Totnes Tourism PartnershipMeeting Minutes

10 July 2018Present:

Apologies

Sam Branch [Minutes] (Totnes Destination Manager), Kathy Alexander (Bay Horse Inn), Anna Roach (Visit South Devon), Julie George (The Old Forge), John Elford (Totnes Pound), Jonathan Wigg and John - Operations Director (Seven Stars) and Will Kemp (Dartington Arts)

Madelaine Cambridge (Totnes Castle), Judy Westacott (Totnes Town Council), Karen Jonas (Dartington Trust), Dick Wood (South Devon Railway, Visit Devon, DATA), Thea Platt (TTT), Penny Johns Dart Harbour), Dave Tinker (Totnes Chamber of Commerce, Out of the Blue) and Matt Buzzo (Waterside Bistro)

Next meeting: Tuesday 9th October at 10am – Seven Stars

I. Minutes

The following points were discussed:

Entering Totnes in the GB High Street Awards

SB informed the group that she will be entering Totnes into the Great British High Street Awards on behalf of Totnes Town Council (see attached notes). SB explained that when we enter we will judged against 4 pillars of success - the group discussed possible examples for each as follows:

1. Community - Involving the High Street or community in key decision making.

The Market Square regeneration was discussed as was the Rotherfold regeneration, both as possible examples for this category. John Elford explained that the community were involved with deciding how the new space at the Rotherfold should look and helped to design & create the new bench. SB has emailed Jonathan Lee who was involved with this project asking for more information and ‘before’ images.

It was suggested that although the Market Square regeneration project hasn’t happened yet that we can still umbrella these examples together and submit one or some of the proposed plans for this space.

2. Customer Experience - Has your High Street created unique experiences for its customers?

SB suggested using the numerous unique events as an example for this category to include Party in the Town, the Christmas Markets and Sea Change Festival. John Elford suggested the Orange Races as well which we will definitely include.

3. Environment - Have local businesses and residents worked together to benefit the wider community and environment?

The Transition Town projects were suggested as being potentially relevant to this category, particularly Incredible Edibles (planters on route to Steamer Quay) supported by the community and available for people to pick. SB has emailed Thea from TTT for more information and any other ideas. Gardening for Health and the community gardens at The Lamb and The Leechwell were also suggested. SB will look into both of these examples as well.

4. Digital - Has your high street embraced the digital world?

SB mentioned the new Visit Totnes website and social media channels as examples. John Elford suggested that most of the High Street businesses will have embraced social in some way as many sell online and there are many on social media. SB will investigate all of the examples when she walks around the town.

SB notified the group that she has emailed 70 high street businesses to inform them about entering the awards and asking for any information and examples, and has also handed out information sheets to most of the businesses in the Narrows. 1 business has since come back with some information. SB will need to drum up some more interest once we’ve entered.

Awards PR Steve Peacock is running a feature about us entering the awards to encourage businesses to get involved.

ParkingParking and a Park & Ride was discussed - SB informed the group that a P&R had been looked into previously but to no avail as we can’t use Follaton House or any of the surrounding fields. SB suggested that she meet with South Hams Council to discuss as they run the car parks

however she has since spoken to Catherine Marlton, Town Clerk and has been told that the P&R idea definitely can’t happen.

2019 Guide

SB explained that we have saved money on the design and print of the 2019 visitor guide meaning we have (or should have) more money to spend on marketing for Visit Totnes including brand awareness for Visit Totnes, promoting the town to day visitors and overnight guests and helping to reestablish the perception about Totnes and its USPs.

Marketing Update

Rip Off MapsSB mentioned the rip off town maps - Julie George suggested adding the new information centre onto the map and printing some more. SB has since ordered some more and will deliver to the TIC, Seven Stars, The Old Forge and the Totnes Museum.

Raising Money Jonathan Wigg mentioned a town which raised £950k for a charity through the local businesses by asking people to donate an optional 5 or 10 pence per transaction. It was suggested that Visit Totnes could potentially do this in town - SB will investigate.

Digital Screens or New Information Maps

SB mentioned the idea of having a new digital information screen in town with a map for visitors and potentially space to sell to advertisers, or if there isn’t enough budget (as they start from over £2k) then we will create one or two more information maps like the one we did for the Rotherfold (above).

Locations for these maps were suggested as being near the bus stops on Coronation Road and / or the corner of the Plains opposite the 7 Stars (subject to permission from the relevant council). SB will recce potential locations and work out what we can afford.

GWR / Train Marketing Campaign SB mentioned that she wants to target Exeter and Plymouth with a marketing campaign to encourage more people to visit by train with the aim of alleviating the pressure on the car parks and reduce congestion while also increasing footfall (& hopefully visitor spend) for the town centre.

SB has been in touch with GWR to see if they would like to run this as a joint marketing campaign to promote Visit Totnes and GWR as well. They have initially said yes and have since offered some free poster space - SB is due to have a conversation with them about it in due course.

