SECTOR FOCUS: RETAIL
Business as usual despite the riots D
uring the evenings of 8 and 9 August Bullring was a target for the rioters in the city centre resulting in some of our
external facing shops, as well as a handful of our interior units, sustaining damage. As a centre we took a number of precautionary
measures during this time, including additional security methods and took the decision to close the centre early throughout that week. Footfall and sales during the week were significantly
down on the previous year as was the number of cars using the car parks. The clear-up operation quickly became a business-as- normal task with all interior shops in the centre open and trading as normal in time for the weekend following the disturbance.
RETAIL THERAPY
BY TIM WALLEY GENERAL MANAGER, BULLRING
We offered our customers free all-day car parking on Sunday 14 August as an effort to bring shoppers back to the city and saw just over 160,000 visitors during that weekend, roughly 30 per cent less than that of an average weekend. During the weeks following, we worked closely with our retailers to get the message out to shoppers that the centre was open and was ultimately a safe place to visit. Many of our retailers hosted in-store events and
complementary services, which coincided with the launch of our ‘Back to Birmingham’ campaign. The campaign was hosted on our loyalty website,
www.browsebullring.co.uk, and across Facebook and Twitter.
Visitors were asked to show their support to the city by using the
backtobham hashtag. We received countless messages and during the first day of the campaign the hashtag was the top trending topic on Twitter in Birmingham. We also worked closely with Retail Birmingham on its radio campaign to
welcome visitors back into the city on Heart FM and Capital FM. Over the past few weeks we’ve hosted a number of large-scale events, which have attracted people into the city and helped to increase footfall at the centre. The popular Gok Wan returned to Bullring during September to film
‘As a centre we took a number of precautionary measures during this time’
footage for his Channel 4 TV show, ‘Gok’s Roadshow’, and, as part of the city wide fashion event Style Birmingham Live in late September, we hosted a first for any shopping centre, The Show: Redefinition, a catwalk show combining holographic and real life models. As we enter the final quarter of the year, we look forward to the opening of our new dining destination, Spiceal Street, which welcomes handmade burger Co, Browns Bar and Brasserie, and ChaoBaby to the centre, and will bring a new catering offer to the city.
His name is John-Paul, but if you shout Brammer, he’ll come flying.
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That’s why Jean-Paul and his Brammer colleagues eagerly share their MRO expertise to improve your production output and efficiency.
To understand exactly how Brammer can add value to your business at every turn, call 0870 240 2100 now or visit
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It’s the people that make Brammer work for you
John-Paul Smith Internal Sales
OCTOBER 2011 CHAMBERLINK 41
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