Devizes Retail Revival Strategy

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Devizes Retail Revival Strategy

• David Kilburn
• Head of Business Development
• School of Services Management
• Bournemouth University

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Client brief

• To examine previous reports to see if Devizes
  still needs to attract national multiples
• Gap analysis perceptions of the retail offer
• To prepare a retail marketing strategy
• To explore the training needs of retailers and
  the issue of
• sustainability
• To determine which major retailers should locate
  to
• the Town
• To assess the impact of the retail revival
  strategy on the Towns
• car parking provision

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• Picture 1 The Ginnel, Devizes

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Picture 2 The Shambles, Devizes
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Picture 3 Traditional style retailer, Devizes
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Picture 4 The Brittox, Devizes
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Pictures 5 and 6Hughenden Yard, Marlborough
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Picture 8 Covered shopping centre, Chippenham
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• Secondary Research
• Secondary research was carried out from a variety
  of sources and the following aspects were
  reviewed
• Demographics
• Drive times from surrounding towns/cities to
  Devizes
• Review of previous reports, such as Donaldsons,
  Healey Baker, and Chartwell Land.

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Primary research

• 31 interviews with national and independent
  retailers
• Interviews with Town Centre Managers in
  Chippenham, Trowbridge, Salisbury, Cirencester
• 300 consumer questionnaires conducted in Devizes
  and Chippenham by BARM Finalists
• Retail audits of Devizes, Marlborough,
  Chippenham, Trowbridge, Salisbury, Cirencester
  and Shaftesbury
• 20 Mystery Shops carried out by BARM Finalists
• Independent car park audit (BARM Finalists)
• 2 Focus groups

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Summary of research findings

• There is no overt car parking problem in Devizes
• The Market Square needs to be improved further
• The retail offer in Devizes has several
  discernible gaps
• Devizes needs an effective Town Centre Manager
  (TCM)
• There is considerable support for a TCM,
  including offers of financial assistance from
  both National and Independent retailers
• When shops become vacant in Devizes, there needs
  to be a system whereby any retailer whose profile
  fits the gaps in the retail offer are given
  priority
• Some independent retailers in Devizes need to be
  trained in marketing and finance
• Some national retailers are under-performing in
  terms of fascias, customer service and level of
  investment
• There is some evidence of poor catering
  facilities and a lack of suitable accommodation
  for tourists, venues for weddings, functions, etc

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Action plans

• Action Plan A - Physical Regeneration /
  Development
• Shopping centre development
• Relocation of a major supermarket to Station Road
• Further enhancement of the Wharf area
• Introduction of a café culture in the Market
  Square, etc

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Picture 9 Chippenham
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• Action Plan B - Marketing, Promotion and Local
  Management
• Appointment of a Town Centre Manager
• Professional training for retailers
• Introduction of signage
• Use of Market Square for events

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Recommendations

• Appoint an effective Town Centre Manager with
  immediate effect.
• Secure a range of funding from national and
  independent retailers to help fund the above
  post.
• Implement the Northgate Shopping Centre
  development, followed by the West Central scheme
  (comparative research has shown that Devizes
  could benefit from additional retail floor
  space).
• Ensure the right mix of retail tenants come to
  Devizes, both for the above new developments and
  empty properties in the town.
• Support the re-siting of a large supermarket
  chain to the Station Road site.
• Constantly monitor how the retail community is
  faring in the town by checking levels of spend
  year-on-year and by doing health checks against
  competing towns.

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Follow on work

• 6 months later approached by KDC to secure
  funding from national and independent retailers
  to help fund the Town Centre Manager post. This
  was achieved by BRO and ex BARM graduate who had
  joined the team and Devizes appointed their first
  TCM
• Approached by Melksham to do the same for them
  but reluctantly turned down the work because they
  only offered 7,000 for the whole project

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How KT enhances employability of graduates

• Live Consultancy Projects (BARM and BAIHM)
• Applied research/consultancy projects
• Business networking leads to placement
  opportunities/graduate employment/final year
  consultancy projects
• KTP schemes lead to graduate employment
  recruitment for 6 KTP schemes - SM provided 4
  home grown graduates
• Those finalists who have taken part in
  Consultancy/applied research projects have done
  extremely well in their careers to date
• Feedback from ex graduates/clients speaks for
  itself

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How KT enhances employability of graduates

• Dear Gillian,
• I felt that I had to drop you a line to let you
  know that the latest
• Consultancy Project and Presentation, which I
  reviewed with a couple of
• colleagues 2 weeks ago, was absolutely superb.
• Full credit to the your students, who found it
  difficult to obtain
• information from the Bournemouth team, through
  pressures in the store.
• However, they showed great tenacity and
  commitment to pull together a first
• class review which identified several issues
  which are in the pipeline.
• To gain such an in depth knowledge of MS in such
  a short space of time was
• also remarkable.
• The presentation was professionally presented by
  a team of passionate and enthusiastic
• students ,handling the questions at the end with
  ease.
• Once again the team has been very well coached
  by David, with whom we have
• a longstanding relationship.
• Both David and yourself should take great pride
  in the way the students have
• managed themselves.
• With Kind Regards,

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How KT enhances employability of graduates

• Hi David
• I thought it was important to say a few words
  about how important certain
• aspects of the BA (Hons) Retail Mgt course are to
  people once they have
• graduated and are out in the big wide world.
• For me, the Consultancy Project was by far
  the best way of learning.
• There really isn't anything more valuable than
  hands on experience and
• spending time in business. Although in the end,
  the work we actually
• produced may not have broken any new boundaries
  in terms of new ideas
• and actual solutions, I learned more about the
  true value of a successful team
• and what it takes to achieve it. Having been out
  in business for nearly four
• years, I've witnessed and experienced some bad
  managers who often fail to
• recognise and encourage the strengths of their
  own people. Again through
• the Consultancy, the strengths and abilities of
  each person have to be used
• in the best possible way to make the project work
  - and this has now
• become a part of my own management ethos. I would
  hope most graduates
• will recognise that the Consultancy was by far
  the most useful and engaging
• part of the degree.

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How KT enhances employability of graduates

• Hi David,
• I went for my first graduate interview yesterday
  with HSBC and was offered
• a position with the bank the same day. They were
  very impressed by the
• Consultancy project we carried out for Greene
  King. The whole days
• interviewing was pretty intense and lasted nearly
  four hours without a break.
• A large part of the interview surrounded
  difficult scenarios and challenges
• that I had faced throughout the past few years. I
  have to say that I drew
• upon my experiences within the Consultancy
  Project a great deal. The fact
• that I had built relationships with those in
  business and the real life aspect to
• the consultancy really gave me an edge over other
  applicants.
• Thanks for all your help. I always felt that the
  project would serve me well
• but I am a little shocked to have gained
  employment in the role of and
• industry I wanted to, just one day after my final
  university exams.
• Thanks again David
• Luke
•  
• I