Nabma News - October 2013.

I am writing this article the week before the Nabma Conference so it is difficult to make an assessment of how things will go but the build up has been good and I am anticipating that we will have a great time.

In the weeks prior to Conference I have had the pleasure of joining the judging panel to decide awards for what has now become the “Oscars Night”of the markets industry. It has been humbling to see so many fantastic entries promoting the work of market officers and markets all around the country. The panel had a number of difficult decisions to make before agreeing a list of recipients.

The award for outstanding service to the markets industry goes to Ann Coffey MP. Ann works tremendously hard to support her local market in Stockport and also the markets industry nationally through her chairmanship of the All Party Parliamentary Markets Committee. In recent years we have seen unparalleled support by government for markets and Ann’s role has been crucial in securing this support.

The market industry is blessed with many dedicated market officers and the award of Market Officer of the Year gives us an opportunity to recognise one of these officers. Andy Ward of Sheffield is an elder statesman among market officers readily giving of his time and experience to help others. His contribution to Nabma has been tremendous with support for benchmarking, health checks, the buddy scheme and the Diploma. He is also presiding over the move to Sheffield new Indoor Market which will be a tremendous boost for markets generally.

A successful market team is crucial to any market and we have many such teams around the country. Bromley Market Team has demonstrated its success by embracing Love Your Local Market , the Diploma and managing a mixed markets portfolio. The award also recognises the efforts of Peter Turvey, the Manager, for his dedicated work with the London Benchmarking Group which has been a great support to Nabma in connection with a number of initiatives.

The largest number of entries came in the markets innovation category and what a joy it was to see so many different ideas. Many were connected with social media and this year’s award goes to the Barnsley MarketApp. Barnsley have one of the biggest and most successful open markets in the country and the market app was launched as part of their Love Your Local Market campaign. It promises to make a significant difference to the promotion of the market.

In addition to these awards the “Oscars Night” also gives us a chance to present the latest batch of Diplomas in Market Administration. Launched two years ago the Diploma is now recognised as the professional qualification of the markets industry.

Much of the credit for the Diploma must go to Dennis, Nabma Training and Development Officer, who will be retiring after Conference. Dennis has made a tremendous contribution to markets both in Derby and nationally through Nabma and the former Institute of Market Officers. He deserves the recognition of the whole markets industry for what he has achieved. He will leave an important legacy.

Aside from Conference Nabma is starting a twelve months review in September . While the last few years have seen Nabma enjoy great success it is important that our services and structure are kept under review and the first stage in the process will be a comprehensive questionnaire about Nabma services. This will be followed by three regional meetings in October and early November to discuss the future in more detail. It is intended to complete the process and introduce any changes by next year’s Conference.

The last few weeks have been very busy with lots of members raising issues about registering market charters and questions such as where do I find a Latin translator and what do we do as we have found our charter is not relevant to our current market service . It has proved a “wake up” call to many members but hopefully most have now taken the required action. One member reported that the registration procedure is ‘straight forward’ provided you have the relevant information. The deadline is fast approaching so do not delay if you need to take action.

Prior to writing this article I boarded a train. I was greeted at the station by a large advertisement hoarding with the strap line ‘Love Your Local College’ with the heart shaped motif alongside. What do they say about imitation?

Graham Wilson OBE

Chief Executive,

Nabma

www.markettradenews.com
www.twitter.com/markettradenews
www.facebook.com/markettradenews

Nabma News

The Nabma Conference will soon be upon us, so I thought I would give you a taster of what you will be experiencing if you are able to join us in Torquay. There is still time to book and you will be made very welcome.

A crucial part of Nabma’s work in recent years has been connecting markets with local communities and ensuring that markets are linked to a range of mainstream policies. We have done this principally via the publication of our Policy Framework for Markets, which highlighted the importance of markets to new start opportunities, culture, tourism, regeneration, healthy eating and the food agenda and also through our highly successful Love Your Local Market Campaign. At Conference we will be reflecting on the importance of markets to the community and social agenda with Professor Sophie Watson of the Open University, who acted as special advisor to the Government Inquiry into Retail Markets, and also looking at Marlborough Market, which has become a real hub of the local community.

Localism is a key part of the current government’s agenda and providing a community rights challenge in respect of local services is one way in which a local authority markets service could be taken over by local people. In recent months one or two of our members have faced this challenge and we will be exploring at Conference, with the help of Justin Griggs of NALC, the issues relating to community rights challenges.

