South Southwark Business Association Meeting 19th September 2013

The date of the next South Southwark Business Association Meeting is Thursday 19th September at 9 am at House of Tippler 123 Lordship Lane.

The primary purpose of the meeting will be to discuss plans for the 2013 Christmas Event on Lordship Lane, we would also like to discuss the update from Southwark Council regarding the SSBA's awarded funds of £10,000 from the Cleaner Greener Safer initiative. Proposals for solar powered 'white' lights in the trees on Lordship Lane - for which funding was granted - have been rejected by Southwark's Lighting Department. 

Although this meeting will be very Lordship Lane specific the SSBA is open to all business owners and managers in SE15, SE21, SE22 and SE24 - please attend to raise any other matters with the group.

Minutes of South Southwark Business Association Meeting 22nd July 2013

South Southwark Business Association

Meeting about Christmas Cracker 2013

Monday 22 July, 9am, House of Tippler

Present:          Lawrence White, Roullier White

                        Mathieu Perrin, Roullier White

                        Ray Murphy, Roullier White

                        Tim Oakley, House of Tippler

                        John Benton, Senior Events Officer, Southwark Council

                        Helen Cundy, Events Development Officer, Southwark Council

Following very positive feedback after last year’s Christmas Cracker event, Southwark Council would like to stage the event again this year and are keen to work with SSBA to make this happen.  There is funding for this year’s event, but there needs to be buy in from the local business community, and as there is no guarantee of funding beyond this year, the aspiration is that the delivery of the event could be taken on by SSBA in the future if there is a desire to continue it.

Christmas Cracker 2012

Last year’s event consisted of:

·  Stage on North Cross Road with a programme of local musicians, dancers etc

·  Satellite stage outside the carpet shop (small PA), mostly acoustic, small groups

·  Professional walkabout performers (stiltwalker and man in Christmas present) on Lordship Lane

·  Shops offering refreshments, mince pies, discounts, promotions etc

·  Father Christmas at The Little Clipper

·  Crafts market at Push Studios

·  Reindeer trail for children in 9 shops with donated prizes

The event ran from 10.30am – 4.30pm on Saturday 1 December 2012.

Feedback was that the shops further up Lordship Lane (near the police station) were left out. Otherwise the general feedback had been that it had caused a buzz in the area and there was a good atmosphere.

JB explained that the events team would like to have the stage in North Cross Road again and would like to present more performances on Lordship Lane, possibly more groups of singers or other mobile groups performing in more places inside and outside shops along Lordship Lane from Goose Green to the police station. There could be a carol singing flashmob. TO suggested a group called The Buzztones who may be interested in performing.

Last year coincidentally the event was on the same day as a craft market at Push Studios, and although this was discovered too late to be advertised on print, the events were co-promoted online. HC will find out if this is planned for this year [action].

The suggested date for this year’s event is Saturday 7 December.

In terms of businesses getting involved, LW suggested the idea of shops trading on their forecourts, there had been issues with this in the past. JB will investigate this with Council staff [action].

LW also suggested that shops work in partnership with bars, offering promotions eg If a customer spends £20 they get a free drink at a particular bar. Or if they buy a meal worth £20 they get a 10% off voucher in a particular shop.

TO suggested a “mulled wine-off” where members of the public judge different bars’ mulled wine.

SSBA were successful in a grant application to Southwark Council’s Cleaner, Greener, Safer fund and have received £10K to put up solar powered lights in the trees along Lordship Lane. There are some changes being made in August, so LW will know more after that. Could it be a possibility that these are ready/switched on that day?

LW asked if it was possible to put a Christmas tree on the roundabout at Goose Green. JB will investigate [action].

TO suggested that the new market on Pellatt Road may be interested in opening for the event (usually operate on Fridays).

TO asked if the event went on into the evening. JB said that it wouldn’t for outdoor performances but that if bars/pubs etc wanted to put events on, these could be advertised for the event.

Marketing

It would be beneficial to all work together to promote the event. Southwark will use social media more and by all linking up, everyone can promote each other. LW suggested a countdown for the 2 weeks before the event.

LW asked if it would be possible to push the “Shop Local” brand to try to encourage people to support local businesses.  HC to find out whether the Council is planning any shop local campaigns for this Christmas [action].

LW suggested stickers with the East Dulwich Christmas Cracker logo could be produced and shopkeepers could stick them on bags. LW also suggested handing out printed helium balloons.

LW asked if a banner could be put across Lordship Lane to advertise the event and define the area. JB to investigate [action].

Next Steps

Although it is holiday time now, LW thinks it is better to start speaking to businesses soon.  The minutes will be circulated and local businesses invited to contact HC with ideas. HC will start contacting local shops and businesses in August [action].

Important Information Date Change SSBA Meeting Monday 22nd 9am

At The Request of Southwark Council We Have Been Asked to Change The Date of The Next SSBA Meeting to Monday 22nd July. Sincere Apologies For Inconvenience.

The Next Meeting of the
South Southwark Business Association is: 

9am Monday 22nd July 2013 at 

House of Tippler; 123 Lordship Lane, 

The meeting is open to all SE15, SE21, SE22 & SE24 business owners,
managers, and their representatives, and usually lasts around 1 hour. 

