To receive an update by Jane Wright, Nicholson’s Centre Manager

Jane Wright gave a brief presentation on the retail update for Members which included the following key points:

Ø  Retail was having a tough time due to a number of factors

Ø  The Town Manager carried out research within the catchment area which revealed there were 11,000 office workers within a 10 minute walk of the Town Centre as well as having quite an affluent population living nearby.

Ø  Maidenhead was losing spend in the town Centre to other shopping towns.

Ø  Up to 98% of the area around Maidenhead had improved while Maidenhead itself had not.

Ø  The Oracle, Westfield, Eden Centre, The Lexicon in Bracknell, Handy Cross an Taplow were all shopping destinations for residents in and around Maidenhead.

Ø  Steph James, the Town Manager and Jane Wright had tried to get behind the Enjoy Maidenhead campaign and that had helped increase footfall.

Ø  The catchment was disillusioned with the Town.

Ø  On a positive note, there were 6m visitors to the Town per year

Ø  Saturday remained the strongest day of the week for send and footfall

Ø  The busiest location was outside Marks and Spencer and Café Nero

Ø  Maintained perception as convenient, accessible and safe

Ø  Passionate stakeholders, residents and retailers

Ø  There was the added benefit of click and collect and mainly free parking on a Sunday.

Building Blocks:

Ø  The Area Action Plan was adopted in 2011

Ø  Crossrail was arriving in 2019 with lots of area improvements

Ø  Inward investment

Ø  Improvement in the public realm

Ø  Nicholsons Centre had a new landlord in 2015

Ø  Since 2015 there was success in letting empty units

Ø  The new landlords were investing in the Nicholsons Centre

Ø  Kings Walk Mall was being refurbished with planning applications submitted for the entrances

Jane Wright added that it was critical to have appropriate links and for the Town Centre to be cohesive and continue to engage with customer groups. She was committed to making Maidenhead a destination of choice.

Councillor Love said Broadway was boring but, when it was rebuilt, it would be glass fronted with shopping which will attract a good retailer. Jane Wright stated the landlords used letting agents to find a top level retailer and creating the new space would give the Centre the best chance ever. She added that Top Shop, H&M and River Island all talked to each other and shared data so, that good message was going out in Maidenhead. Steph James stated free parking on a Sunday and events held in the Town Centre were all helping to increase footfall.

Jane Wright stated Argos was owned by Sainsbury’s which meant it the Argos in Maidenhead could move into Sainsbury’s when it closes. Click and collect was particularly important to the Town Centre, especially for office staff and workers. Steph James commented that consumer habits had changed dramatically and the Borough needed to look at how the Town managed its offer and embrace its independent and pop-up shops. Steph added she used Amazon but, it was also about experiences in a Town Centre. Jane Wright stated the market had a positive effect which had increased footfall.

Jane Wright responded to concerns about the different areas within Maidenhead not joining up very well by stating there were lots of Town centres that hadn’t regenerated cohesively between areas. She felt the new plans and links between Landings and the Nicholsons Centre created a slim link; but they also had to link to the High Street too.

Councillor Love invited members of the public to attend the local Neighbourhood Plan meetings and engage in helping to shape the area; he also requested more involvement from Borough Councillors. He requested a question and answer session on the Neighbourhood plan to be added to the agenda of the next meeting.