City ups the retail ante as new team swings into action

Wednesday, 28th November 2007

Categories: General News, Latest Research

City ups the retail ante as new team swings into action

A TEAM of top consultants is joining the drive to help make Durham a better place to live, work, study and invest in.
Miller Research Associates will carry out a city-wide Retail Distinctiveness Project for Durham City Vision, with the aim of helping to ensure Durham City Centre offers a shopping and services experience that is both interesting and enjoyable -- and distinct from that of other towns and cities in the area.

Durham City Vision - which has been set up to drive regeneration in Durham City centre - believes that making Durham's retail offer more attractive and distinctive is a key element in delivering an improved economic contribution to regional regeneration. Included in the retail offer are not just shops, but also a range of consumer services, from hairdressers and beauty salons to bars and restaurants to financial services.

Miller Research has already delivered a pilot retail distinctiveness project for One NorthEast, based on eight market towns across the region. The company also manages the Abergavenny Food Festival and its work in Durham will additionally evaluate the potential for staging a similar major food festival in the City.

The initiative is a response to various national and regional reports that highlight the lack of diversity of British high streets in general and those in North East England, in particular. It also specifically addresses concerns detailed in the Durham Vision Masterplan, which highlighted both the lack of variety in the City's existing retail offer and the potential for encouraging more entrepreneurial traders to the City.

Harvey Dowdy, Regeneration Manager at Durham City Vision, said: "We are delighted to be able to extend Miller Research's valuable work with the region's market towns to help achieve a step change in Durham City's retail offer.
"We want to work with the City's existing retailers to help create a more distinctive shopping and services product that will not only attract new visitors but will ensure that the City centre as a whole meets more of the needs of its existing customers.
"The Durham Vision Masterplan identified areas for improvement in the City centre and while this project will not solve everything overnight, it will, hopefully, lead to swift actions that will not only address these issues but also help us to create a thriving commercial heart to our city that will complement its magnificent history."

Nick Miller, Director of Miller Research commented: "Over the last 18 months we've got to know Durham City and we can see its huge potential to build on its iconic assets in creating distinct places for local people and visitors. We are excited to be part of Durham's vision for the future and we're looking forward to working with the retail community to make the City a vibrant and distinctive place."

The initial research and consultation phase of the project is expected to last six months and will lead to an Action Plan based on the opportunities identified.
Among key questions the research will address are:
- How important is a distinctive retail offer alongside other factors that affect Durham's competitiveness?
- What elements are missing that would help make Durham's retail offer more distinctive?
- What are existing and potential customers looking for?
- How can public sector services be improved to help such development of the retail sector?
A Steering Group will work alongside the consultants and - in addition to Durham City Vision -- other key stakeholders will include retail, tourism, enterprise, North East Chamber of Commerce, Durham University and student representatives.
The project launch will coincide with next week's (December 5) Durham City Retail Awards, being staged for the second time on Palace Green to celebrate the best of shopping and retail services in Durham City. Durham City Vision is sponsoring the Small Retailer of the Year Award at the event's Diamond Ball to demonstrate its commitment to retail distinctiveness.

Further information from Astrid Alvarez or Tom Boden at Gravity Consulting 0191 383 2838.

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