Business in Action meeting 5/11/08, 6pm at The Old Lodge Malton
Those present:
Zoe Plummer, Tim Sinclair Ambiente
Paul Andrews Observer
Malcolm Chalk World Wide Shopping Mall (Deputy Chairman)
Jeremy Powell Palace Cinema
Tracey Holroyd Old Lodge
Di Keal Local Councilor
Helen Knapp Hidden Monkey Tearooms
Denys Townsend Malton Pet Shop (Chairman)
Graham Hampshire, Ray King, John Collins, Caroline Sellers
Minutes agreed from last meeting.
MC Produced Norton shopping guide. Has asked council for funding for same. To put latest guide on website for people to access as it keeps getting updated
DT You may remember that a report was done on Wentworth Street Car Park about a year ago. This report was criticised and so it has been submitted to overview and scrutiny to assess the validity of the report. DT and RB are going to meeting next week to present the views of BIA.. DT has considered
1 The money that has been taken by the Car Park
2 Future proposals
DT has looked at the numbers. In the year before the trial, the year of the trial and the year after the trial the car parking has fallen y 2.5% each year.
All Car Parks in Ryedale, inc Malton show a fall in income.
The report is missing:
An evaluation from before the report
Information on car park occupancy
Plus it shows a negative bias
The info is inadequate. Hopefully this will be enough to cause the report to be disregarded. The figures show that Malton is going downhill. Part of the solution to this problem is car park charges.
Our ideal scenario would be free parking for two hours. The next best solution would be:
50p first hour and £1 for 2 hours, with a 2 hour limit Water Lane 50p 1 hour, £1.50 2 hours and £2 all day Wentworth Street £1.0 all day.
Annual permit is costs £170 or £42.50 per quarter
JP Customers moan about Car Parking. The proposal is excellent and will help a lot. Also customers ask if the Traffic Warden is around–they’re worried about being a few minutes late and getting a ticket
DT Signage should point Long Stay customers away from Market Place Car Park
MC Can we have comparison list for charges in other car parks?
DT Will do
MC I've been asked for the Christmas Lights ' switch on' itinerary. Selina Scott is doing the switch on and she needs to OK the itinerary.
DK presented the itinerary:
2pm Choir contest
4.30 Sleigh races
5.30 Santa
6 Lights on
6.30 Chancery Lane Dickens shutter opening and display 2-7pm Xmas fayre in Milton Rooms, shops will be open til 7pm and there will be a Children’s funfair. We will be collecting for the Air Ambulance and there may be a fun competition (Pork Pie rolling)
DT Are you doing food?
MC There is an Xmas Dickens connection with a Pork Pie we will try something. Some will be dressing up in Victorian Clothes
ZP Is insurance sorted?
DT Yes– will be a premium to pay
JP Do you need my PA system?
DT Yes please
MC Continental Market–will roads be closed again?
DK Yes
MC Why?
DK It’s not safe to keep them open
MC But Businesses will complain, and they may well close if they know
HK Its not necessary to close the roads
DK It is. Drivers were forcing their way through. Its more safe and more pleasant with no cars. Anyone who needs access will get it. The difference this time will be that people will get a letter informing them of dates and times of closures
HK The problem is that it’s a Saturday
DK It’s not often though, and there were many positive comments
MC People are directed to the Market and miss us. People were angry with me about the closures and it was nothing to do with me–I didn't even know!
HK It was a great weekend for us– Sunday was brilliant
DK If more businesses opened on the Sunday they would benefit
TS There is a higher footfall in the town – it should be treated as an opportunity
MC You’ll have the same complaints
DK I have broad shoulders. It’s for the benefit of the town and people will be informed in advance this time
JC Can we look at opportunities to make the best of the increased footfall? Leaflets? Signs?
Discussion took place re how best to deal with the Market- changes of venue/traffic flow etc
MC Action plan– there has been no dramatic movement on this. The shopping guides are nearly finished.
Dickens promotion is going as fast as poss–am working on the shutters being opened.
MC We’re thinking of selling Christmas cards
ZP The Xmas Fayre would be a good sale venue
MC Both HK and TH have said that they will sell them
MC Dickens did a reading at a theatre on Saville Street. But there wasn't a theatre! But there were 2 Chapels. One of them is still a Chapel and the other used to be called Ebenezer Chapel it is now called Saville House.
MC Can you send any events info to the website to be publicised please? Send them to mchalk@wwsm.co.uk or via the website.
MC I’d like to see proper street cleaning in Malton. It’s really messy!
PA Some assistance may be available from the council
MC There’s a guy that goes around Clifton Moor with a giant hoover type machine. They’re £800 to £2000.
ZP Community services come around and pick up litter
PA You could put a bid in to make a one off purchase for a hoover machine
HK Would we draw up a rota for hoover operating duties?
MC It would be more fun that a bag and tongs!
(JP Got serious giggles)
MC Any other business?
TS We need more support for BIA from other Malton businesses
MC How? They have all been mail-shotted and things have been in the papers etc
TS have we gone and talked to people?
MC Who’d do it! Time consuming!
HK There’s lots of negativity
TH Need repeated flyers/mailshots etc–can’t just do once
PA You need to publicise the good things that you’ve done
MC Road signs still not all up. Were promised months ago. All the Ryedale ones are up, it’s the Highways ones that aren’t up yet.
HK Are we going to do some event planning?
ZP We need to encourage coach companies. When asked to come to Malton they say ‘Why?’ We’re competing against the likes of Castle Howard and the coast.
HK Malton can be a stop off for other destinations
ZP We need to have events in place to keep people here for the day. With leaflet and vouchers etc so we can contact Eddie Brown’s and the York Firms. We can only push events if we have some in place. we are a bit blacklisted at the moment because a large event was organised in 2005 and it was cancelled at the last minute due to lack of funding and the Coach companies haven’t forgotten. They went to the coast instead, where they were welcomed with red carpet so they go there now!
HK The motor show was poor this time. No shops opened.
MC What happened to the Town Ambassador idea? It all seems to have gone quiet.
DK It has to be agreed by the council and it takes ages.
Minutes by Tracey Holroyd
Author:Tracey Holroyd
Date:05/11/2008
