March 2011 Archives

So, there you have it. The much anticipated Budget for growth [some irony, given the first thing gorgeous George did was reduce the growth forecasts for the next two years]. Only time will tell whether the policies contained within will meet the government's economic objectives to:

•    Have the most competitive tax system in the G20;
•    Be the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business;
•    Be a more balanced economy, by encouraging exports and investment;
•    And have a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe.

What did we get out of it, apart from a huge amount of pleasure spending two hours listening to economics and political baiting over our lunch breaks? Well, in all honesty, only time will tell, but there were some positives that reflected calls we've been making over the past year or so.

Our submission to the chancellor and associated pipeline report called on the government to improve the efficiency of the planning process and reaffirm a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Missed opportunities? Well, empty property taxation remains a thorn in the side of the development industry and - despite being opposed in opposition - when in government, ministers seem to be reluctant to give back the circa £1bn pa income it receives from empty property rates. But how damaging will this be in the long term...? And a private sector-led TIF is still not resonating with the government in the way we would like, but that just means there is still lots for us to do.
 
Maybe I'll get a chance tomorrow to enjoy St James's Park on a beautiful spring day...

If you're reading this hoping for some interesting views on the retail property market then stop right now as this blog is no more than a rant about Tube etiquette, or rather lack of it. For the record, this is purely my own view, and not a reflection of BCSC's agenda!

It follows a particularly heinous week on the Victoria line, and my thoughts on how people would perhaps make the experience slightly more bearable

1)  We learn from quite an early age how to control wind, why choose the most packed environment you are ever likely to be in to forget?

2)  If you're going to have a boozy night get a train outside of rush hour the following morning. You need the rest and no one needs to be subject to the sweet but rancid smell of stale alcohol breath

3)  If you have to then please pack mints

4)  One for TFL. Find a way to internet-enable the Underground. It's amazing how surfing the web chills people out. After all, there is no chance of reading the paper

5)  And one more for the Tube bosses. Your drivers and staff at the platforms who ad-lib when making announcements should be rewarded. Others should be encouraged to follow suit. Being told to have a nice day might seem ironic when you're fighting to get on a train, but I
still like the sentiment

6)  Whoever decided to spend millions of pounds on trains with a safety mechanism that doesn't allow them to move when clothing is caught in the doors should be fired, immediately (this is not a political statement!)

7)  Fines should be imposed for anyone who gets on a busy train and takes the space nearest the door, leaving less room for everyone else to get past. You will get off, so keep moving until you hit that inevitable brick wall

8) And remember to smile, it could be worse!!!

Enjoy the weekend, and avoid the Underground

The last couple of months has seen the chancellor trying to shift the political narrative from cuts to growth. Next week's Budget is expected to reveal a raft of policy that aims to stimulate economic growth and I'm sure you are, like me, waiting with baited breath.

Enterprise zones and business tax raising powers for councils leave us desperately running around trying to find anyone who remembers the eighties. I'd only just made double figures at the point when Thatcher's leadership started to look a bit wobbly, so am not much use to anyone.

Either way, what does BCSC want? Well, obviously more than we'll ever get, but this - http://www.bcsc.org.uk/media/downloads/20110315BCSCBudgetSubmission.pdf
 - is what we have ordered from next week's unknown menu of potentially lip-lickingly delicious treats, and this is why - http://www.bcsc.org.uk/publication.asp?pub_id=410

Tune in next Wednesday to see how we got on. Let's hope that the rhetoric is more than just that. 

They say silence is golden, and they are right. One major advantage of not being sent down to the South of France to sip champagne and enjoy the glamorous lifestyle of the Cote d'Azur (if only for a week) is a significant drop in phone calls and e-mails from members chasing research papers and reports. Who needs to be there in any case when you can just tap in to a vast array of news announcements, videos and blogs so rich and descriptive I feel as if I have the sun on my back facing out to the Med?

So my 'free time' has been spent in the company of a certain type if individual who's utility has increased exponentially over recent years - bloggers, social media commentators and app designers. My vocabulary has been enriched even if I only understood half of what was discussed, and my enthusiasm for ever-evolving communications technologies is growing by the day.

The results. This year BCSC will publish research that examines the role and potential for social media to influence purchasing behaviour and how it can be used to collect detailed consumer feedback. We will also (if all goes to plan) launch our first app, specifically for our 2011 Conference and Exhibition, which should be a real value-add for sponsors, exhibitors and delegates.

I wonder whether I could take next week off, maybe hop on a plane to
Nice?

I bet you didn't know that years ago the fine but shiny headed men of Edinburgh used to rub burnt pigeon poo into their heads in the hope that this would stimulate their failing follicles. Although not the most important message I've taken away from our Shopping Centre Management Conference in Scotland's first city, it is an interesting fact.

Regenerating hair growth is probably as unlikely as regenerating our towns and cities in the current economic climate (despite what Shane Warne might suggest!). So how could we make it easier? Well, we've been advocating the establishment of a private sector-led TIF for a while and the debate at our conference this week has only emphasised the importance of this. But in order to successfully deliver development, solutions such as TIF or Local Asset Backed Vehicles (LABVs) need to be supported by collaborative partnerships between the private and public sectors - as in Bournemouth.

Partnerships between retailers and landlords are equally as important in the creation of retail destinations that satisfy consumers' thirst for shopping and leisure, as our president Richard Akers eloquently set out yesterday. Social and digital media is becoming an integral part of this retail experience - at the same conference 12 months ago there was limited mention of the importance of social media, this year there is a reference is in almost every presentation. Later in 2011, we'll publish research that will hopefully enrich the social media debate and provide guidance to our sector on how to benefit from the opportunities it presents.

The message from this week couldn't be clearer - collaboration is key to creating new and innovative retail environments, and probably more importantly, enrich our existing offer to respond to rapidly changing consumer purchasing and communications trends.

For now, I'm off to Trafalgar Square to pick myself up a pigeon, not an easy challenge either these days, come to think of it.