Agenda:

• East Dulwich Christmas Cracker - the East Dulwich Christmas Event - John Benton & Helen Cundy - Southwark Council Events Team
• Cleaner Greener Safer Funding - £10,000 SSBA successful grant application for sustainable winter tree lighting on Lordship Lane - to replace existing Christmas decorations and operate throughout winter months.
• SSBA Member Website - Preview of the free local businesses directory operated by the SSBA: covering SE15, SE21, SE22 & SE24, with an opportunity to feedback during the early stages of development.
• Any Other Business.
• Date of Next Meeting.

Please just arrive on the morning, however, if you do intend to come it would be helpful to let us know in advance so we have an idea of numbers. Please email the SSBA secretary; lawrence@roullierwhite dot com

South Southwark Business Association July 22nd 2013 Meeting

The Next Meeting of the
South Southwark Business Association is: 

9am Monday 22nd July 2013 at 

House of Tippler; 123 Lordship Lane, 

The meeting is open to all SE15, SE21, SE22 & SE24 business owners,
managers, and their representatives, and usually lasts around 1 hour. 

Agenda:

• East Dulwich Christmas Cracker - the East Dulwich Christmas Event - John Benton & Helen Cundy - Southwark Council Events Team
• Cleaner Greener Safer Funding - £10,000 SSBA successful grant application for sustainable winter tree lighting on Lordship Lane - to replace existing Christmas decorations and operate throughout winter months.
• SSBA Member Website - Preview of the free local businesses directory operated by the SSBA: covering SE15, SE21, SE22 & SE24, with an opportunity to feedback during the early stages of development.
• Any Other Busisness.
• Date of Next Meeting.

Please just arrive on the morning, however, if you do intend to come it would be helpful to let us know in advance so we have an idea of numbers. Please email the SSBA secretary; lawrence@roullierwhite dot com

Southwark Council & Businesses' Use of Forecourts

The use of forecourts is about to rear its ugly head again as Southwark attempts to raise revenue by cashing in on anticipated greater footfall north of the borough during the summer Olympics. This will of course impact on us south of the borough.

Some of you will remember around a year / eighteen months ago the ugly scenes when council reps visited stores and bars demanding licence applications, these reps were unaware of the council policy and what they said varied from one business to another. Many traders were left distraught and confused by the bullish behaviour and their ignorance of their own policy. We are hoping they will be politer and better informed this time.

In essence, if you do have furniture on the public highway INCLUDING A BOARDS it is very likely that you will have to pay a (increased) licence fee (to see the report click here). If you have furniture on your own privately owned land / forecourt (the vast case in and around East Dulwich) you are exempt from the license IF you have a boundary fence OR display a sign stating;

'THIS IS A PRIVATE FORECOURT FOR THE USE OF CUSTOMERS / PATRONS ONLY.'

Southwark Council would not be happy with the fence options as it will mean a reduction in the width of the pavements, however this is an option which you can consider and might give you some leverage. Also the fees appear to be levied on the size and number of items which means a small cafe busy at just lunchtimes could be paying the same as a huge SE1 bar. Typically the policy has not been thought through.

It is disturbing to us members of the business community when all the media's attention is focused on preserving and promoting small businesses to help preserve our high streets, Southwark Council is ignoring the 'Portas Protocol' and penalising the very people who make this borough such a vibrant and desirable one.

If the visiting Southwark reps are ignorant of the policy, or in any way bullish, remain calm, do nothing, take their name and contact us; we will talk to your Local Councillor, The Cabinet Member For Transport, Environment and Recycling and the Head of Public Realm's office. If the Southwark reps behave as badly as they did last time then we shall be taking the matter to the press and advising our MP, but we need incident reports so write everything down and try to get any conversations witnessed IE when they arrive make sure you have another member of staff or an obliging member of the public on hand.

If you have furniture on the highway and you want to fight this decision please email us back and we will form a group to do so. We have already had the offer of support in doing this. Contact us by email at southsouthwarktraders@yahoo.co.uk

Deputation to Dulwich Community Council Presented by the Residents of Trossachs, Glengarry, Thorncombe and Tarbert Roads

Thank you for the opportunity to address the Community Council. We are here to represent residents of Trossachs, Glengarry, Thorncombe and Tarbert Roads. We have collected several hundred signatures objecting to the proposed CPZ on these and surrounding streets.

We are here to ask that you support the majority of local people and vote AGAINST a CPZ.

The reason we ask this is twofold:

1. We feel that, for East Dulwich, a CPZ simply will not deliver on its primary stated objective: namely to reduce commuter parking in order to create easier residents parking.

Roads such as ours are only a 6 minute walk from the station and are outside the proposed CPZ.The initial CPZ design would not have stopped people parking at the station, it would simply pushed any commuter parking onto different local roads such as Glengarry, south end of Melborne Grove and Ashbourne Grove, merely moving the problem from one local street to another. This displacement effect is well documented and has been witnessed in other CPZ’s

It is also worth noting that NO analysis has been done to separate any “rail commuters” from people working at local schools, businesses and East Dulwich hospital, who would continue to travel to the area.

