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A newsletter for city centre retailers and businesses issued by partners across the city.
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Welcome to the City Speak newsletter I was asked the other day to sum up this summer so far in just two words, and the words
that sprang to mind were wet, but wonderful (well, ok that’s three)!
Who would have thought a few months ago that the city centre could have been so packed
with people on the Olympic Torch Relay day, and who could have imagined the wonderful
scenes in the cathedral as part of the Jubilee Big Lunch celebrations, despite torrential rain!
The strength of community spirit and the first class behaviour shown by visitors and local
people at these events was just superb. We already know from some local traders that these
events helped to boost city trade - already cafés have reported doubling and tripling their
record daily takings on Olympic Torch Relay day! In this issue of City Speak you’ll find a quick
questionnaire asking you to tell us how trade was for you. Knowing whether or not city
centre events boost local trade is really important to us, and helps us to campaign for more
events to take place, which in turn has a positive impact on local businesses. Please do tell us
how business was for you, and you’ll be in with the chance to win a family ticket to the
Lichfield Garrick’s Christmas production of Alice in Wonderland.
So, here’s to a drier summer from here on in, and we hope you enjoy reading City Speak.
Richard Lewis, President, Chamber of Trade & Commerce on behalf of city centre partners
In this edition
Page 2 City Centre Races,
Heritage Weekend and Lichfield
Proms in Beacon Park
Page 3 Olympic Torch Relay day
Page 4 Lichfield Food Festival
and Fuse Festival
Page 5 Three Spires Summer
Series and promotional
campaign, new shopping, eating
and drinking guide and Dash Park
Page 6 Heart of England in Bloom
and Friary Outer redevelopment
Page 7 High Street Innovation
Fund, City Christmas Tree Appeal
and Rate My Place
Page 8 What’s On and Lichfield
Literature
We’re gearing up for the
City Centre Races Update from Lichfield District Council &
Lichfield City Cycling Club
We are proud to be hosting Lichfield’s City
Centre Races again on Sunday 26 August 2012.
The event, which is now in its third year, will
attract hundreds of competitors and spectators to the city on the August Bank Holiday Sunday.
Last year café traders in particular benefitted from the visitors the race brought into the city.
The race route starts on Market Street and follows the road round past Boots, onto Tamworth
Street, and left into Lombard Street. It then turns left towards Lombard Street car park and into
Reeve Lane. It then travels down Dam Street where there will be last minute jostling for the lead
position into the tight right-turn back on to Market Street and to the finish line. It’s likely the
first person round this final right turn will win the race! The runners will follow the same route,
but will also race round Stowe Pool.
The event will include youth and adult cycle races, a mountain bike race and a 5K running race.
The first race sets off at 9.30am and races continue throughout the day, until the running race at
4pm. To allow the races to go ahead safely, the whole of the route will be closed to traffic
between 8.45am and 5.30pm.
A great opportunity to get your business noticed! From sponsoring races and
prizes, to advertising in the event programme or putting up race route banners, there’s lots of
ways to get involved. If you would like to really get your business noticed on the day, why not
consider advertising a special ’City Centre Races’ offer to visitors and spectators?
For more information please contact Phil Kelly, City Centre Races organiser, on 01543 308842
How was Olympic
business? Request from Lichfield
District Council
Inside this issue of City Speak
you’ll find a quick
questionnaire. We’re really
keen to find out how well your
business did on Saturday 30
June - when the streets of the
city were lined with people
watching the Torch Relay and
taking part in a range of
fantastic events.
Part of the reason we hosted
the day of events was to
encourage people into the city
and to stay all day, as we hoped
this would encourage people
into shops and cafes. To help us
find out whether hosting events
like this in future is worthwhile,
please fill in the questionnaire
before Friday 10 August -
thank you.
