FREE
FESTIVAL 6 JUNE TO 22 JULY 2015
Summer Festival Report 2015
hammersmithlondon.co.uk
Introduction 3 Theatre in the Square
4-6
Wimbledon in the Square
6-7
London Festival of Architecture
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Opera in the Square
9-10
Picnic in the Square
10-11
Website Statistics
12-13
The BID Ambassador
14-15
Press Coverage
16-21
Introduction Once again Lyric Square was awash with entertainment as the BID hosted its eighth annual Summer Festival. Enjoyed by more than 8,500 people, the festival made Hammersmith feel more vibrant by offering a fantastic series of free events, which not only allowed workers to make the most of their lunchtimes but helped draw people into the area. Beginning in June the festival got underway with three weeks of interactive live theatre, showcasing some of the best talent in the country who performed a selection of imaginative and colourful tales as part of the Theatre in the Square season. Productions about interactive modern love stories, giant puppet squids and the remarkable transformation from the mundane to the richly colourful captivated audiences of all ages across three weeks, both during lunchtimes and after work. The BID’s commitment to improving the future landscape of Hammersmith was once again demonstrated through our contribution to the London Festival of Architecture, in which we held two public exhibitions, in Kings Mall and in the Lyric Hammersmith. Showcasing a vision of Hammersmith with a Flyunder and improved town centre, the exhibitions were supported by a special Flyunder Question Time event. Chaired by BBC broadcaster and local Hammersmith resident John Humphrys, the event let local businesses and residents ask questions to a panel of experts, which included representatives from Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Transport for London and West London Link. Wimbledon fortnight threw up a few surprises, what with some tournament favourites exiting early and the weather actually behaving itself, but the BID’s coverage of the tennis championships was welcomed as thousands came out to watch the big screen and enjoy the tennis from the comfort of the HammersmithLondon deckchairs. Always a festival favourite, the live streaming from the Royal Opera House was once again a great success as opera fans flocked to Lyric Square to enjoy Don Giovanni on a warm July evening. Broadcast as part of the BP Big Screens season, hundreds came to Hammersmith to enjoy an evening of culture, which was enjoyed alongside picnics, Pimms and strawberries. Al fresco yoga was also a particular highlight this year as local relaxation experts Lumi Power Yoga hosted three outdoor sessions in Lyric Square which were well-attended and highlighted the benefits of a yogilifestyle. The festival was brought to a close with the popular Picnic in the Square events, which offered an alternative solution for those seeking to unwind as we encouraged people to soak up the ambient atmosphere while enjoying our 20ft long picnic tables and lush green turf.
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LIVE OUTDOOR THEATRE FROM THE
THEATRE IN THE SQUARE BOY MEETS GIRL BY ZEST THEATRE JUNE 9 AND 10
MONOTONE MAN BY THE HUMAN ZOO JUNE 16 AND 17
CITIZEN SQUID BY PUPPETS WITH GUTS JUNE 23 AND 24
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Theatre in the Square Lyric Square hosted three of the country’s best touring theatre companies this June, each producing rich, vibrant productions which captivated the crowds. Once again the BID teamed up with the Lyric Hammersmith to turn Hammersmith’s premier outdoor space into an al fresco auditorium by providing free live theatre during Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. The season proved to be incredibly popular as we recorded our biggest ever audience numbers of just over 4,000. This is particularly impressive when comparing to previous years when Theatre in the Square has run for four weeks instead of this year’s three. Featuring three very innovative productions, each told a story in a different, yet beguiling manner. From the very modern love story of Boy Meets Girl, in which the audience tuned into either the male or female story through a pair of headphones, to the rich explosion of colour with Monotone Man as clever set and costume changes transformed a grey drab existence into a rich hue of a party, and finally to the masterful puppetry and physical performance of Citizen Squid which transfixed the audience with its melodic brand of storytelling. The 2015 season coincided with the re-launch of the Lyric Hammersmith after its £20m capital redevelopment. As such this presented the theatre with a good opportunity to showcase itself and the innovative work it supports following the extensive building job which left it temporarily closed for 18 months. Data received from our Summer Festival surveys revealed that over half of people asked had previously seen a show at the Lyric but following the outdoor productions, two-thirds would be compelled to pay a visit. Are you now more likely to see a show at the Lyric Hammersmith ?
66%
27% 7% Yes, most definitely
Made no difference
Not sure
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Almost 90% of people considered Theatre in the Square to be either ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’ and 83% of people had or were planning to spend money in Hammersmith, which is a very positive figure. Of those who came to the performances, almost two-thirds saw it happening and 15% came through wordof-mouth.
How did you hear about this event ?
59%
3%
2%
Website
E-news
13%
14%
Flyer / Ad
Word of mouth
Saw it happening
5%
4%
Lyric Hammersmith
Social Media
Theatre in the Square plays a very prominent role in the Summer Festival as it marks the beginning of our outdoor season of events and gives people a taster of what’s to come. This is why it is reassuring to see that 87% of people said they were more likely to attend outdoor events of this type in future and that almost 70% felt it improved the perception of Hammersmith.
