Consultancy Programmes
The “Builder” programme is to put something new in place, either a partnership or a strategy.
The “Review” programmes look at what has gone before and this will help to refine, direct and re-energise.
The “BCRP Development” programme does just that, drawing from both the Builder and Review programmes. Business Crime is a major concern for town & city centres. The BIDs & Business Crime: A Manifesto, written on behalf of retail industry business leaders has prompted BIDs to look critically at their offer and relationship to existing BCRPs.
Partnership Builder
A one day programme to enable a new partnership to start up or develop in your location.
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Strategy Review
Taking a step back and asking if your current strategy is fit for purpose is often the basis for moving forward.
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BCRP Development
Setting up a new Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP), or integrating an initiative into an existing…
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Ged Gibbons
The town centre trading landscape is changing at a frenetic pace. The last few years has been compared to the industrial revolution, as a period of “creative destruction”. Old ways of doing business are no longer as effective and new opportunities are emerging. One thing is abundantly clear, businesses working together have a much better chance of succeeding than trying to act alone.
Martin was commissioned to review and write new National Standards for BCRPs, which have been adopted by the National Business Crime Centre and led administered by Secure By Design. He also authored BIDs & Business Crime: A Manifesto, written on behalf of retail industry business leaders has prompted BIDs to look critically at their offer and relationship to existing BCRPs.
After 25 years working in and around business partnerships, including starting a local town centre partnership from scratch to being CEO of the Association for Town and City Management (ATCM), Martin Blackwell is able to share his experience and expertise in support those looking to grow business either by setting up a new initiative or building on an existing one.
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Blog
BIDs & Business Crime: A Manifesto
Last week saw the publication and launch of BIDs & Business Crime: A Manifesto, which I was commissioned to write on behalf of retail industry business leaders, at Blackfriars in London. With 60 guests, including government officials, BIDs organisations, but primarily retailers, the audience heard about the concerns of business about growing levels of crime Read more about BIDs & Business Crime: A Manifesto[…]
Lessons from Red Bull
I was recently lucky enough to attend a seminar hosted by Red Bull at their factory in Milton Keynes. The session was on the concept of Community Guarding, but what I didn’t expect to find was that there are lessons to be drawn from how a Formula One racing team is run that can be Read more about Lessons from Red Bull[…]
Revitalising Town Centres
Back in January 2017 the House of Commons debated on the future of town centres and high streets. The LGA briefing at the time set out some of the challenges facing High Streets and town centres, stating, The future looks bleak as retail spending on high streets continues to decline, leading to an over-supply of Read more about Revitalising Town Centres[…]
A City Shared…
The term ‘sharing city’ is being adopted by a growing number of location across the world. However, understanding what this means and looks like can be difficult. The phrase seems mean different things to different people and it as if there is an overlap between what makes a ‘sharing city’, a ‘smart city’ or a Read more about A City Shared…[…]
How Well Is Your Board Working?
This is always a good time of year to take a step back and looks at how well your board is working. Are you getting the support you need and the best from its members? No board is perfect. The chances are there is always something that could be better. If you’ve had your board Read more about How Well Is Your Board Working?[…]
Tackling Business Crime
As many people will be aware, I’ve been working on a new set of standards for BCRPs for over a year. I am delighted to say that these are complete and have been adopted as national standards by the National Business Crime Centre and supported by Secure By Design, the official UK Police flagship initiative Read more about Tackling Business Crime[…]
Apple has announced that it is renaming all its 500 stores worldwide as “Town Squares”.
Wow! I am really looking forward to going into my local store to see the Christmas lights being switched on this year. Anyone who thinks a true “public space” can be found online needs to get out more. Are Apple really in that much trouble, with stagnating growth and another hugely overpriced Apple phone the Read more about Apple has announced that it is renaming all its 500 stores worldwide as “Town Squares”.[…]
Market Towns: Harnessing the Power of the Collective
Smaller towns and High Streets can harness the Power of the Collective by working together; and we do need to work together. The years since the Millennium have been described as a period of “creative destruction” as old ways of doing this change radically and at a pace never seen before. When I was CEO Read more about Market Towns: Harnessing the Power of the Collective[…]
Safety & Security in Town Centres
The phrase “digital disruption” is one that you are going to hear more of. I first got involved in the Cross-sector Safety and Security Communications (CSSC) way back in 2012 in the run up to the Olympics in London. The idea was that the place management community, especially BIDs could as Industry Sector Leads to Read more about Safety & Security in Town Centres[…]
Have Your Say on the New National Business Crime Centre
Over the past year I have been working with various Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs), and latterly the new National Business Crime Centre, NABCP and others to draft, for the first time, an agreed nation set of standards. Pressure for this has come from businesses that want to be sure that they are supporting the Read more about Have Your Say on the New National Business Crime Centre[…]