If you have any questions,
please email jenny.golding
@lichfielddc.gov.uk
Issue 3 July 2012
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City Centre Races in pictures
City Centre Races provisional timetable Sunday 26 August
9.30am - 9.50am D & E, Under 8s & 10s
10.05am - 10.45am Youth A, U16s
11am - 11.30am Youth B, U14s
12noon - 12.40pm Urban MTB Race
1pm - 1.30pm Youth C, U12s
1.45pm - 2.25pm Cat 3 / 4
2.40pm - 3.40pm E / 1/ 2/ 3
4pm – 5pm 5K Running Race
For more information visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/cityraces
Lichfield Proms in Beacon Park Saturday 1 September
Children’s activities and food stalls from 5pm, music
from 6pm, main concert at 7.30pm. Free entry End the summer in style and enjoy an outdoor classical
music concert, children’s entertainment and a firework
finale at our free Lichfield Proms in Beacon Park.
The evening will start when The City of Lichfield Band warms up the
crowds from 6pm. This will lead to the main concert, when Touch
FM broadcaster, Mark O’Sullivan, and local TV personality, Jane
Dayus-Hinch, will take to the stage at 7.30pm to introduce the
musical programme. The British Police Symphony Orchestra will
play a selection of classical music, including Coates’ Dambusters
March, Jupiter from Elgar’s The Planets, and Crown Imperial from
Walton’s Coronation March. Soprano Joanne Mayling and Tenor
Mitesh Khatri will be in fine voice singing songs from My Fair Lady,
HMS Pinafore, as well as the much-loved proms anthems, Rule
Britannia, Jerusalem and more. The night will end with a rousing
rendition of Land of Hope and Glory to fireworks overhead.
Promote your business at the proms There are still opportunities to promote your business on the
big screens to thousands of proms goers on the night. Contact
Rhiannon Purkis on 01543 308774 to find out more. Or, why not
entertain your customers with the best seats on the night and
reserve a VIP table in front of the stage. Prices start at £40 for a
table of four. Call the proms team on 01543 308775 to book.
Lichfield Heritage Weekend Saturday 22 and Sunday 23
September 2012 Update from Visit Lichfield Lichfield’s Heritage Weekend will celebrate The Queen’s
Jubilee with a royal theme this year. The weekend includes
free entry to local heritage attractions, royal crafts, fun
quizzes, free face painting, the chance to dress up like a
prince or princess, royal themed guided tours and more.
A full programme will be available in August 2012. Call
Lichfield Tourist Information Centre on 01543 412112 to be
added to the mailing list, or find out more nearer the time
at www.visitlichfield.co.uk/events
The Visit Lichfield team get ready for the
Heritage Weekend
Torch Relay day in pictures
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Thousands flocked to Lichfield City to see the
Olympic Torch Relay on Saturday 30 June 2012
On day 43 of the Olympic Torch Relay the eyes of
the world fell on Lichfield District, when
Torchbearers carried the Olympic Flame through
local streets.
The Torch arrived in the district on time, and was
safely handed to Tamworth at 10.10am - four
minutes ahead of schedule. The people of Lichfield,
along with plenty of visitors, cheered the
Torchbearers on from their vantage points lining
streets, sitting on walls and looking out of windows.
It is estimated that around 25,000 people lined the
streets of Lichfield City on the day.
Torchbearer John May said: "I was so proud to carry
the Torch through my local streets and overwhelmed
with the response from the crowd. It is certainly a day
I will remember forever."
Councillor Val Richards, Lichfield District Council's
Cabinet Member for Leisure Services, said: "We were
so lucky with the weather, as the clouds broke and
glorious sunshine fell on the city and district, in time
for thousands of people to experience this once in a
lifetime opportunity and see the Olympic Flame pass
by. The atmosphere was brilliant and we're delighted
so many people stayed on in Lichfield City to enjoy
the events, shop, eat and drink to celebrate this
historic day. Our thanks to the 200 plus volunteers
who helped to make sure the event ran smoothly and
safely, and to all the organisations and groups that
worked so hard to make this a day to remember."
Crowds line The Close
Crowds watching Alvin Stardust on the Market Square
Crowds line Bird Street
John May on Dam Street
‘The Kiss’ on Tamworth Street
Family from Great Barr enjoy the day!
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Get involved with the Lichfield Food Festival Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 September 2012 Lichfield Food Festival is Staffordshire’s newest all-weather food and drinks festival.
Featuring celebrity chefs John Torode, Antony Worrall Thompson and Nick Nairn, Lichfield Food
Festival is set to draw in the crowds in a celebration of all things gastronomic.