Wimbledon in the Square The world’s most famous tennis tournament engrossed the people of Hammersmith once again, as they devoured every racquet stroke and bouncing ball during the annual Wimbledon fortnight. An essential part of the festival line-up, the BID’s big screen, along with good weather, ensured that tennis fans were kept happy as we broadcast all the action from SW19 between Monday, June 29 and Sunday, July 12. Over the course of the fortnight a little fewer than2,000 people watched the live coverage, cheering on for the tournament favourites and popular underdogs, which created a fantastic atmosphere, making Hammersmith feel more animated and connected. Almost everyone we surveyed felt the event made Hammersmith feel more vibrant.
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The arrival of the big screen presented the BID with a good opportunity to showcase itself and reinforce the good work it does in the town centre. That is why it’s encouraging that 62% of people asked had heard of HammersmithLondon, and as the audience was roughly split into thirds - see graph below - it’s positive that workers and residents not only know who we are, but know who is responsible for the festival.
Do you work/live/visit Hammersmith?
37%
33%
30%
Work
Live
Visit
This is made even more prudent by the fact that the majority of people were aware of the event after coming across it in Lyric Square with another 11% hearing through word of mouth. So although the BID’s marketing material may not have reached them, once they saw the big screen, they knew who was responsible for it.
72% How did you hear about this event ?
7% Website
4% E-news
2% Flyer / Ad
4%
11% Word of mouth
Saw it happening
Social Media
Wimbledon in Lyric Square remains an important part of the festival as it helps to encourage spend - 87% said they had spent money in Hammersmith or were planning to - and actively promotes the area as 87% said they would return to Hammersmith for similar outdoor events, so it remains a requisite part of the BID’s line-up.
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London Festival of Architecture Coinciding with the month-long, city-wide celebration of architecture, the BID hosted a series of events and exhibitions which posed questions about the future vision of Hammersmith Town Centre. Now a regular staple in the Summer Festival line-up, we held three events which were featured as part of the London Festival of Architecture and which once again presented the idea of Hammersmith without a flyover. A three day pop-up exhibition took place in the Kings Mall Shopping Centre which explored the idea of the Hammersmith Flyunder, charting the history of the project from an idea first showcased in 2008 to a potential major infrastructure project on the cusp of being realised. Images of Hammersmith’s past, present and future were on display and were met with great enthusiasm from the public who dropped in between June 11 and June 13. The architects from West London Link, those behind the vision, were on hand to discuss ideas and answer questions. In an attempt to encourage debate and action, we were able to organise a very special Question Time style event at newly-refurbished Lyric Hammersmith. Chaired by BBC broadcaster and Hammersmith resident John Humphrys, residents grilled a panel of experts for over an hour on the whys and wherefores of the Flyunder project in what proved to be a greatly successful evening. The panel included: • Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan • Global Director of Tunnelling at CH2M Hill, Martin Knights • Chair of West London Link Design, Tom Ryland • Director of Strategy and Policy for Transport for London, Richard de Cani Ahead of the festival, children from west London took part in a workshop which tasked them with reinterpreting the area. Through research and design they created a giant map of Hammersmith which explored connectivity in the area and resulted in a wonderfully creative and insightful piece of work, which was displayed at the pop-up exhibition and at the Flyunder Question Time event. The work that the BID does in supporting the London Festival or Architecture is important residents not only know who we are, but know who is responsible for the festival.
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Opera in the Square The story of a gallivanting Romeo, who travels from the bedrooms of Europe to the gates of hell, helped to draw in the crowds as the operatic masterpiece Don Giovanni was beamed live into Lyric Square. People flocked to the area for an evening of culture as the BID streamed the performance live from the Royal Opera House onto the HammersmithLondon Big Screen as part of the BP Big Screens 2015 event. Corks popped and picnics enjoyed as the audience relaxed in Lyric Square, their happiness enhanced by the fact the performance fell on a warm Friday evening, helping to create a very pleasant atmosphere in the town centre. The opera provides the BID with a great chance to positively promote the area as it traditionally brings a lot of visitors into Hammersmith. As you can see from the graph below, more than 50% of the audience were from outside the area, who had the chance to see the town in a different light. Of those we asked, 82% said they felt the opera changed their perception of Hammersmith, which is positive, especially considering this could have been the first time they had visited the area. An event like the opera is a great way to change misconceptions and to provide them with favourable memories of the areas. As a result, 80% of the audience said the opera would encourage them to attend more Hammersmith results in the future.
Do you work/live/visit Hammersmith ?
56%
24% 15% Work
Live
Visit
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The BID’s promotion of the opera was very successful as the audience used various methods to find out about the event. As you can see in the graph below, almost two-thirds of people knew about the event because of the BID’s communications which shows that our digital presence is working well and the other third either came to it via word-of-mouth, which again is great as it shows that people are talking about our Summer Festival in a positive light and passing the message on.
How did you hear about this event ?
