Partnership Development

A successful town centre is the ‘sum of its parts’, where a number of different disciplines come together to create a great place to visit and enjoy. As such partnership is critical. The more effective the different components of a town centre work together the more prosperous it is likely to be and certainly the more able to respond to the challenges facing the high street.

Developing a Town Team

GJR seeks to help retail and leisure destinations and commercial districts create a sense of place, which will leave a positive impression in the minds of consumers and workers, allowing loyalty to grow to the benefit of commercial occupiers, land owners and developers and public agencies.

Many retail destinations and commercial districts have not developed to meet the needs of this increasingly demanding market, the experience itself is often poor. Existing and new occupiers, together with their landlords and local authorities should be encouraged to enhance the quality of the street and stimulate innovative Place Management to add value to the current position. Day-to-day housekeeping of the high street needs to be complemented with a sustainable and relevant offer for the future

In order to compete with alternative centres, the internet and out-of-town retailers, town centres must put in place visionary, strategic and strong operational teams. Without competent, motivated and collaborative high street governance town centres will struggle to complete.

Building a Town Team

GJR will help identify opportunities for different local stakeholders to come together. Owners, large and small shopkeepers, council representatives, politicions, local businesses and service providers, and residents all have a role to play in creating and maintaining a vibrant town centre for all to enjoy and prosper.

A Town Team is more than a series of meetings. GJR will provide an environment for local stakeholders to share the ambition of revitalising your town or city or 'your place'.

  • View the high street as a brand which needs nurturing and communicating
  • Inspire and engage with the public and get people visiting high streets again
  • Recognise the uniqueness of ‘your place’ based on its history, communities and aspirations
  • Focus on making high streets accessible, attractive and safe
  • Decide the appropriate mix of shops and services for your area

Together with a shared vision of the future and shaped by the people who will use your high street, a carefully constructed Town Team has the ability and skills to make a difference.

Instilling Effective Leadership

Town Teams bring business communities together to enhance their collective commercial performance. Importantly they have the potential to provide stronger business leadership in the area in which they are established.

Most things rise and fall on the effectiveness of leadership. For Town Teams leadership is taking the initiative for the benefit of others. Leaders facilitating collaboration and synergy will help produce change.

Leadership creates an environment for growth by:

  • Facilitating collaboration among organizations
  • Initiating worthy causes for town and city centres
  • Providing a platform with other leaders

Whether it’s lack of inward investment, poor service provision from the public authorities, competition from alternative centres or simply dealing with local issues, Town Teams have the opportunity of bringing collective weight to issues that count.

GJR offers support in developing leadership techniques, workshops for Town Teams, BID Boards and training for Chief Executives, Town Centre managers and senior staff.

Communication needs to be channelled in an effective manner and the leadership skills of Town Teams, Business Improvement Districts and Town Centre Partnerships are critical.