The Lichfield Garrick will play host to local producers who will show off their wares in the Food Studio,
while the main auditorium will become a Food Theatre and play host to a variety of free and paid-for
cookery demonstrations. Free demonstrations include the historical cookery duo, local masterchef
Simon Smith and Professor Rotherham, Chinese cookery with the Ruby, and the art of bread making
with Hindleys. The festival also includes The Best of Local Brewers Beer Festival in the Guildhall, and
the much loved Farmers’ Market on the Market Square (on Sunday 2 September only). Celebrity Chef
Nick Nairn will also be hosting free cookery demonstrations at Tippers in Britannia Business Park on
Sunday 1 September at 10am and 12noon - call 01543 412121 to book your free place.
Tickets for the celebrity chef demonstrations, featuring Antony Worrall Thompson (1 September at
2.30pm) and John Torode (2 September at 7pm), cost £25 each or £45 for both. They can be booked
by calling the Lichfield Garrick box office on 01543 412121 or online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com
To find out more about Lichfield Food Festival, please visit www.lichfieldfood.co.uk
Calling all food & drink establishments Become a venue on the Ale & Wine or £10 World Menu Trails We’re inviting restaurants and drinking establishments across the city to get involved in our
Ale & Wine Trail and our £10 World Menu Trail.
As part of the Ale & Wine Trail, you’ll offer a selection of ale and/or wines for customers to sample
for £3 a glass. You’ll also provide tasting notes, so customers can learn more about the drinks they are sampling. As part of the £10
World Menu Trail, you’ll offer a fixed price menu of your choosing to customers, focused ideally on one type of world menu - from
French, to Moroccan, to Italian. In return we’ll market you at the food festival, and in marketing running up to the event. You’ll
also be included on a special food festival map we’ll be giving to festival goers to encourage them into your business.
It’s completely free for businesses to be part of the Lichfield Food Festival trails. To sign up or find out
more, email [email protected]
Adrian Jackson, Artistic Director at the Lichfield Garrick, commented: “Getting your
business involved in the Ale & Wine and World Menu trails is a great way to get your name
noticed, and encourage customers through your door. We’ll be promoting the trail venues
widely to all festival goers and in the run up to the weekend!”
www.lichfieldfood.co.uk
John Torode
Nick Nairn
Antony Worrall
Thompson
Lichfield Arts makes Fuse Festival sparkle
despite the wet weather Over the weekend of 6 - 8 July, Lichfield Arts once again ran Fuse, the free community
festival held each year in Beacon Park. In a summer when many events around the country
have been cancelled, due to appalling weather, Fuse went ahead and was a huge success!
An estimated 10,000 people attended the event over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Despite
a very wet start on Friday, the weather was kind, with only the odd shower and even the
occasional glimpse of sun! All three marquees were busy with music of all genres, workshops, craft activities and even an art
exhibition. The whole event had a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere. On Sunday afternoon, hundreds of children performed in
the finale of the outreach programme which has become an integral part of Fuse.
Lichfield Arts has a proud tradition of holding concerts in the Guildhall and runs five festivals throughout the year. Staffed almost
entirely by volunteers, Lichfield Arts is a community led and community focussed charitable organisation actively engaged in the
promotion of artistic and cultural events. As such, it is a key player in the cultural life of the area, contributing to the economic
wellbeing by attracting locals and tourists alike to its events. Thank you to everyone who supported the Fuse Festival.
To find out more visit www.lichfieldarts.org.uk
We’re launching a new city shopping, eating and
drinking map Update from Visit Lichfield
Lots of local traders have told us that they would like a free map to hand out to customers
that signposts where different businesses are in the city.
The Visit Lichfield team already produces a number of maps including one in our much loved
visitor guide, and one in the eating and drinking section of our seasonal editions of What’s On.
That said, we’re really keen to respond to what traders want, so we’ll be developing a new
city shopping, eating and drinking map over the coming months.
We’ll be offering all shops, restaurants and drinking establishments
free listings, but we need businesses to sign up to the free listings,
to make sure we publish the right information. In the past we’ve
had a really low response rate from businesses when we’ve offered
free listings, so we’re hoping businesses will fill in their sign-up
form and send them back, so they don’t miss out.
