Agenda item

6.1

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Place, which set out what was meant by City Centre Vibrancy and included the Strategic Framework for a Competitive City and City Centre Vibrancy, together with a Proposed Framework for Defining Vibrancy.  The report was supplemented by a presentation given by Brendan Moffett, Director of Marketing Sheffield, and Richard Eyre, Head of City Centre Management and Major Events.  This provided information on the levels of vibrancy in the City Centre and plans for the future, and made particular reference to the development of The Moor area and Paternoster Row, and initiatives such as the High Street Innovation Fund which had enabled the setting up of the Bird’s Yard retailer start-up unit, Showcase Sheffield and the aim to achieve Purple Flag Accreditation.  Mention was also made of the funding challenges associated with the Tramlines festival and the fact that a healthy series of events was lined up for 2013.  The importance of ensuring that these events did not leave the City was emphasised and it was noted that consideration was being given to the development of an events strategy covering the next 3 years. 

6.2

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions in relation to the report and presentation, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·               Despite the existence of a City Centre Retailers’ Group, it was felt that retailers were not as proactive as they could be, as they only appeared to be concerned with their own premises.  For instance, the Fright Night event appeared to have little effect on retail, although retailers did seem to be engaging with the proposed development of The Moor and the New Retail Quarter.  There was also the challenge of getting retailers to open later. 

·               The Bird’s Yard unit was to be launched later that month and there were would be appropriate signage put in place, together with media coverage promoting Chapel Walk.

·               Following completion of the New Retail Quarter, there would be some investment in infrastructure on the Wicker and Victoria Quays would also be improved to create good quality public realm.  It was hoped that this would attract more people who were staying at the hotels on Victoria Quays, to the Wicker.  The Purple Flag Accreditation required the City Centre to be family friendly and it was considered that theatres were a key feature of this, as would be the proposed multiplex cinema on The Moor.  There was a national campaign to encourage retailers to open until 6.00 pm and it was felt that retailers at the Forum, Peace Gardens and Chapel Walk contributed to café culture in the City Centre.  To further encourage café culture, the provision of blankets to allow people to sit outside in colder weather was worthy of consideration.

·               Accessibility into the City Centre was good, with the Supertram and buses providing this at low cost.  There was good car parking and it had been shown that people would pay for good parking facilities such as at John Lewis’s.  Charges for car parking had been criticised but their reduction was not felt to be a panacea.  There were some good modern car parks available in the City Centre, with some having special deals for patrons of certain businesses.  The Council owned 12% of off-street parking in the City Centre and it wanted to offer flexible, convenient tariffs.  It was considered though that if the offer was good enough people would come into the City Centre.

·               Attempts were being made to get landlords to reduce rents in the City Centre, but they were proving to be difficult to engage with, particularly the remote ones.  There was, perhaps, a need to lobby the landlords more.  Recent high street departures indicated that there was a problem and consideration was being given to involving social enterprise in developing pop-up shops and use by people such as artists to help with the vacancy problem.

·               Discussions were taking place with Sheffield Hallam University regarding the use of the former Post Office on Fitzalan Square and the Salvation Army Citadel would be an ideal location for use by artists and groups such as a dance co-operative.

·               Although there was a City Centre Residents’ Forum and work being undertaken with residents around Devonshire Green, it was acknowledged that there was a need to engage better with residents of the City Centre.

·               It seemed to be a logical idea to encourage businesses to offer free home delivery.

·               The ambition was for Sheffield City Centre to get into the Top 20 in the Shopping League and to see an increase in average spend as well as square footage.  There was a need to align independent and larger traders and to support the independent, creative thinkers which Sheffield appeared to have.  It was also important to support the ways in which consumers looked for their purchases.  In addition, the Enterprise Team and Creative Sheffield offered support to independent traders.

·               The Bird’s Yard initiative would be promoted via The Star and Sheffield Telegraph newspapers and in appropriate local magazines, and the following week there was to be a meeting to promote independent retailers generally.

·               It was acknowledged that the future of City Centres was not just about retail, but it was only possible to work with what was known and work around it to suit our purposes.  Agility was required to take advantage of any opportunities which may arise.

·               Consideration was being given to the concept of business improvement districts, whereby a levy on rates was spent by retailers on events, with the aim of improving footfall.

·               It was important that the City Centre offer was inviting, flexible and provided something for all ages.

6.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)

thanks Brendan Moffett and Richard Eyre for their contribution to the meeting and the earlier walkabout of the City Centre;

(b)

notes the contents of the report, the presentation and the officer responses; and

(c)

requests a further walkabout of the City Centre in approximately one year’s time, together with a further update to this Committee.