The group discussed how we could position Totnes in these ads and what USP we would communicate where it was agreed that it should be the unique and individual independent outlets, highlighting how great the town centre is compared with some other high streets. Kathy mentioned that she sees weekly visitors who come to Totnes especially for the high quality items in the charity shops and people love the retro and unique items on offer here.

People are also willing to travel here from Exeter and Plymouth and the surrounding area for the real ale at Bay Horse and Totnes Brewing. Bay Horse, Steam Packet, Seven Stars and Albert Inn are all featured on the CAMRA website which attracts visitors at the weekends.

PerceptionJonathan Wigg asked about the current perception of Totnes and whether this has changed since the closure of the Arts at Dartington - the group discussed the general perception and how we can try and re-establish the arty perception. JW suggested more art events - Kathy mentioned the Artisan events at the Rotherfold, SB mentioned the TTT Arts Trail in November. JW also mentioned Ashburton and how their reputation and people’s perception of the town has changed over the years for the better and it has become a well-established destination now, particularly for antiques (it has 14 antiques outlets). The group also discussed current trends - Green Tourism, Wellness, sustainability - all things that Totnes can offer and which should be capitalised upon. SB will investigate how we can do this.

AOB

Totnes Pound

John Elford gave an update on the Totnes Pound - he realises it hasn’t been overly visible recently, and the circulation of notes and the electronic sales have been slow. 2017 saw only 19 digital transactions, and the Issuing Points (Fusion, Greenlife and Gazebo) rarely ask for more paper notes. 2014 was the most recent issue of paper notes. The Bristol Pound was discussed - John realises they are more visible and active than us, but he said they have had up to 10 paid members of staff in the past, and have had EU Grants to help. SB offered to include an advert in the 2019 visitor guide but John felt this would be too soon as the Totnes Pound Group is funding research with an aim to change the direction of the project so it has more economic impact in the town.

Dartington Estate and Arts

Will gave an update about Dartington Estate and Arts - Ways with Words is happening now and over the next few weeks, followed by the Summer School and Summer Concerts. Will suggested that some of those people will also come into Totnes and how we can capitalise on this - SB will take some guides to the estate.

Will said that Dartington Hall is full of people staying overnight - Kathy mentioned that she has had people stay with her in previous years when there has been an overflow. The Summer Concerts are attracting a largely local audience and the school is attracting more from London and overseas with some amateur musicians / artists / writers. https://www.dartington.org/whats-on/programme/summer-school/

The Summer Concerts offer a range of genres with folk, jazz, classical and more.https://www.dartington.org/whats-on/summer-school-concerts/

The estate currently has an Artist in Residence, Sarah Gillespie who will be doing some Open Studios - Will will send SB details for the VT website. She has been there for about 2 months so far, based in the Aller Park building on the estate. https://www.sarahgillespie.co.uk/ She’ll be holding regular Open Studio days with the next one on Sunday 15th:https://www.dartington.org/event/open-studio-sarah-gillespie/

Will also discussed the lack of public transport bringing people from Totnes to Dartington Estate - the group discussed that a lot of people walk or cycle but a bus would be good as well especially for off season and rainy days. SB has researched the buses - the 165 Country Bus travels from Coronation Road to Dartington Hall leaving roughly every 2 hours from 8.40 am to 6 pm: http://countrybusdevon.co.uk/2017/10/03/549/

Bob the Bus takes people to Dartington but not to the estate or shops and only on a Monday and Wednesday, stopping at Redlake and Hunters Moon which are both 0.5 miles from the Shops. http://bobthebus.org.uk/bob-1/

With regard to the rest of Dartington the overall strategy is for the Shops and Estate to become more of a destination where the shops and eateries will be redeveloped and there will be a renewed focus on the arts with visual arts and the artist in residence. SB will write a blog when the news is ready.

Seven Stars

Changes at the Seven Stars with Jonathan Wigg as the new General Manager and plans to re-establish Bar 7. There will be as much focus on the food as the accommodation.

Electric Cars & Bikes

The question was asked as to whether there are currently any electric car charging points in town - there aren’t any at present. SB has since discovered that there are 2 at Follaton House for visitors to the facilities there but there aren’t any for visitors to the town, however the matter was actually raised at the Totnes Council Matter meeting earlier this week therefore Catherine Marlton, Town Clerk contacted SHDC about it and they have said they have a project where they’re investigating this at the moment with DCC and others in Devon.

JW suggested we contact Rob Love from Keo Films with regard to potentially funding some charging points however it might now be better to see what the Council is doing first.

TTT also has the E-bike Scheme: https://www.transitiontowntotnes.org/transport/totnes-e-bike-scheme/

Guinness Homes

Kathy mentioned that Guinness Homes on the river at Steamer Quay has a community centre with cafe and information area - SB will take some guides to them.

Next Meeting

Currently scheduled for 9th October however SB may call another GB High Street related meeting earlier than this if needed to remind about social media - or will send an email.