Author: Rachael Kennedy

Town centre management is a tricky one. I meet a lot of people up and down the UK all doing a similar task.

Town centre managers everywhere given the job to run and manage a place. Places full of businesses, large or small, established or new, thriving or not, bustling or quiet, busy or dead. Either way, we don’t really  ‘manage’ a town.

That would be a HUGE undertaking for anyone surely? I have a very prescribed schedule of work, decided by the Board who hold my contract. A schedule that includes the coordination of town centre events, developing a digital high street (from public wifi to online portals), supporting local businesses and trade and encouraging footfall. Inviting local residents and visitors to the town to spend time and hopefully, their well-earned cash at the local shops, bars and cafes. Liaising with landlords, tenants, customers, investors, grant funders, stakeholders, people.

Town centre management, or place management (as it’s now known) is a very public, outward facing role. One not for the faint hearted or those who lack the tough skin of a rhino! I used to think I had tough skin – NO! But I am developing it now.

It’s a role I thoroughly enjoy. I carry out this role to my best ability, I know what I am doing. I am the best person for the job. My creativity and skills mean that the events, initiatives, schemes and ideas I create are fit for purpose, within budget and for the best of the town I am working with.

But I also find it equally as frustrating. Just when I think I have nailed it, come up with the best idea to revolutionise the town centre, someone, somewhere will cast their valued opinion. Opinions that are entitled, but not always the most helpful. Opinion matters. Even those opinions which come in from all directions and are not always filled with the most useful or positive comments. When working with people, it comes with the territory. When working within a place full of people, where the people are loyal, caring and passionate about that place, creates only more opinion.

I will never please everyone, nor do I want to. Town Centre Managers everywhere, I salute you. Continue to do good, mean well and strive for excellence in making your place the best it can be.

Olio Projects focusses on place management and is one of my specialities and passions.

One of my biggest contracts is that of town centre management in Morley, Leeds. A role that has progressed from delivering community events to leading on key initiatives. Morley is a larger than average, northern town with Victorian heritage and a lot to say for itself, and quite rightly so. It has a busy, vibrant events calendar and is awash with community organisations that really make the place tick.

A lot of my time is spent juggling expectations amongst the local traders on the high street and those occupying stalls in the indoor market.

It’s a challenging time to be in retail especially as an independent trader. I have the upmost respect for anyone with the courage to set up shop on their own and then make a go of it.

There’s not a week goes by when I am not informed by local traders that we have too many charity shops, saturated with take aways, no customers.

In all honesty Morley fairs pretty well in comparison to some neighbouring towns. In place management you must consider the bigger picture. Know your demographic and study the shopping trends of your customers. The charity shops and take aways are busy, surely that says something?

All too often I hear that the high street is dead, the town is a ghost town….. I beg to differ. It’s thriving, busy and the destination for many. The many, however, represent the local community, the growing population of elderly residents, the young families on low – average incomes. Our shops and hospitality offerings need to respond to this to drive footfall into their businesses.

Yes we also have the professionals and families with good disposable incomes, or the retired couples with time to browse. But these customers also have choice, and they often choose to visit the city, or shop online.

A lot of my time is informing people what’s on offer from the cafe selling bacon sarnies with a free cuppa, the market butchers, to the gift shop selling high end homeware.

Whether or not people choose to spend their time and money their is up to them. Surely the customer dictates where they shop or dine and not the other way round?