29%
29% 21% 12%
Website
E-news
10% Flyer / Ad
Word of mouth
Saw it happening
Picnic in the Square A laidback and pleasant event, Picnic in the Square is a great way to sign off the Summer Festival as people are invited to each their lunch in Lyric Square while (hopefully) basking in the sunshine. Popular among workers, it creates a relaxing lunchtime atmosphere as the deckchairs are out, mellow music is played and the BID’s giant picnic table is erected in the middle of the square. After providing a busy summer of lively events, Picnic in the Square is the perfect antidote, allowing everyone in Hammersmith to unwind and enjoy some peaceful moments. Born out of feedback taken at previous festivals, the picnic event has proven a great success as 85% of participants rated it excellent or very good, and everyone we asked had spent money in the town, suggesting that people were buying their lunch and taking it to Lyric Square.
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How do you rate this event ?
46% 39%
15% Excellent
Very Good
Fair
Much like the rest of the festival, Picnic in the Square succeeded at altering people’s perception of Hammersmith as everyone we asked agreed that it made the area feel more vibrant and would encourage them to attend similar events in the future.
Has this event made you more or less likely to attend outdoor events in Hammersmith in the future ?
63%
32% 5% More likely
Less likely
Don’t know
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Website Statistics During the festival period of June 6 - July 22, the HammersmithLondon website received an influx of web traffic as people sought to find out what was going on in the area. Our website received an unprecedented number of hits during this time with 4,809 users, 6,181 sessions and 13, 454 page views during the festival’s seven week period. The most viewed pages, aside from the homepage, were the What’s Happening Summer Festival page and the Wimbledon page.
Most viewed HL Webpages
4%
age 4%
Deals - Subp
uide gh G
Rou
Deals 7%
Summer Festival Whats Happening 20% Whats Happening 10%
ar -
Wimbledon 10%
ats Wh
h App
it ersm
4% ing pen Hap 3%
Hamm
ppening 4%
Opera - Whats Ha
end
Cal
Homepage 34%
As you can see, the Summer Festival played a prominent role in boosting traffic to the website, so much so that we recorded our highest monthly web figures since the launch of the site in November 2014. The BID’s prominent press coverage was a key reason for the spike in visitors as just over a third of this traffic was directed from popular sites such as the Evening Standard and Time Out who were promoting the festival, and in particular Wimbledon on the big screen.
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Audience Acquisition It is also worth noting that 32% of people were brought to the site from their online searches, which shows that we are increasing our position on these sites thanks to our refined search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy. What is also interesting is that very few people came to the site via our social media accounts, despite us having a strong presence during the festival.
Organic Search 32%
Direct 29% Soci
al m
edia
Referral 36%
3%
If you look at Twitter, our most successful social media tool, during the festival we gained 123 new followers, had 2,673 profile visits and were mentioned 154 times. However, only 32 users came to the website via our Twitter account. These statistics indicate that our audience is redeeming the information and engaging with us but there is no subsequent action outside of Twitter. Similarly, Facebook brought in 62 users to the website despite our posts reaching an audience of 3,285 with 539 of those engaging directly with us. The BID’s online strategy must reflect this feedback, so continued work to enhance the website’s SEO will only increase traffic to the site.
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The BID Ambassador For the first time the BID was able to utilise the BID’s Welcome Ambassador, for the Summer Festival, acting as a highly-visible presence in the area. The Ambassador scheme has proven to be a useful asset for the BID as it gives us an ubiquitous presence in the town centre, one that has been welcomed by businesses and the public alike. Throughout the festival the Ambassador was on hand to offer advice and information and to retrieve feedback after the events took place.
Foreign Tourists 59% US Tourist 5%
Business 36%
It also provides us with another way to accumulate data about the festival. Over the course of the festival, the Ambassador welcomed just fewer than 2,000 people to the area; almost two-thirds of whom were foreign tourists. This is an especially interesting statistic as throughout the year, the Ambassador usually greets business visitors and locals - people local to London, but not specifically Hammersmith. The fact that two-thirds were foreign tourists reflects the popularity and importance of Hammersmith as a destination during the summer months, something which was further reflected by the fact that a quarter of all requests made to the Ambassador during this time where directions for hotels. This reinstates Hammersmith’s importance as a locality thanks to its excellent transport links and proximity to central London. This is important information for the BID, as it shows that the Summer Festival can have a very positive impact on the perception of Hammersmith from a visitor’s point of view.
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proximity to central London. This is important information for the BID, as it shows that the Summer Festival can have a very positive impact on the perception of Hammersmith from a visitor’s point of view.
Press Coverage
Press Coverage
BID received an unprecedented amount of press coverage this year, being featured on websites The such as the Radio Times and Get West London as well as in free London magazines such as Time Out The BID received an unprecedented amount of press coverage this year, being featured on websites and sport. such as the Radio Times and Get West London as well as in free London magazines such as Time Out and sport.
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HammersmithLondon BID. Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, London W6 0QL Telephone: 020 3362 4626
hammersmithlondonbid.co.uk