Creating a ‘forward framework’ for Leiston town centre

Chris Wade, Director aka @man about towns

www.people-places.net/revitalising-leiston-town-centre/ Creating a ‘Forward Framework’

Forward Framework • key stakeholders • getting organised • action planning • delivery & funds Help & guidance

https://people-places.net/creating-a-forward-framework-for- town-centre-revitalisation/ Looking after the ‘heart’ of our town Led by East Council with the People & Places Partnership in association with Leiston Business Association Leiston Town Council, Leiston Community Land Trust and Leiston Together.

New LGA resources Re-opening town centres

https://people-places.net/re-opening-town-centres/ 1a. How significant an impact do you think the COVID-19 crisis has had on such perceptions and priorities about using Leiston centre?

1b. Do we need to learn more about this? Understanding town trends

Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence Gathering & sharing evidence

Baseline survey • Stakeholder engagement • 12 key performance indicators (KPIs) • Town centre metrics • Business confidence • User’s (on-street & on-line) • Digital development • 238 town centre users • 50 businesses (68%) • Detailed & summary reports • comparisons https://eastsuffolkmeansbusiness.co.uk/business- support/resources/town-centre-support/ Turning-around turnover

Projected change in turnover in next 12 months 50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0% Increase Stay the same Decrease National East Suffolk Leiston Businesses’ likes

Businesses' likes

Local customers Physical appearance Tourist customers Cafes/pubs/restaurants Car parking Public transport Affordable housing Footfall

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Leiston National Customers’ likes

Customer likes

Convenience

Ease of walking

Customer service

Access to services

Health services

Access to ATM

Safety

Car parking

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Leiston National An East Suffolk perspective

Customers' Negative Perceptions (Retail) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Retail offer - Retail offer - Independent National Value for Customer Markets groceries clothes, gifts shops chains money service

Aldeburgh

Halesworth Leiston

Wickham Market Woodbridge East Suffolk Average An East Suffolk perspective

Customers' Negative Perceptions (Services) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Pubs/ bars Cafes/ restaurants Access to services Leisure facilities Cultural activities/event Beccles Bungay Framlingham Leiston Saxmundham Southwold Woodbridge East Suffolk Average Creating partnerships

Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence From evidence to engagement

Building a ‘town team’ ➢ Raise awareness of survey ➢ Organise any volunteers ➢ Publish findings ➢ Arrange stakeholder events ➢ Create working groups ➢ Develop projects to meet needs ➢ Produce action plan ➢ Establish team/partnership ‘how’ to get organised & deliver: folk, form, finances & forward framework Putting a partnership in place Co-ordination & communication link

• small & hands-on in supporting role • coordinating across organisations, working groups & projects • coordinating fund raising & finances Co-ordination & • communicating progress to communication partners, stakeholders & community • comprising district, town council, Leiston Together & business group • monthly, virtual catch-ups

2. What are your thoughts on this coordinating group’s composition? Turning around towns

Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence Creating a ‘Forward Framework’

https://people-places.net/creating-a-forward-framework-for- town-centre-revitalisation/

✓ FOUNDATION; evidence & objectives FUNCTION Reviewing ✓ parking, travel & access ✓ planning & property ✓ streetscape & public realm your ✓ business support ✓ place marketing & branding ✓ digital technology & data town’s ✓ FORM; governance & influence FOLK ✓ community engagement & checklist coordination ✓ roles & capacity ✓ FUNDING; finances & investment ✓ FORWARD PLANNING; strategy & plans

Coordinated across East Suffolk

https://eastsuffolkmeansbusiness.co.uk/town-centre-support/ Theme 1: Growth, active travel & streetscape enhancement Coordinated & outcome-led project planning Progressive planning

Planning & property: Are there robust town-centre-first policies, master-planning, priorities coordinated with landlords? Ambitiouscentre businesses policy context and landlords?the could transformtown thecentre? town centre ✓ There are robust town-centre-first policies and proactive approaches for enhancing the role of multi-functional places ✓ The Neighbourhood Plan supplements this policies for constructing 390 new homes, streetscape enhancement and the creation of a focal, mixed-use development ✓ Businesses are negative about competition from out-of-town (50%) though less concerned about local rents & rates (27%).

➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Looking good

Streetscape & public realm: Has a funding strategy & streetscape & public realm improvement plan been agreed? Needwith an to understandingimprove appearance of ‘connected alongside value’? its functionality. ✓ Leiston has the most negative responses amongst East Suffolk towns for appearance (45%) & cleanliness (21%) ✓ Convenience (85%) & ease of walking (80%) are perceived positively. ✓ Town centre footfall in Leiston is about 41% of expected levels and there is a marked decline across the town centre. ✓ Leiston scores moderately for wellbeing relating to ‘place’. ➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Let’s get physical: working group

• devising, managing & delivering action plan of physical change • commissioning further research Growth, active • over-seeing project delivery travel & • comprising county, district, town streetscape council, CLT, community & special interest groups • updating coordinating group • quarterly meetings 3. What are your thoughts on the role & representation of this working group? Theme 2: Identity, diversity & digital Creating a modern mix

Business support: Is there tailored training & a strategy to enhance the mix/quality of retail, services, hospitality & leisure? Addingbusinesses to everyday based on shops current & servicesprovision, to trendswiden andappeal knowledge ✓of 24%competing of businesses centres expect? a continued decline in turnover ✓ Leiston is amongst the top two most negatively perceived East Suffolk towns for every aspect of retail offer ✓ Customers’ overwhelming priority is to improve business mix ✓ Leiston is one of the local towns most positively perceived for the availability of services

➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Customer perceptions Developing digital (customers)

Wi-Fi coverage

Digital phone network

Targeted marketing

Online sales

Social media

Websites

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 1 (not useful) 2 3 4 5 (very useful) Feeling promotional: working group

• devising, managing & delivering action plan to boost identity Identity, • over-seeing delivery of branding, diversification promotion, events & digital & digital • comprising district, Leiston development Together, business group, events • updating coordinating group • quarterly meetings

4a. Any thoughts on role & representation? 4b. Where do we find the young, new blood?! Future Leiston mood board

5. What words & images would you add to a “future Leiston mood board” ? Creating a ‘Forward Framework’

Forward Framework • key stakeholders • getting organised • action planning • delivery & funds Help & guidance

www.people-places.net/revitalising-leiston-town-centre/