BIDMATTERS Quarterly newsletter 3 I October 2015
Ross Feeney, Chief Executive, ross.feeney@successfulsutton.co.uk
Introduction
Welcome to our latest BID newsletter.
Masterplan
to create town centre vision
Summer already seems like a distant memory although the recent spell of unseasonably warm weather serves as a reminder. It has been a challenging period for retailers in the town centre over the summer months.
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The continuing building work, while a sign of future growth and long-term investment in Sutton, inevitably has caused some disruption. While this is only temporary, we are working hard to encourage shoppers to continue to visit the high street. Over the summer we delivered a number of events and initiatives to increase footfall. Our pop-up crazy golf course proved a hit, with more than 4,800 games played during the month of August. August also saw the return of Sunset Cinema, London’s only high street cinema. The free film screenings were watched by hundreds of people and it was fantastic to see so many families enjoying the events and making the most of what Sutton has to offer. Our Enjoy Sutton deckchairs provided a wave of colour and a place for people to relax and have lunch while the weather was fine and our Swipii loyalty card is growing, with new retailers signing up to be part of the scheme. Time now seems to be on fast-forward as we rapidly approach one of the busiest times of the retail year.
A bold vision for Sutton town centre is what is needed if it is to remain a competitive retail and leisure destination.
With that in mind our newsletter includes some tips on planning ahead for the festive season so that businesses can capitalise on the busy shopping period.
A consortium of planning and regeneration advisors has been appointed by Sutton Council to create a masterplan outlining town centre development over the next 15 years.
We are also planning events and activities, including the Christmas lights switch-on, which this year will be carried out by Michelle Heaton of 90s pop band Liberty X, to draw people to the town centre. The latest news on all the events taking place in the run-up to Christmas can be found on our new-look website, www.enjoysutton.co.uk
A key part of the design process will be obtaining the views of traders and BID levy payers on improvements to the town centre to enable it to compete with its neighbours for continued commercial and business investment.
Finally, we are delighted that Sutton is one of 100 towns to receive support from some of the UK’s biggest brands as part of Business in the Community’s Healthy High Streets programme.
The news has been welcomed by Ross Feeney, Successful Sutton chief executive.
The nationwide programme aims to increase footfall, reduce the number of empty shop premises and stimulate the creation of new jobs. This is one of many exciting developments that will help shape Sutton town centre and ensure its future prosperity.
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Approximately £400m of private investment has been secured for Sutton over the past few years, evidence of which is all the cranes and building work currently visible.
However, Sutton needs to change and adapt to remain a competitive retail and leisure environment over the next 20 years and a strategic re-think of the north of the high street (incorporating the current market) is much-needed. We welcome the prospect of a bold re-think of the current layout of the town centre and look forward to working with Opportunity Sutton to driving change forward in partnership with the town’s business community.
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The masterplan will complement planned improvements to the ‘northern gateway’ to Sutton High Street.
Businesses were asked for their views on how to improve the look and feel of the northern end of the high street between Marshall’s Road and Benhill Avenue and around Asda as part of a public consultation. It comes after £500,000 government funding was secured to regenerate the area.