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SUNNY WORTHING
NEWS

February 2018

Welcome to the Town Centre eNewsletter 

Keep up to date on what is happening in Worthing town centre

Highlights in this newsletter
  • A message from Chris Spratt the Chairman of the Worthing Town Centre Initiatiive
  • On-line reporting to the Police now available
  • Your chance to take part in the 2018 Worthing Food & Drink Festival
  • List of summer events
  • Independants Day - a new event to promote Worthing's great independent businesses
  • Town Center Users Survey
 

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
CHRIS SPRATT  BSc FRICS
 
May I take this opportunity to wish all Town Centre businesses a happy and prosperous 2018.
 
The Steering Group have been reviewing the Christmas trading figures appearing in the press with interest; as well as reviewing our own data. As usual there have been winners and losers. I am pleased to say the feedback from Worthing businesses generally has been positive with increased turnover, but from slightly fewer customers than before.  
 
The Steering Group understands trade is challenging at the moment and 2018 will not be an easy year, with the uncertainty around Brexit, as well as increasing costs. Please be rest assured that the Town Centre Initiative is committed to doing everything we can to enhance and promote Worthing, encouraging people to visit and to spend.
 
This is an exciting time for our town; West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council have just released the Town Centre Public Realm Appraisal Study and Worthing Borough Council continue to develop exciting plans for our seafront. If you would like to see the options for key sites in Worthing please see the link below:-
 
 
The Steering Group are now considering these various plans and will make comments to the Local Authority to ensure that businesses' views are taken into consideration as these proposals develop. Given the effort that has gone into preparing the plans, we do hope on this occasion they will reach fruition and we can see real change in the town centre. Shopping habits continue to change, with town centres becoming the place for social shopping. The leisure & hospitality offer, along with the ambience of a town, become increasingly important to encourage people onto the High Street.
 
We would like to get as broad a range of views on what individuals and businesses would like to see happen to Worthing town centre in both the short and long term. One way of influencing the situation is to join our Steering Committee and we would be very pleased to welcome new members. We meet once a month to look at the issues affecting the town and develop ideas and projects to create a vibrant and attractive town centre. If you would like to join the committee, please get in touch with Sharon Clarke, our Town Centre Manager who will send you all the information. We will be holding a strategy day very soon and if you cannot get along to our meetings but have ideas or issues you would like to be discussed, then please let Sharon know so she can ensure they are considered.
 
Remember the Worthing Town Centre Initiative is a group run by businesses for businesses and our goal is an attractive, vibrant town centre where businesses thrive and by everyone working together we can achieve this!


ON-LINE REPORTING TO THE POLICE GOES LIVE

We often hear that calling 101 can be frustrating and time consuming for businesses.  The Worthing Town Centre Initiatie have been working with other sussex towns, the Police and Littoralis to develop on-line reporting and I am pleased to say this is now available.
 
On-line reporting is via the DISC app and many businesses already have access to this.  If you do not yet have this facility the good news is that in Worthing any town centre business can have access FREE OF CHARGE - We will just need you to sign our Data Protection protocols.

DISC can be accessed by computer or smartphone and the system provides information on known offenders, crime prevention advice and is also a way to capture intelligence.

If you would like to have access to DISC and on-;line reporting then please contact Steve Burt our Business Crime co-ordinator steve@worthingtowncentre.co.uk.
 
The smartphone version of the reporting currently needs to be completed on a computer but the technicians are working on this and by mid February smartphone users will be able to send the full report from their phones.

Do remember that this is for non urgent reporting and anything where there is a risk of harm should still go via 999.
 

WORTHING FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
15th / 16th SEPTEMBER 2018

The Worthing Food & Drink Festival is a showcase of what Worthing hospitality has to offer. 
 
Local businesses that have been involved in previous years have found that its a great way of engaging with new customers and promoting their brand.
 
Currently bookings are being taken from Worthing businesses but applications will soon be opened up from outside the town.  Town Centre businesses get a 10% discount on all charges.
 
If you would like to come along then please click here for the iinformation and application pack.

