Totally Truro

What projects will the BID deliver?

Five key project themes have been identified following extensive consultation during 2006. If the BID is successful, these are the projects that Totally Truro aims to deliver during the 5 year programme.

Project One - Marketing - ‘Who knows we’re fantastic?’

The Issue: Other towns and cities in the South West invest money in marketing their centres locally, regionally and nationally; Truro does not. Truro may be doing well now but if we are complacent, potential trade will go to competing centres working hard to attract it.

‘there is diversity like no other town or city in the UK’

The Proposal:
Step 1: design an appropriate campaign for Truro or in other words agree what story we are going to tell about our fantastic City, who we are going to tell it to and how. After all, there’s no point ’selling coals to Newcastle’.

Step 2: launch the campaign with an emphasis on promoting what’s unique about the City and promoting it widely. We need to reach the people who are not currently coming here or who may be persuaded to take their custom elsewhere in the future. We particularly want to reach the 4.4 million tourists who swell our county every year and who may not have shopping at the forefront of their minds. To do this, we will be working with agencies such as Visit Cornwall.

Step 3: Implement action which will include the following:

When will it happen?
Step 1 – 2007 / 2008
Step 2/3 – 2008 - 2012

How much will it cost?
£202,000

Project Two - Events - ‘It’s happening right now’

The Issue: How many times have you been asked for money towards Christmas lights? With BID funding, you won’t be asked again. With so little funding from so few sources in the past, it’s hardly surprising that Truro’s Christmas celebrations have fell short of expectations. A capital City deserves a stunning Christmas festival, and this is what we promise to deliver for the next five years.

Christmas only happens once a year, however. We want Truro to be vibrant all year round which could be achieved with a co-ordinated programme of annual events. We know that events bring more visitors to Truro who spend money and we know that to remain competitive, Truro needs to offer more than shopping, eating out and the opportunity to transact business.

‘more arts and cultural activity for all’

The proposal:

• Funding of the best Christmas Truro has ever seen – lights, events and marketing, starting this year and involving the whole City. We intend to increase the investment in Christmas from £25,000 in 2006 to an average of £60,000 each year for the next five years. There will be a spectacular opening event and for the first time ever, we intend to light up additional streets. Every business will contribute, there will be none of the usual fuss and the tills should ring out loud.
• High profile Music Festival starting in spring 2009. Potential venues across the City include Hall for Cornwall, Truro Cathedral, Methodist Church, restaurants and pubs. Musical entertainment will spill out onto the streets close to where independent traders are located as well as on Lemon Quay and at High Cross. The Festival will be widely promoted outside the County to bring in new off-season business.
• Annual co-ordinated programme of regular events, expertly managed, co-ordinated and promoted. This will include outdoor theatre, regular live music and events planned around the early evening economy – keeping visitors in Truro after 5.30pm and making the town thrive from early morning until late at night

When will it happen?
Christmas is being planned now, so that from mid-July, assuming a successful vote, contracts can be signed and sealed with appropriate suppliers. A Christmas Festival will take place each year, for five years, starting in 2007. A music festival will start in 2009 and run each year for four years. Work on delivering a programme of co-ordinated events will kick off in January 2008.

How much will it cost?
£425,000

Project Three – Safer City – ‘You can see your way home’

The Issue: Thankfully, crime is not perceived as a big issue for Truro but there are areas of the City that are not particularly welcoming and do not feel as safe as they could. This is off-putting for visitors as well as employees who need to use pedestrian routes to get to and from work. The opeways in particular need attention and could be celebrated as well as providing practical pedestrian routes.

’some of the opeways are rather dingy’

The proposal:

• Install new lighting additional to what is already provided by the local authorities in areas such as subways and opeways throughout the City.
• Enhance the opeways through repainting and interpretation boards which tell a story of Truro’s heritage. Themes will include stories about Truro’s connection with the river and the famous explorer, Richard Lander.
• Provide decorative lighting to promote key features of the City and make Truro well lit and attractive to enhance its night time economy.

When will it happen?
2010 to 2012.

How much will it cost?
£160,000

Project Four - Attractive City - ‘Make an impact, get a visit’

The Issue: You could hardly say Truro is unattractive but it can certainly do better. Approach Truro along Morlaix Avenue from either the east or west and you’ll see what we mean. Would you be encouraged to stop? Truro needs to remain attractive to its workforce and customers to ensure that businesses retain valuable staff and customers visit.

‘flower displays throughout the year’

The proposal:

• Improve the access routes into the City Centre to capture passing trade, particularly tourists, and not just when it rains. This will include distinctive landscaping and enhancements to the infrastructure such as new promotional signs.
• Additional planting around the City replacing tired tubs with contemporary planters.
• Beautiful floral displays across the city - imagine what Truro could look like festooned with flowers throughout the summer

When will it happen?
Work on improving access routes – 2008 to 2011 Floral displays and additional planting - 2008 to 2012

How much will it cost?
£120,000

Project Five - Accessible City - ‘Finding our way’

The Issue: We all know the difficulties with parking in Truro but it is not helped by inadequate signage once you’ve found a space. Over 300,000 visitors arrive at Truro Railway Station every year, but how easy is it for them to find your business? There are 720,000 users of UK shopmobility schemes in the UK who together with their carers make 3.5 million trips per year. Truro is missing out on a potential new audience by not providing a scooter loan service.

‘join up both ends of the City Centre through signage’

The proposal:

• Improve pedestrian and car park signage not only to direct visitors but also to promote Truro’s assets and encourage an even footfall around all parts of the City to include specialist shopping areas.
• Information points at areas such as the Coach Park, Bus Station, Railway Station and Town Quay.
• Attract new customers through part-funding the provision of a ’shopmobility’ service, welcoming everyone to Truro. This service will be run by Cornwall Centre for Volunteers and operate from the rear of Mallets, adjacent to Moorfield Car Park. Shopmobility will also receive in kind assistance/funding from Cornwall County Council and Horizon Mobility.

When will it happen?
Signage improvements – 2007 – 2012
Shopmobility – 2007 (subject to funding from other organisations)

How much will it cost?
£127,000