Revitalising Deptford Town Centre

A Business support programme 2007 – 2010

The programme

• Contributes towards the economic development and physical regeneration of Deptford Town Centre by providing support for its businesses

• Developed and overseen by a business-led Board

• Funded by the LDA, supported by the London Borough of Lewisham

• Managed by South London Business through a range of delivery partners

Creekside Charrette

The centrepiece of the Creekside Charrette was a week of public meetings from the 9th-13th June 2008 attended by over 200 people interspersed with drop-in sessions at the Charrette HQ established at the Creekside Education centre. A final report of the proposals was published in November 2008. It can be viewed online at www.creeksidecharrette.org

Streetscape Improvements

SLB & LBL funded a series of four monolith signs to be positioned between Frankham Street and Deptford Station, as part of the council-led physical regeneration of the Giffin Square area.

Premises Improvement GrantsBefore After

With the support of the Deptford Town Centre Manager businesses in Deptford High Street received a £5,000 grant

15 Businesses received the grant

Alertbox Scheme

Alertbox is an electronic neighbourhood watch / crime prevention network. It helps reduce low level crime and the fear of crime by getting communities to work together to be part of the solution.

55 Businesses in Deptford HS received a box

Market Traders Rose Apple Site, Octavius Street SE8

Before After

These closures posed a real threat to the future of the market and therefore the Council has agreed that the traders can use a small piece of vacant development land known as the Rose Apple site for a period of three years (commencing in June 2009) to store barrows and commodities

55 Market stalls benefited from new security and improvement works

Market Traders (cont)

Replacement of Market Stall Cover Sheets

Stallholders on Deptford High Street, Douglas Way and Giffin Square markets were each purchased replacement green and white stall covers in the relevant measurement in order to smarten and unify the stalls, revitalising the market street scene. The distribution of these covers was project managed by the Lewisham Street Trading Section

118 Businesses received market stall covers

South Eats- Food Cluster

Launched in April 2008 South Eats is a business club for food businesses in the TGLS area. The benefits of joining the club include one-to-one business advice, access to new markets, marketing support and promotion opportunities.

The food cluster has provided business support with the assistance of a local business support agency (Simple Business Solutions)

50 Businesses Supported, 19 ½ Jobs Safeguarded/ Created

CG Accelerator Grant

Celebrating the family: life casting in glass and bronze made to order by Wrightson and Platt based in Brockley, winners of a CG Accelerator grant (£5,000)

12 Businesses received the grant of up to £5,000. most businesses used the grant for marketing, business development and financial management.

Following the grant most winners have now taken up business support from private sector companies.

Other Achievements to date

• £1.4 million invested in Deptford • £197,000 spent on improvements to the physical

infrastructure • £125,000 invested in the visitor economy

• 44 new businesses started• 449 businesses supported• 120 people assisted into employment• 358 qualifications gained

Highlights• The Deptford Project – a new public space

for artists, performers and traders• ‘SouthEats’ – a new network supporting

food businesses • Deptford Museum- where residents can

share photographs and the history of Deptford

• Charrette 3- being run by Design for London with help from LB Lewisham.