S GROTTO Local businesses working together with Harleston’s Future to provide the grotto within the town centre
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Town Team Action Plan 2014
Harleston’s Future
An Environment Group Action Plan An Environment Plan to help deliver ‘HARLESTON’S FUTURE’ a partnership project being delivered by Harleston’s Town Team The Environment Group has been asked to produce proposals contributing to the 2014 Harleston’s Future Town Team action plan. Prior to carrying out its work, the Environment Group clarified its remit. It defined its role to be: “To consider anything in the physical environment relevant to the quality of life of the local community and the enjoyment for visitors to Harleston”. Environment Group members are: Norman Hart (group leader), Cllr Eric Bird, Cllr Barry Woods, Mrs Carol Wiles, Peter Metcalf, Ian Carstairs. Assistance and advice has been given by Robert Holmes and Nick Durrant The group has conducted town walk-abouts and subsequently collated the details deriving from this research under three topic headings, namely: a. Roads, traffic and safety b. Appearance c. Environment. The Environment Group recognises that the majority of its recommendations can be implemented only via Harleston Town Council. For this reason the members of the group have been co-opted on to the council’s environment working party. Through this grouping they will progress their action plans through town council channels. They will continue to report their decisions and actions to the Harleston’s Future committee and remain part of the Town Team.
2014 ACTION PLAN- Opportunities for prompt action In order to demonstrate progress in the short-term, the Environment Group proposes that: a. with urgency, new and appropriate road signs are prepared and installed on agreed approaches to the town to show where the car parks are located - the need for this is paramount; b. a scheme to utilise more fully the flag holders in The Thoroughfare should be implemented, to further enhance the appearance of the town; c. the appearance of the two A143 by-pass roundabouts, one at each entrance to Harleston, be assessed and improved appropriately, remembering that one of these is in the parish of Needham. d. an assessment of need and subsequent improvements be made to direction signs to Harleston, including brown tourist signs from the A140. The need to agree short-term objectives for the purposes of this 2014 action plan belies the fact that work continues on very many longer terms initiatives that deserve significant research and demand wide debate. This work continues to be progressed and will be the subject of much future work. Until then, our 2014 Environmental Plan follows in a first bid to improve our local environment for the wellbeing of Harleston’s residents and businesses and for the attraction of visitors, all thus contributing to Harleston’s Future.
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Harleston’s Future
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Environment Group 2014 Plan Project No.
Project Title
Description
Target date
1
Appearance of two A143 roundabouts
Improvements to the appearance of two A143 roundabouts, at entrances to town.
Submit to SNDC by 31/1/14
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Flag pole holders
A funded programme to ensure maximum and varied use of the flag pole holders throughout the town
Consult Events Group 1/2014
Support the improvement of the maintenance of all road nameplates, working in co-operation with Harleston Town Council.
Submit to HTC 1/14
Assessment and subsequent improvement of direction signs to Harleston, including Brown Tourist signs on A140.
Submit to HTC 1/2014
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4
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Road nameplates.
Brown tourist signage
In place Easter 2014
To SNDC 2/14
To SNDC 2/2014
Town Team Action Plan 2014
Project No.
Project Title
Description
Target date
5
Installation of Car Park location signage on approach roads
Improvement to existing signage and installation of new
Submit to HTC 1/2014
Ongoing study and development of projects
Continuing study and assessment of c.100 issues already raised with HTC Environment Group, under headings:-
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Harleston’s Future
To SNDC 2/2014
Summer 2014
1/ Roads, traffic, pedestrians and safety 2/ Environment 3/ Appearance Probably to involve some ‘in-house’ survey work to identify evidence for presentation to Councils.
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