We’ll also be offering businesses the chance to advertise on the map. And, as the district
council doesn’t have a budget to produce the map, the amount of advertisers we get on board
will greatly influence how many copies of the map we can produce and how regularly we can
reprint it.
Watch out for your sign-up form and fill it in and return it as soon as you can.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
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Three Spires Summer
Series and marketing
campaign Update from
Three Spires Shopping Centre
This July and August Three Spires
Shopping Centre is offering
family fun events across six
consecutive Saturdays
(see left). From giant games, to a
street beach and a pirate day -
there’s something for everyone.
The team at Three Spires have
also launched a new marketing
campaign to promote the
summer series and encourage
more and more visitors into the
city centre. From advertising on
Touch FM to advertising in the
Lichfield Mercury and the
Tamworth Herald, Lichfield City
centre is being promoted far and
wide thanks to the team. So, if
you are looking for something
fun for the family to do this
summer, you know where to
head!
Email marketing manager
Don’t forget to
dash! Update by Lichfield
District Council
Don’t forget that your customers
can pay for parking by mobile
phone in all city centre district
council owned car parks.
How does it work?
� Customers register online at
www.dashpark.co.uk or by
calling 08456 800 104.
� They pay for their parking
using their mobile phone.
� When our parking officers see
a car without a ticket, they
enter the registration number
into their computer, and it will
tell them whether the driver
has paid using Dash Park.
An additional 10p transaction
charge is added to each booking.
Visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/
dashpark to find out more.
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We’re hoping to be blooming
lovely! The Lichfield Chamber of Trade & Commerce
has entered Lichfield into the Heart of England
in Bloom competition for 2012.
The competition is run by the Royal
Horticultural Society and is widely recognised
as the standard bearer for such competitions.
Amongst other Heart of England towns that
have entered this year’s competition are
Tamworth, Solihull, Stourbridge and Burton,
along with cities such as Birmingham, Hereford
and Coventry, and smaller places such as
Ludlow, Bilston and Tutbury.
Lichfield District Council and Lichfield City Council, along with other
organisations and local businesses very much support the chamber’s entry,
and they will be making every effort to ensure Lichfield is ‘blooming lovely’
for the judging day on Tuesday 24 July.
The judges will be met by City Mayor, Councillor Janet Eagland, and will
then be escorted around the city by Chamber President Richard Lewis. The
tour will visit city centre streets, including Three Spires Shopping Centre
which will be decorated with red, white and blue floral hanging baskets,
provided as part of the celebrations for the Jubilee. The judges will then
visit Minster Pool Walk, Museum Gardens, Beacon Park, and the Garden of
Remembrance, which have all benefited from Heritage Lottery Funding.
Businesses in Dam Street will be adding extra colour on the route up to the
cathedral, which will also be putting on stunning floral displays. The judges
will be shown around the Darwin House Herb Garden and the impressive
work which has been carried out at St John’s Hospital Garden. Bromford
Housing has also made improvements to properties in Friday Acre by
introducing floral displays, and it is hoped there will be time to take the
judges to local allotments and to business and community schemes across
the city, including Dave’s Community Allotment at The Plant Plot garden
centre on the Western Bypass (A51), floral displays at Tempest Ford on St
John’s Street, and the work of Chadsmead School on Friday Acre.
But, it’s not all about the flowers! Only 50% of the marks are awarded for
horticultural achievement. A further 25% of marks will be awarded for
environmental responsibility, which includes street cleanliness, local
heritage, recycling, conservation and biodiversity. The remaining 25% of
marks will be awarded for community participation, including involvement
of local councils and community groups.
The awards are bronze, silver, silver gilt and gold. High performing entries
from each of the 18 regional competitions will go on to compete in the UK’s
finals, the winners of which will then have a chance to compete for
European glory in the Entente Florale! For more information contact
Richard Lewis 01543 250016
Friary Outer redevelopment Update from Lichfield District Council
Work to build 60 homes, a hotel and restaurant,
replacement toilets and 170 extra parking spaces
on the current Friary Outer car park (opposite the
university), is now underway.
