Town Centre Manager for ED

[twofourseven]

Long time forum lurker, first time caller. :) I've been reading with great interest all the calls for shops and services in East Dulwich and I was wondering of this. Having lived in a few places in London that had a dedicated Town Centre Manager I was wondering if Southwark had them in their payroll and if not, if a person responsible for helping specific communities, like ED, would be of benefit the local community here.

Years back when I lived in Putney (hold on!!) I knew the TCM - I used to work with said individual at a central London charity. His job was to try to liaise between the community, businesses and new businesses - some call it gentrify. He did well. He put in place a strategy for the High Street and focused on trying and succeeding in brining business retail investment in. In my view it was a win/win strategy.

After all, what is Southwark Council's plan for Lordship Lane and East Dulwich? This is a great community and it and its numerous businesses and inhabitants deserve a contact person that can help out.

What are your thoughts? James Barber, does Southwark have Town Centre Managers?

[DulwichFox]

Hi twofourseven..

Why don't you put your name foward..

Fox.

[Sue]

I suspect Southwark Council's financial priorities at the moment do not include employing Town Centre Managers if they don't already have them, but hey I could be wrong :)

[DulwichFox]

Oh. ! I was not suggesting anything about someone getting paid. ;-)

Mick

[peterstorm1985]

I thought a TCM is something you have when you're trying to regenerate an areas (The OP mentions that word loved by Estate Agents looking to their future:'gentrify'). Some might say we're regenerated enough around here. Yeah, we keep asking for more, more, more, but that's only because we're greedy. And some of the calls for new shops are just a little tongue in cheek.

I'd happily cheer on a volunteer but can't see the need for another council salary.

[woodrot]

ED isnt a town - Peckham is.

small difference, but big ramifications.

Back in the good ole days of the forum, I seem to remember ED residents being up in arms about a proposal to upgrade ED to town status.

I dont see many empty shops on LL< and the shopkeepers do seems dictate every decision made in the area anyway, so dont really see the benefit of a manager to formalise this relationship

/part cynic post

[TheArtfulDogger]

Hi TwoFourSeven

Up until a year or so ago, Southwark employed one town centre manager who was in Peckham then went to the Elephant before taking early retirement from the council when Spending cuts were introduced.

in other parts of the borough (Bankside, London Bridge) there are Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) where the local busineses over a ratable value threshold are asked to vote for a 5 year fixed term period of donating a small amount of money to the BID organisation in exchange for pre agreed improvements to the area (Cleaning, events or what ever is needed) however they are not cheap to set up (cost of the voting and setting up a BID company) but you may want to approach Better Bankside, Team London Bridge or Southwark Council for more information.

Peckham used to have a Town Center Manager and also an organisaiton set up by the traders (Peckham TCMG) but funding was key to keeping both and sadly neither are there anymore..

I believe the traders of ED did set up a traders association about 2 or 3 years ago but I don't know what has happened since.

Sadly a town center manager needs funding (either to pay for their time or for things to happen) so that would be your first course of action if you want one, however you could ask the local community council for funding under the Cleaner Greener Safer funding scheme (or for advise on how to get funding) but that would cover specific schemes (not salary) for East Dulwuch.

All that said, a TCM would be good for the South of the Borough (ED, Peckham and Camberwell) so maybe it is worth asking the council or the Comunnity council why we don't have one ?

Hope the potted history and ideas help

[twofourseven]

A hat-tip to the ArtfulDodger for the insight and everybody else for the points made.

Just to clarify, the post as I described is paid and full-time. While I understand the point about 'public finances' I would have seen this as an investment. Somebody that can press the flesh with businesses that might not have considered venturing into Peckham, Camberwell and Dulwich.

Personally I see the job as an investment in the community, focusing on business and helping businesses. To a certain extent, the job or investment would pay for itself in the medium to long-term. Anyhow, thanks for the insight from everybody.

[Jeremy]

The role might work for Putney, but that doesn't necessarily mean it would work for ED. Putney has a much, much larger town centre than ED, with lots of established high street names.

[Sue]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Putney has

> a much, much larger town centre than ED, with lots

> of established high street names.

xxxxxxx

Now I'm just waiting for somebody to mention the W word .....

[Tim Lund]

We angst about this the other side of Sydenham Hill - see here.

I think the idea of a Council employed TCM is unlikely for many years, so instead I wonder if there might be a market niche for a market research / lobbying business focusing on an area such as East Dulwich, Sydenham or any other such town centre. I don't suppose anyone would get rich doing it, but maybe an opportunity for someone with a background in the business, no longer working full time.

Such a person would have to know the local policies, and be able to get on with Councillors, officers and local opinion formers, so a Forum such as this would be very helpful.

It's just an idea :)