Town Centre Manager's report: 21st May 2013

1. Introduction

This report is for information.

2. Trading in Herne Bay

The first four months of the year have been difficult for traders, mainly due to the inclement weather and a national dip in retail sales. The May bank holiday weekend was the start of the tourist season, with lots of visitors to the town and seafront. The retail offer in the town is changing and we have seen two large retail units become vacant, Stead & Simpson’s in Mortimer Street and Odyssey in William Street. There has been a lot of interest in the units, but it appears that high rents are putting off interested parties.

Two new micro pubs have recently opened The Firkin Frog in Station Road and the Bouncing Barrel in Bank Street.

Beano’s in Mortimer Street has acquired Fusions Hair, the next door premises and will be extending the café.

Pizza Direct in Central Parade, have acquired Shore Play next door and will be opening a pizza restaurant.

Mushy Peas Fish & Chip Shop and Restaurant opened in Central Parade; Dolcies have re-located to new premises in William Street and the former Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant is under new management.

3. Independent Business

Nigel Handcock from Grass Media has formed the Herne Bay Independent Retailers Group to actively promote independent businesses in the town. The TCM is working with the group to offer support and to advise and assist in creating events for the National Independent Traders week in July.

4. Free Car Parking Trial

Throughout April the city council trialled free parking in the Kings Road Car Park for cars parked up to 11am, Monday to Friday. This offer attracted more people to the car park, with a 66% increase in cars parked at these times in April compared to March. (1048 cars parked in the car park until 11am for the month of April, averaging 35 cars per day).

5. Christmas Lights 2013

Herne Bay Community Group Projects Ltd are taking over management of the existing Christmas Lights. They are currently fund raising and hope to create an outstanding display in Herne Bay next Christmas. Depending on the success of their funding drive they hope to increase the displays in the town to include Mortimer Street, William Street and High Street. Other community groups including: Herne Bay Town Partners, Herne Bay in Bloom, Bay Promo Team and Beach Creative are supporting this work.

6. Events

• Sci-Fi by the Sea: 16 June 2013 organised by the Bay Promo Team.
• Kings Hall Centenary Celebrations: throughout July 2013
• Herne Bay Carnival 10th August 2013
• Herne Bay Festival: 17th – 25 August 2013, organised by Same Sky. Forty people attended the recent meeting called by Same Sky, the organisers of this year’s Herne Bay Festival. The majority of the attendees were from local community groups.
• Herne Bay Motor Show Sunday 18 August 2013, organised by Herne Bay Town Partners.

Contact Officer: Chris West Telephone: 01227 868515

A golden opportunity - blink and you've missed it

In the interests of saving money, CCC is "privatising"​ (i.e. putting out to tender) a number of local events - the Herne Bay Festival, the Herne Bay and Whitstable Classic Car Shows, and now the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival.

This may or may not be a well-conceived idea, but it is certainly being very poorly executed. Despite the fact that (presumably) this stems from a strategic decision taken some ago, CCC has left it till the last moment to advertise each of these opportunities.

On 3rd April 2013, CCC announced on their website that the Food & Drink Festival was up for grabs. The closing date was 19th April 2013.

Do they honestly think they'll get the best tenders by leaving so little time for anyone to prepare a bid? Or did they already have someone lined up, and were only going through the motions of competitive tendering because they're legally obliged to? What do you think?

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Council seeks food festival delivery partner

The city council is looking for organisations or individuals who think they have what it takes to build on the success of the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival in 2013.

The successful delivery partners will take the established festival brands and develop an exciting programme of events and activities to take them to the next level.

Managing and delivering this popular event that regularly attracts around 20,000 people each year, the successful organisation will actively work with the local business community to shape this popular event, continuing to attract shoppers to Canterbury and supporting the local economy.

The council is keen to make sure that events and activities that are important to the local community, economy and visitors, such as the food festival, are led by those that have the experience, specialisms and networks to ensure their future growth and success.

The council will be looking to contract a new delivery partner in May 2013. Expressions of interest are being sought through the south east business portal at www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk , where the opportunities and individual requirements for the festival are set out. The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 19 April.

The council’s Head of Culture and Enterprise, Janice McGuinness, said:

“Festivals are an excellent example of how culture, tourism and our local economy can enhance our communities by promoting and celebrating what’s great about where we live. Ensuring our festivals are rooted within our local communities is key to their future development and growth, and the council looks forward to working with the new delivery partners.”

CCC 3rd Apr 2013

Herne Bay Festival - it could be yours

OK folks, here you go - all the paperwork you need to apply to CCC to run the Herne Bay Festival this year. It's an 8 month contract worth £35,000 to the lucky winner. Closing date 9am 17th January 2013.

Reading through the Delivery Partner Brief, I found myself starting to wonder whether CCC is actually trying to discourage applications.

Pssst... wanna run a festival?