Here’s the latest update:
� The updated planning application for the
79 bedroom Premier Inn hotel will be considered
by Lichfield District Council’s Planning Committee
on Monday 23 July.
� The toilet block has been demolished.
� The piling, which will support the buildings, has
now been finished.
� The team has started the ground works,
including digging foundations.
� Services, including drainage and electrics, have
been routed into the development site.
� The permanent site offices have been set up.
Upcoming works in next month:
� The team will start to dig the foundations for the
six apartments on Swan Road.
� The frame for the sheltered apartments will start
to appear above the hoardings soon.
� Drainage works will continue and site
investigation works for the culvert upgrade will
take place.
� Ground beams will be laid and masonry ground
works will begin on the main part of the site.
What is the Friary Outer redevelopment?
The £14 million development will feature
54 supported housing association homes for older
residents, as well as six shared ownership homes,
to give first time buyers a chance to get on the
housing ladder.
Who is involved in the project? Lichfield District
Council is the landowner and will manage the new
car park and toilets. Bromford Support will own
and manage the supported accommodation.
Bromford Homes will be the agent for the sale of
the six affordable shared ownership homes. The
Homes & Communities Agency invested £2.4
million in the scheme. The developer of the
scheme is S Harrison who is also developing the
Friarsgate shopping and leisure complex. Miller
Construction is the main contractor.
View from Festival Gardens
www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/friaryouter
Don’t forget
The Visit Lichfield Special Offers Card
is a great way to promote your
business to thousands of card holders Contact [email protected] to sign up to the free scheme
City centre consultation
High Street Innovation Fund An update from Lichfield City Centre Coordination Group
In April, Lichfield District Council was awarded £100,000 as part of the
government's High Street Innovation Fund. The aim of the money is to help
councils, local businesses and partners revive local high streets.
£50,000 of the money has been set aside to boost Lichfield City centre, and
members of the Lichfield City Centre Coordination Group have been looking
into ways to spend the money to increase local trade.
Richard Lewis, Chairman of the Lichfield Chamber of Trade & Commerce,
explains: “Lichfield City Centre Coordination Group includes over 20 local
traders, who all said they were keen to see something take place in the city
centre to boost trade over the summer months, and halt the decline of high
street businesses. Based on this, the team came up with a number of ideas,
including bringing entertainment - from an ice rink, to bungee jumping
trampolines - into the heart of the city, which have worked really well
attracting the crowds in other city centres.
“The beauty of both the ice rink and bungee trampolines
was that we could have charged people a nominal fee
(£1 a go for example) and, over the summer months, we
could have replenished the £50,000 pot of funding, ready
for future projects.
“Because we would have had to use a section of the Market Square for the
entertainment, we first spoke to the market traders to see if they would be
happy to relocate. Whilst some liked the ideas, others were understandably
concerned that moving off the Market Square might impact on their vital trade.
Some other local shop keepers also expressed doubt about the ideas.
Because we didn't get overwhelming support for the idea, we have decided to
think again, and invite traders from across the city to some consultation events
to craft ideas to invest the £50,000 that everyone will support.”
The consultation events will be hosted in the Lichfield Garrick later this year
(September/October TBC) and will take place in the early evening, after shops
close. Everyone who trades in the city centre, or has a view on how the funding
could be invested to boost local trade, is invited to attend the events.
Traders in the city centre will all receive an invitation, which will
be sent to their business directly. If you want to put your name
on a list to receive an email notification of when the events will
be held, please email [email protected]
Brian Carruthers, Managing Director of Tempest Ford, commented: “I would
encourage everyone in the business community in Lichfield to come along to
one of the two events we will be holding. These meetings represent a
perfect opportunity for everyone to put forward their ideas on how the £50,000
should be invested in the city centre. We want to hear the opinions of as many
people in the business community as possible, so that we have a real consensus
when we come to implement the High Street Innovation projects that received
the greatest number of votes. If you can’t attend either of the events, then we
would be delighted to receive your ideas by phone, letter or email, so that we
can allow attendees to vote on them.”
To find out more email [email protected]
or call 01543 308781.
