Local Business Network & RETAILERS WORKING TOGETHER
Notes from Retailers’ meeting on Thursday 3rd April 2008.
Town Hall. Crowborough
1. Kate Shaw chaired the meeting. 19 people attended.
2. Apologies: Julian Salmon, Kay Moss, Chris Grose
Events and WDC Grant:
Confirmed £4.5k (of £5k bid) awarded by WDC to support project “To promote shopping in Crowborough”. Events/promotion aspect of scaled down allocation is £3264 for related expenditure*. £1236 assigned to possible “signage” project depending on Town Council’s response to Retailers’ bid.
Agreed: Funding to be lodged/ringfenced within Local Business Network’s balances in Crowborough Partnership bank account pro temps. Money to be spent only on project objectives* by 31.3.09 otherwise returned to WDC. Annual Membership Subs to be agreed and promoted.
Agreed:
Tony S to complete and return Acceptance of Award form to WDC.
Events Committee to meet as matter of urgency. Preference shown for a 6pm start/Consensus for Monday evenings. Kate to contact Morrisons about use of their training room for Events and confirm with 10 volunteer members of events committee venue/date of 1st meeting.
Tony S to attend next Events Committee meeting to define detail of bid/award.
Specific roles to be allocated/contact list to be established for circulation at 1st meeting (substitutes to be considered). Urgent priority must be given to events. Action meetings essential with proper structure, notes produced identifying agreed action by whom/when to be circulated and posted on info/biz web sites.
General (structured) meetings to be held not less that bi-monthly for report back of progress/action taken with open invitation to Retailers and Councillors as well as debate on any retail related issues advised to Chairman in advance. (Tony S to liaise with Town Hall re availability of ‘Thursday’ dates).
All Retailers in the town to be encouraged to participate as one Group.
Need to agree a ‘name’ for the Retailers’ Group and a slogan design for the ‘shopping bags’.
Events Committee comprises: Kate, Sue, Karen, Sandra, Gill, Chris, Jane, Stephen, Jenny, Chris Grose, Town Co-ordinator. (Tony S to liaise with Roger Hoggins about degree of his preferred involvement with Events Committee)
3. Shopwatch (Rod Tomlinson)
Agreed:
Which of 2 types/models of radio to be used by every registered user needs to be decided by Rod.
Issues over external ‘interference’ need to be resolved by Rod.
Retailers would carry out Radio Check each morning for a week and e-mail Rod direct with their comments (Rod’s e-mail address – rod@radio-communications-systems.co.uk )
4. Another planning application/change of use for former Roan Cards / Cheesecake retail unit, High St. A1 to A2 (A2 includes financial/estate agent etc.,)
Same Agent as before who submitted unsuccessful application for change of use from A1 to A5 ‘Takeaway’. Need to be aware that if A2 is approved it does not mean an A2 unit will necessarily be established but it is easier to achieve an A5 change of use from A2 than A1 to A5. Anything other than A1 Retail will be detrimental to the High St.
Agreed Tony S would re-issue guidelines to Town Centre Retailers for any Objection. Closing date for all Objections/comments must reach WDC by 17th April.
5. Croft Road Resurfacing. Work is progressing and feedback from some Retailers suggests everything is going to plan. There is good contact with contractors, continuity of deliveries and trade does not seem to be adversely affected. Some shoppers have said that using a traffic free Croft Road is more pleasant. Cllr Sylvia Tidy asked for feedback to contribute towards the WDC Visioning project by the beginning of May with particular reference to pedestrianisation in Crowborough’s town centre.
Agreed Kate to request/collate Retailers’ responses on pedestrianisation and forward them to Cllr. Tidy by the end of April.
6. Business rates and evidence required from Retailers for Valuation Office
Chris G has produced a Spreadsheet for Retailers to complete to calculate the impact of Morrisons on their ‘takings’, pre/post January 07. All that Retailers have to do is fill in the relevant ‘takings’ column and the computer will do the rest. The spreadsheet will convert actual trade to an index if there is concern about providing actual figures. This will enable Chris G to assess whether or not there is enough evidence to warrant an appeal and then discuss the options with individual Retailers
Agreed:
Tony S will e-mail details and the excel spreadsheet to Retailers once Chris G has confirmed it is ready for issue
Kate thanked everyone for attending and the volunteers for the Events Committee.
The meeting closed at 7.40pm
Other aspects (future notes are unlikely to contain this type of information as they need to concentrate on decisions/action to be taken):
o Cllr Sylvia Tidy is the Cllr for liaison between WDC Councillors and Kate Shaw
o Cllr Jim Hollins (WDC Cllr) also attended the meeting
o It was suggested that the Crawley Town Centre Manager be invited to attend one of the Events Committee meeting once they had dealt with the more pressing and urgent priorities
o Brad Mitchell will also be a key figure in helping to organise future events
o Paul Kemp (Kemp Accountants) will report back to Kate following his meeting with Waitrose
o Jane of Zest offered the use of her rooms at her shop for Events Committee meetings
o Past minutes will need to be scrutinised to see at the 1st Events Committee meeting to what extent past agreed action has been completed
o Tony S to provide all 10 of the Events Committee full copies of the WDC bid
o WDC Community Grants were awarded to 16 of the 37 applicants
Please note the Retailers’ general meetings to which there is an open invitation to all Retailers and local Councillors are planned for the 1st Thursday of every other month starting on the 1st May (then July, Sept, Nov & Jan 09)
