Marketing
Raising the profile of the Partnership
Through the Marketing Group, a constant stream of information is regularly sent to press and media, updating on current projects and town centre initiatives. A strong working relationship has now developed with key journalists across the region including regional, local, daily and weekly media.
Members of the Partnership can also gain valuable press coverage as a benefit for no extra charge.
Christmas Lights
The Partnership is responsible for the Christmas Lights in the town centre and the "Big Switch On" event, both of which are funded by sponsorship and fundraising initiatives, an annual grant from Huntingdon Town Council, and contributions from town centre businesses. Over the last 3 years new lights have been installed in St Benedict's Court and Chequers Court and additional power supplies along the High Street. The Partnership has ambitious plans to further improve the lights throughout the town and is continuously looking at innovative ways to generate revenue to do so.
Over the past 2 years the "Big Switch On" event has developed a more traditional feel, greater community involvement, and a vital retail focus, encouraging families to stay longer and enjoy the festivities and Christmas shopping. The 2005 event was changed to a Sunday which was a great success with many retailers reporting a significant lift in trade for the day. This format will be built on for future years.
Free Training
Ambassador Training. Providing a warm welcome and sharing knowledge of Huntingdon is vital to encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more. In recognition of this, in 2005 the Partnership, working with Huntingdonshire District Council, developed a Town Centre Ambassador Training Course, available free to anyone working in the town centre and dealing with the general public.
Everyone from retailers to service providers to car park attendants and Police Community Support Officers attended and learned how to help and advise visitors on Huntingdon's attractions, shopping, eating and accommodation facilities. Two courses were run and it's planned to continue with this.
Memorable customer care is critical to making sure that visitors leave with a positive image of the town and want to return.
Pride and Base training followed in 2005 and 2006. These programmes included a series of FREE workshops for small to medium businesses that couldn't ordinarily access training and covered a range of retail skills, including window displays, active selling, customer service, first aid and web design.
There are more FREE bite sized training packages planned for 2007.
Annual Continental Market
Introduced by The Partnership, the town has benefited enormously from four successful markets through increased footfall and increased retail spending.
The Market has now become a three-day annual event in Huntingdon attracting over 13,000 visitors from across the region and each year being better than the last! It has also raised the profile of Huntingdon both regionally and nationally.
More than 30 stalls from Europe attend, selling authentic goods and produce from countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland.
These Continental traders have voted Huntingdon's Continental Market their third most successful market, which is an impressive achievement considering they hold 42 each year throughout the UK.
Farmers' Markets
Launched in 2003 as a joint project between the Partnership, Huntingdonshire District Council and Huntingdon Town Council, these fortnightly markets have proved a resounding success. So much so, that they were voted the best regional farmers' market by Country Life Magazine.
Top foodies nominated eighteen farmers' markets across the UK and the public was asked to vote for their favourite. Out of the three farmers' markets in the East of England, Huntingdon received the highest number of public votes, beating Woodbridge and Wayland to become the East of England's top farmers' market.
Huntingdon Farmers' Market is independently inspected and certified to the standards set by the National Association of Farmers' Markets (visit www.farmersmarkets.net for details).
All stock is produced locally and sold by the people who produce it, bought-in produce is not allowed. At Huntingdon, the produce comes from within a 30-mile radius, or 50 miles if a product can't be sourced locally.
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