Of course Nabma Conference would not be complete without an in depth look at Love Your Local Market 2013 and also looking forward to Love Your Local Market 2014. There will be presentations from Warrington and Horsham about their LYLM activities. News about next year will also be given with the Teenage Market playing a central role. There is also a chance to reflect on the highly successful Youth Market at Manchester, supported by NMTF and Manchester Council.

It’s great to see investment in markets and this year we have seen some tremendous schemes to update and revitalise markets. In addition to the presentations at Conference from Sheffield and Bolton, I am delighted to be able to record the investment being made at Leeds, Swansea, Leicester, Chesterfield and other places. All these projects reflecting confidence in the future of markets.

In addition to sampling the market projects at Sheffield and Bolton, there is also an opportunity to hear about one of the world’s most stunning market projects with the new Market Hall at Rotterdam providing a new market, housing and a focal point for the whole of the city. It really is a project to take your breath away and those attending the Nabma Conference will be able to see it at first hand.  Next year Nabma will be hosting the World Union of Wholesale Markets Conference in London and we will be combining that Conference with a UK Markets Conference. This is the first time that Nabma and NMTF will have combined to promote a Conference. To whet our appetite and help in understanding the work undertaken by WUWM there will be a presentation from Jan Lloyd, Chief Executive of New Covent Garden and WUWM board member.

I hope I have already awakened your interest, but this is only the programme for the first day so there are lots more presentations still to come on the second day. We all know the term Business Improvement District, but how do they work and what impact do they have on markets? Well, Cambridge Market is part of a BID and they will be telling us what difference the BID has made to them.

We are now in the second year of Mary Portas and it has not all been plain sailing. Yes there have been successes, but there have also been disappointments and Professor Cathy Parker of the Institute of Place Management will be undertaking an assessment of the good and not so good aspects of the Mary Portas project.

Market Rights continue to be a subject close to the heart of many Nabma members and while there have not been as many recorded court cases in recent years, there are still legal challenges being pursued. Bradford have an interesting story concerning their use of planning powers to stop a rival market in their area.

Recently Nabma launched a UK Markets Index to supplement the existing Town Centre data and I am keen to see this Index prosper. We will be hearing at Conference of the progress we have already made and plans for the future.

In addition, there are other sessions on the quality of retailers in our markets and workshops on social media and getting the best out of markets.

I hope all this has made you realise that you need to be at The Imperial Hotel, Torquay from the 22nd-24th September. In addition to the Conference itself, there some great social events with informal dinner and caribbean steel band on the first night and a formal dinner and awards night on the second. All this plus great networking and a great market place exhibition.

There are still places on either a residential and day basis. The Nabma Conference is open to anyone and, as I said at the outset, you are assured of a warm welcome. Why not give it a try.

Graham Wilson OBE 
Chief Executive,
Nabma

Nabma, the Voice of Local Authority Markets - July 2013 News

Love Your Local Market 2013 was the biggest market event ever seen in the UK. Congratulations to everyone who took part and supported this wonderful campaign. We estimate that around 700 markets took part and approximately 2800 people tried their hand at market trading for the first time. Currently we are gathering together news stories, pictures and videos from the campaign so that by the time we get to Nabma’s Annual Conference at Torquay, between 22nd and 24th September, it is hoped that we will be able to present a wonderful display of the highlights from LYLM 2013. We have already announced that LYLM Market 2014 is to run between the 14th and 28th May 2014 and in order to start planning next year’s campaign now, we are hoping to keep a LYLM team in place between now and next May. This is going to stretch Nabma’s resources and we will be looking for further financial support to ensure we maintain the current momentum. One of the main reasons we want to keep the campaign alive is that preliminary results from LYLM 2013 suggest that social media was largely responsible for attracting a wider audience. Ellie Gill, LYLM Manager, and Beth Ward, Social Media Manager, both worked hard at social media engagement and deserve many thanks for what they achieved.