Hmmm... our beloved Council is looking for someone to run the HB Festival. You'll have to hurry though - the closing date for applications is 16th January 2013. Don't these people ever plan ahead? Do they really think they'll get the best possible applicants by leaving it until a few days before Christmas to publish the invitation to tender? Unless, of course, they've already got someone in mind...

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Council seeks coastal festivals delivery partners

The city council is looking for organisations or individuals who think they have what it takes to build on the successes of the Whitstable Oyster Festival and Herne Bay Festival in 2013.

The successful delivery partners will take the established festival brands and develop an exciting programme of events and activities to take them to the next level.

Managing and delivering these popular events that regularly attract up to 15,000 people each year, the successful organisations will actively work within the local communities to shape, and help put their mark on, these annual community celebration events.

The council is keen to ensure that events and activities that are important to the local community, economy and visitors, such as the coastal festivals, are led by those that have the experience, specialisms and networks to ensure their future growth and success.

The council will be looking to contract new delivery partners for both festivals in early 2013. Expressions of interest from organisations or individuals are being sought through the south east business portal at www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk , where the opportunities and individual requirements for each festival are set out. The closing date for expressions of interest is Wednesday 16 January 2013.

The council’s Head of Culture and Enterprise, Janice McGuinness, said: “The coastal festivals are an excellent example of how culture, tourism and our local economy can enhance our communities by promoting and celebrating what’s great about where we live.

“Ensuring our festivals are rooted within our local communities is key to their future development and growth, and the council looks forward to working with the new delivery partners.”

CCC 21 December 2012

Herne Bay's Pier Trust gets new entertainment boss

Bay music man David Shepherd has been put in charge of entertainment at the town's Pier Trust following criticisms from the city council. At the last executive meeting, officers accused the trust of being inexperienced. So councillors voted officers an extra £6,000 to boost their events team to help organise some events for the summer.

David Shepherd

But the Pier Trust has hit back by taking on musician Mr Shepherd, who runs public address company Tasty Sound. Mr Shepherd said:

"I have been a trustee on the Herne Bay Pier Trust since September and was put forward for my expertise in event management. The trust is taking huge steps in drafting in experts from various industries to fulfil the demands of a fully rounded plan. While I appreciate the council's concerns, I can assure the people of Herne Bay that we are a much more dynamic and focused group than when many of the concerns were first raised."

Mr Shepherd has been working with the city council's events team for the past six years, helping to organise the eight-day 40-band Herne Bay Rocks talent show spread over eight venues during the Herne Bay Festival. He has also managed the main stage and compered shows. He said:

"My previous background was in the music industry, where I toured as a sound technician for pop and rock artists. I have managed and co-ordinated events in entertainment and corporate circles, supplying equipment for Princess Anne and American President Barack Obama. Let us not forget the Pier Trust's Christmas market and grotto, which had more than 3,500 visitors, with 650 children visiting Santa and more than 750 schoolchildren singing."

"We have a limited time to organise events but that is nothing new. Schedules are often tight. But I have enormous faith in the council's events team who have always been hugely co-operative. I am absolutely confident we will be running some amazing events on the pier this year. I would also love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved as we are always open to new ideas."

Call Mr Shepherd on 07740 163795 or e-mail tastysound@aol.co.uk

thisiskent

Already looking forward to next year's awards

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011

Secret Festival?

It appears that leaflets for our imminent and marvellous Festival were accidentally printed on thin sheets of Unobtainium. Our own dedicated Tourist Information Service seems to be rationing them. Presumably they've been cleaned out by people swarming to a quiet corner of the off-the-main-drag Council Offices.

To: customer.services@canterbury.gov.uk
Subject: HERNE BAY FESTIVAL NO LEAFLETS AVAILABLE
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:17:20 +0100

COMPLAINT

There are no brochures available in the Town for the Herne Bay Festival.

Having been to the HB Council Offices I could find nothing, not even a poster. I went to the Benefits Counter and had to ask for a brochure, given begrudgingly. No promotion of the Festival or Herne Bay just a hand over of the leaflet. Is this not OUR NEW VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE WE WERE PROMISED WOULD BE A VAST IMPROVEMENT ON OUR PREVIOUS VIBRANT AND INFORMATION DEDICATED VIC??

I went to the Library and the Museum who both advised they did not stock the Herne Bay Festival Brochure or had run out. They were not sure which was the case. They did however send the woman asking in front of me to the Council Offices saying "they should have some there" (well unless she had the foresight or premonition to go the benefits counter she will not have secured what must be considered the elusive and very limited editions of the festival Brochure).

I even went to the Canterbury VIC and guess what NO HERNE BAY FESTIVAL PROGRAMMES NOR A POSTER, NOT EVEN A HINT THAT CANTERBURY DISTRICT ARE CELEBRATING HERNE BAY. This is not the first time I have reported this problem It is the third year, possibly the fourth year I have reported the complete lack of effort of the Council. I believe that it is time you put Tourism for Herne Bay into the hands of a competent Tourism Agency.

I would ASK FOR YOUR WRITTEN REPLY WITHIN 14 DAYS

Kim Hennelly