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The search is still on for a city
Christmas tree! Appeal from Lichfield Chamber of Trade &
Commerce You’ll be forgiven for thinking it’s too early to be
contemplating Christmas, but Lichfield
Chamber of Trade and Commerce has launched
its ‘Search for a City Christmas Tree’ appeal!
Last year’s tree was kindly donated by a local
resident. The beautiful tree was displayed in all
its Christmas glory on the corner of The Friary
and St John’s Street.
Richard Lewis, from the Chamber, commented:
“Buying a 30 to 40ft Christmas tree is really
expensive. If anyone has a tree they want to
remove, that isn’t covered by a tree
preservation order or in a conservation area, we
can help with the felling and transportation to
the city centre. We’d also promote the kind
donation in the local press.” If you or someone
you know has such a tree to offer, please
contact Richard Lewis on 01543 250016.
What is the Lichfield City
Centre Co-ordination Group? Lichfield City Centre Coordination Group brings
together representatives from the district and
city councils, local businesses, including Friary
Shoes, Tempest Ford, Tudor Row and
others. The group meets monthly to discuss
ways to improve the city centre, through
projects and other ideas. If you would like to
attend the meetings, please email
Boosting
food safety The website www.ratemyplace.org.uk which
has been helping to raise the standards of food
businesses right across Staffordshire,
re-launched with a brand new and improved site
during Food Safety Week (11 to 17 June).
Lichfield District Council, in partnership with
other Staffordshire councils, has redesigned the
website to tie it in with the Food Standards
Agency's national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Instead of stars for good practice, the council's
food safety inspectors are now awarding
businesses a rating of between 0 and 5, with 5
being very good.
Find out more at www.ratemyplace.org.uk
July events
20 Schools break up for summer holidays
24 Heart of England in Bloom judging day
August events
26 City Centre Races
27 Late summer Bank Holiday Monday
September events
1 & 2 Lichfield Food Festival
1 Lichfield Proms in Beacon Park
4 Schools go back
18 Chamber of Trade & Commerce meeting, 8pm, venue TBC
30 Sept Lichfield Literature (until 7 October)
October events
16 Chamber of Trade & Commerce meeting, 8pm, venue TBC
28 British Summer Time BST ends, clocks go back one hour
29 Half term (until 2 November)
November events
11 Remembrance Sunday
20 Chamber of Trade & Commerce AGM, 8pm, venue TBC
22 Christmas Lights Switch On, Market Square, 7pm
December events
11 Chamber of Trade & Commerce meeting, 8pm, venue TBC
15 & 16 Lichfield Christmas Festival Weekend
16 Christmas Fayre, Lichfield Market Square, 10am - 4pm
16 Lichfield Mysteries Nativity, 2pm, Market Square
21 Schools break up for Christmas
22 & 23 Lichfield Heritage Weekend
1 Lichfield Arts - Canada’s Finest Kind at The Flamingo Tea
Room, 8.30pm
14 & 15 Lichfield Arts - Oktoberfest at Lichfield Guildhall, 12noon -
11pm
21 Lichfield Arts - Tim Edey & Brenden Power at Lichfield
Guildhall, 8.30pm
12 Lichfield Arts - Maddie Prior at Lichfield Guildhall, 8.30pm
18 Lichfield Arts - Kate Robbins at Lichfield Guildhall, 8.30pm
2 - 4 Lichfield Arts - Roots & Folk Festival at Lichfield Guildhall and
The Flamingo Tea Room
17 Lichfield Arts - Time Gentlemen Please at Lichfield Garrick,
7.30pm
The editorial team Partners and organisations across the city provide
articles for City Speak. These are brought together and
published by the communications team at Lichfield
District Council. To contribute to future editions email
Distribution City Speak is distributed free to
businesses across the city. To be added to the mailing
list, email [email protected]
When it is distributed We issue
six editions of City Speak a year. In between these
times, we’ll update www.cityspeak.info
Feedback We hope you’ve enjoyed reading City
Speak and it’s been useful. To feedback on City Speak,
or to request we include certain topics in future
editions, email [email protected]
8
City Speak is brought to you in partnership by Lichfield District Council, the Chamber of Trade & Commerce, the TownSafe
Partnership, Lichfield City Council and other city partners.
