Victorian Market Roof Project Update
The Highland Council's Inverness City Manager, David Haas, has promised traders that he will keep them informed of developments at the Victorian Market, Inverness, as major roof repairs are undertaken. This is the first in a series of newsletters that will be issued to traders.
Dear Traders
As promised at the meeting held in Inverness Town House on Tuesday 11th October 2011, it is my intention to produce regular updates to keep you fully informed during the project to replace the Victorian Market roof. This letter is the first that you will receive during the course of this work and I hope that you will find the information that you will be provided in the weeks ahead both useful and reassuring.
I say reassuring because one of the difficulties with a once in a lifetime project is that the true impact of the work that is about to be undertaken can only be measured in hindsight. The Highland Council as trustees of the Inverness Common Good Fund is committed to three things. Firstly we are committed to carrying out the necessary repairs that everybody agrees needs to take place and we are investing £900,000 plus in order to complete them as quickly and as safely as possible. Secondly we are committed to creatively transforming the unavoidable infrastructure that accompanies such work in order to retain the unique and much loved atmosphere that makes the Inverness Victorian Market one of the major shopping attractions that our city has to offer. The Victorian Market shopping experience is unique and in the weeks ahead every effort will be made to enhance it. Our third and final priority is to work with you in order to supplement your efforts to retain your share of the Inverness City Centre shopping spend in the weeks ahead.
There are of course some things which are outside of the control of the Highland Council. Our community is no different to any other in Scotland; and it is clear from talking with many of you working in the retail sector that your customers are already making decisions which are having an impact on your businesses. In such a competitive environment, the challenges you face on a daily basis are considerable and I can assure you that they are not being underestimated for one second by the project team that I have assembled to support you. They are committed to helping you and I am pleased to be able to report that some significant progress has already been made.
The timetable and drawings for this project are now on display in the site office. I shall be having regular meetings to monitor how the job is proceeding on your behalf and I will advise you in future Project Update letters of any changes that may become necessary as the work progresses.
The first stage of the project will commence on Thursday 20th October when the compound will be erected in Academy Street and the traffic management measures will be put in place to safely direct traffic around it. Construction of the compound will take two days and it is our intention that those inside every single vehicle that passes the compound for the duration of the project will be left in no doubt that the Victorian Market is open for shopping.
However, it is not our intention to waste the exciting opportunity presented by having a 12m compound wall to use as billboard outside your front door. Arrangements have been made for an attractive sign to be produced and we shall be telling your potential customers; “Victorian Market – Open For Shopping As It Should Be”.
This slogan, will be used to support the additional marketing and features (discussed below) that will be used promote the unique strengths of your arcade and what you have to offer in the run up to Christmas.
The work to erect the scaffolding above the Academy Street entrance will commence on Monday 24th October and will take two days to complete. Consideration is currently being given as to the best way to use the scaffolding that will be there to promote the Victorian Market; and I will let you know what has been decided shortly.
The work to erect the scaffolding in the Fish Market will commence on Monday 24th October and will take four days to complete.
The work to erect the scaffolding and crash deck in the Arcade will start on November 15th and will take eight days to complete.
Both the Fish Market and Arcade scaffolding and the erection of the safety crash decks they support will then become the responsibility of the Transformation Team which has been given the task of creatively decorating the Victorian Market. It is intended that two transformations will take place during the course of the project. The first transformation will be seasonal and reflect the build up to Christmas.
Agreement has been reached with the Victorian Market Traders Association that the Council’s marketing and promotion of the Victorian Market for the duration of the project will be managed by members of my team. The work that the Council will be doing is expected to be in addition to the targeted marketing and promotional activities that you would normally undertake; and is not designed to replace it.
I am pleased to inform you that the Victorian Market will feature in the 2011 Inverness Winter Festivals supplement where the “Open for shopping as it should be” message will be used to promote your businesses. The use of the networks of contacts and customers that you have built up over the years will of course play a major role in attracting business to the Victorian Market in the weeks ahead and we are looking forward to supplementing it.
Following a review of the generic advertising which has previously been used to promote the Victorian Market; consideration is currently being given to the introduction of promotions which encourage visits. It is intended to run a number of competitions in the Victorian Market in conjunction with partners and discussions are currently taking place with New Century Publishing (Inverness Courier & Highland News) and Moray Firth Radio. The prizes that we will be offering of winners will consist of vouchers to spend in the Victorian Market with traders of their choice.
In addition to the promotions that we shall be running, we should like to promote any that you are intending to stage yourselves. It is intended to advertise the Victorian Market using projections from the Town House on to the wall of Inverness Museum as part of the Inverness Festivals programme in the weeks ahead; so your advert will be seen by thousands of people as soon as darkness falls each evening.
One of the questions often asked when performers are booked to perform in the Victorian Market is “what good is that to my business?” Obviously the Victorian Market is a shopping arcade and not an events arena, but as shopping malls around the world have discovered anything that makes your customers enjoy their time with you, makes the atmosphere in your arcade just that little bit extra special, can play an important part in generating repeat business.
Events also play an important part in providing our local media with stories which raise awareness of the Victorian Market. We are currently looking at inviting local school children in to entertain your customers on Thursday and Friday lunchtimes in December and to re-discover the Victorian Market for themselves. In addition, while traditionally the Victorian Market is open on Sundays in December; the opportunities offered on Sunday November 20th, which is the date of the Christmas Lights Switch On in Inverness are worth exploring by you and your fellow traders.
If you can imagine the appeal of a competition that you can only enter by visiting the market on Christmas Lights Switch On Day; you can help us make a success of the event opportunities in the months ahead.
I hope that this update has given you an idea of the work that is being done behind the scenes to help us all to prepare for this once in lifetime occurrence. Looking ahead, much of what is about to happen could prove to be very beneficial to the long term success of the Victorian Market; and I am looking forward to meeting with you next week – Tuesday 25th October 2011 at 5:15pm in the Main Hall at the Town House. I look forward to providing you with another progress report shortly and if you have any comments and suggestions please let me know.
David Haas
City Manager