Next year might see a greater emphasis on youth, but we are still thinking about the format of LYLM 2014, so any ideas would be very welcome. We will be announcing the details of the campaign at the Nabma Conference. If you have any thoughts to offer please contact me at nabma@nabma.com

In a further attempt to build on the recommendations of the Mary Portas Report, the government has established a Future High Street Forum under the chairmanship of DCLG Minister, Mark Prisk. I have been invited to serve on the Forum and so far we have held two meetings which have produced a number of important discussions. The latest meeting focussed on business rates, with Brandon Lewis, DCLG Minister, interested in hearing views of people on how we might help the High Street. A large number of Market Halls have seen rating revaluations in recent years with market stalls being separately rated. This has led to traders having to meet increased charges resulting from the impact of the revaluations. Nabma successfully argued for traders to enjoy a measure of rate relief, which is still being enjoyed but there is no long term guarantee that this relief will continue. At the recent Forum meeting it was clear that there is no ready made solution to this issue, but I argued that it would assist market traders if there was a greater guarantee on the provision of the rate relief and it would also assist the High Street generally if the current limit could be increased, giving more traders the benefit of relief from business rates. In the last issue I commented on the requirements for registering market charters. It appears that only a handful of charters have so far been registered, which raises the question of whether people are aware of the issue, or are aware and intend to do nothing. Doing nothing is not really a valid option because lack of registration might have implications for market rights policies. Nabma has been in discussions with the Land Registry and issued an advisory note about what action should be taken on registration, so if anyone wishes to have advice on this important issue please contact me at nabma@nabma.com

Finally, can I invite anyone interested in markets to join us at Torquay in September for Nabma’s Annual Conference. This is the premier market conference for the markets industry and we welcome anyone with an interest in our wonderful industry. The theme of this year’s conference is Markets Together and we will have a very full programme of presentations and lots of social interaction and networking. Full details can be found on the Nabma website at www.nabma.com You will be very welcome.

Graham Wilson OBE
Chief Executive,
Nabma

www.markettradenews.com

www.facebook.com/markettradenews

www.twitter.com/markettradenews

Rethink needed to stop food retail sector decline

Rethink needed to stop food retail sector decline

The 6th WUWM Retail Conference was hosted by VGSA (see end) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 15 June. Held under the theme “The Future of Food Markets”, delegates discussed issues related to: retail market management and ownership, and professionalizing market trading through increased client focus. Information on the conference and speaker presentations is available by visiting the conference website link www.wuwmretail.org. The following is a copy of the official WUWM Declaration resulting from this conference.

On the occasion of the 6th World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) Retail Conference held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 15 June 2013, under the theme: "The Future of Food Markets", delegates from 10 countries gathered to express unanimous agreement of the following:

- We urge European decision-makers to consider that the food retail sector employs more than 30% (over 15 million) of all people working in the food chain in Europe. We ask for recognition that shifts in consumer behaviour, changing values, and a more regional consumer orientation, means sectors in food retailing must be free to adapt also.

- To avoid a further decline of the current 80,000 people working in the Dutch food retail sector (i.e. food shops and markets, not supermarkets) a new positive format for food retail markets is needed. We urge local government, not only in the Netherlands, but throughout Europe, to rethink its current short-term vision that ultimately favours only the supermarkets and large discounters, contributing to lost jobs, lost inner-city vitality and community life. We urge decision-makers to act in the long-term interests of consumers and local/small food businesses by ensuring fresh food retail markets are prominent considerations in urban planning. We ask for decision-maker

1 / 3…

understanding and acknowledgement of the importance of markets to: real entrepreneurship and jobs; the defence of food product diversity, taste and quality; education - and thereby protection - of public health; and their promotion of a true business environment that complements city life and authentic human values.

- To be effective, public retail markets (whether open-air or covered) require efficient public space, excellent market management, investment, and attention to best practice. We note the many achievements seen in these areas in recent public-private partnerships - clearly a shift towards more cooperation and awareness is needed. We believe the key four areas that will attract and bind future consumers are: availability, choice, service and convenience. To support markets in offering those, local governments are urged to be more open minded and to increase their flexibility and support for concrete initiatives as may be presented by the private sector.

- Sometimes to achieve these ambitions a scale of operation is also needed… a variety of food retailers teaming together to offer place, scale and variety. And while combining ‘focus on the client’ with scale is one step, ‘convenience’ must also be added.

- As sector professionals we believe that with the above elements of better recognition, better urban planning, long-term investment in public markets, improved market management, alongside teaming up and ensuring a renewed focus on the consumer, the negative trend of the declining number of visitors on markets and the high numbers of closures of small food retail shops can be stopped. The revival (and survival) of food specialists is vital for vast and well-documented socio-economic reasons - not only in The Netherlands, but in cities and towns all over the world.

In closing, we take this opportunity to thank VGSA for hosting this event, and to wish both the new Markthal (currently under construction) and the Binnenrotte Retail Market in the City of Rotterdam, bright and successful futures.