Don't worry if you can't get along in 2018 we will be offering space in the brochure again for recipes and we will be handing out the Food & Drink Guide.

We will also be holding a Fire & Ice festival over the weekend of 18th / 19th August so if you sell Chilli related products or Ice Cream please get in touch with Lindsay@worthingtowncentre.co.uk who will be able to provide you with more information on this.
 

WORTHING EVENTS
ITS GOING TO BE A BUSY SUMMER !!!
 
There is already a packed programme of events planned for the town centre and surrounding areas.   
 
The dates of the confirmed ones are below -  More details will be provided nearer the time and we will let you know of any more we hear about, 
 
The funfair will only be on the promenade for the two weeks of the Lions festival this year.  This decision was taken following complaints from businesses, that the extensions approved by the Council the last 2 years, were causing a negative impact on trade, 
 
Date  Event    Location  Organiser
2nd April  Easter Eggstravaganza  Montague St / Bath Place  Great Little Farmers Market 
1st - 3rd June  Art Craft & Design Market  Montague Street  Woodland Craft 
16th June  Chidren's Parade  Steyne Gardens/ Parade through town  Children's Parade 
16th / 17th June   Rowing Regatta  Splash Point  Worthing Rowing Club 
23rd June  Art-Ful Craft Day  Montague St  WTCI 
30th June / 1st July  French Market  Montague St  France at Home 
7th July  Dean Ager - Rat Pack Tribute  Montague St  WTCI 
14th July   Reptylers Event  Montague St  WTCI 
14th July  Worthing Pride  Beach House Gardens  Worthing Pride CIC 
20th July - 6th August  Lions Seafront Festival  Seafront / Steyne Gardens  Worthing Lions 
21st July  Elvis on my mind / Brighton Jive event  Montague Street  WTCI 
 28th July - 2nd Sept  Worthing Urban Beach  South Street Square  WTCI 
3rd - 5th August  Art Craft & Design Maket  Montague Street  Woodland Craft 
12th August  Independants Day  Montague Street  WTCI 
18th / 19th August  Fire & Ice Festival  Montague Street  WTCI 
25th August  Dean Ager - Rat Pack Tribute  Montague Street  WTCI 
26th / 27th August  Rotary Carnival Weekend  Seafront / Steyne Gardens  Worthing Rotary 
1st September  Mark Wright's Classic 80's event  Montague Street  WTCI 
15th / 16th September  Worthing Food & Drink Festival  Steyne Gardens  WTCI 
 


INDEPENDENTS DAY 
12th AUGUST 2018
   
When talking to town centre independent businesses we often hear that they would love to be able to afford to trade in higher footfall areas.
 
The Worthing Town Centre Initiative have decided to hold a showcase day for the wonderful variety of independent shops in town.  Businesses will be able to come along to promote and sell in the heart of Montague Street, where the town sees its highest footfall.   
 
Following discussions with independent traders we will be holding this event on a Sunday so that businesses who may need to close to take part won't lose their prime trading day.
 
The Worthing Town Centre Initiative will provide the marquees, the tables and promote the event.  There will be NO COST to take part so an opportunity not to be missed !  
 
All we need is at least 30 traders to committ to take part; just bring your promotional material and goods to sell and spend the day letting Worthing know about your businesses and where to find you.  Letters with more information willl be circulated soon to all independent traders, 
 
 

TOWN CENTRE USERS SURVEY 
A CHANCE TO WIN AN iPAD
   
The Worthing Town Centre Initiative will soon be holding a strategy day to review the current projects and look at what else we need to be focusing on.

To help understand the priorities for shoppers and visitors to the town we will be carrying out a Town Centre Users Survey. This information will be collated and used during our deliberations.

We will be out talking to shoppers asking them to complete the survey, we will also be circulating the information on social media and our website.  To encourage responses we will be entering everyone who takes part in a draw for the opportunity to win an iPad.

If you would like to respond to the survey and be in with a chance to win  CLICK HERE. 
 

The Worthing Town Centre Initiative
12 The Steyne
Worthing
West Sussex BN11 3DS

Telephone 01903 203252