This displacement effect, combined with many other negative factors leads us to believe that the CPZ will have an overall negative impact on the local community and will have to spread significantly to address these issues.

2. We feel that Soutwark MUST accept the clear majority view expressed from their own consultation. As residents, we put faith in the consultation process conducted by Southwark. We believed that the objective of a consultation was to listen to the local community and trusted it to do so; a democratic process. People filled out Southwark’s consultation in good faith , expecting Southwark to act in good faith.

The leader of Southwark Council, Peter John wrote to residents on 17th November and said (we quote) “Please be assured that if the objections outweigh support, then a CPZ will not happen. ”

The results of the consultation, we feel, are VERY clear and that objections clearly outweigh support:

• Overall 70% respondents said that “they did not want controlled parking”
• Overall, out of a possible total 1159 possible respondents, only 84 (that’s 7%) responded in favour of the introduction of a CPZ
• 20 out of the 22 streets consulted said they “did not want controlled parking”
• 75% of other recorded correspondence was objecting to a CPZ
• 9 separate petitions accepted by Southwark , recorded 1826 people objecting to a CPZ..........and only 29 people in favour

We believed that this was a VERY clear message: the people of this area DO NOT WANT CONTROLLED PARKING. We have been consulted and we have spoken. This is not about “the people that shout the loudest” getting their way it is about a clear majority of people getting their way: and that is democracy.

However…… despite the majority being opposed to the introduction of a CPZ, we now find Southwark using the fact that residents on 2 specific Roads did not object as a mandate for the introduction of some sort of “modified” CPZ. We would like to put this “mandate” in perspective.......... on Derwent Grove 7 (seven) more people were in favour than opposed a CPZ . On Tintagel Crescent it was 4 (four) more. Are Southwark REALLY prepared to use this majority of only 11 (eleven) people as their mandate to proceed and ignore the wishes of the 70% majority and 2000 petition signatures.

The consultation was surely about the introduction of a CPZ for the area as a whole: small or single Road CPZ’s were not mentioned during the consultation. And now the goal posts seem to have been moved to allow for the possibility of a CPZ to be installed in specific roads. Many people now feel they have been misled.

This leaves us asking this question…… suppose a the majority of roads had actually wanted a CPZ and a only a minority voted against it? Would Southwark be proposing to exclude those roads that voted against the CPZ? We think not. Those residents would most likely be told, that they must abide by the wishes of the majority. And that is exactly what we requesting – for Southwark to abide by the wishes of the majority.

We therefore call on the, democratically elected members of this council to demonstrate to their constituents that they respect democracy and they will honour the commitment made by the leader of THEIR council: “Please be assured that if the objections outweigh support, then a CPZ will not happen ”

We ask that you vote AGAINST a CPZ .

Deputation to Dulwich Community Council Presented by Max Sharp on Behalf of the South Southwark Business Association

Hello my name is Max Sharp. I am addressing you today on behalf of the South Southwark Business Association and as the owner of esph, a family-owned health and fitness business that employs 24 people locally and has been trading in South Southwark since 1979.

The business community is against the proposed CPZ in any form. It will have a long-term, detrimental effect on all businesses in the area, especially the High Street, where small, specialist shops operate as prescribed in Southwark’s Core Strategy.

1182 petition signatures against the scheme were raised from businesses in just four days
We are all here tonight because we love and care about our community. We want to see it flourish and grow its reputation as an exceptional place to live and work.

Lordship Lane has had a chequered past , from its affluent Victorian beginnings, it became a busy centre of small independent traditional shops and service providers. But it faced near collapse with the opening of the Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill, when every butcher, greengrocer and baker closed its doors and the road became known as Hardship Lane. Evidence of how a single change in a community’s economic eco-system can devastate an area for a generation.

Gradually, through the personal financial risk, hard work and innovation of a core group of independent traders, shops, cafes and restaurants returned and we now have a High street, with its off shoots, which is the envy of other areas. We are constantly asked by visiting councilors and representatives from provincial boroughs how East Dulwich 'happened', how to replicate it elsewhere. And yet, elsewhere Our High Streets are dying. Up and down the country shops in town centres have been closing at the rate of 20 a day. The slow death of our High Streets has prompted the government to commission a report from retail guru Mary Portas, on what can be done to save the British High Street. The report is available on the Business Secretary’s website and I urge you to read it. It describes the challenges the high street faces from out of town retail parks and online sales and one of the main recommendations, following extensive consultation, is that councils HAVE to relax parking restrictions If High Streets are to survive and thrive, Councils must not look to CPZ’s for short term revenue or as a local tax.

The Federation of Small Businesses recently released a report stating that parking restrictions were killing small businesses. Up and down the country cases are being fought against councils who are trying to enforce parking restrictions.

Studies specializing in “intelligent transport systems” at Imperial College, London, have concluded that local authorities, “Consider carefully in the development of their local plan the impact, availability and cost of parking on local trade”.

Despite the mood of the nation, recommendations by trade organizations and the findings of a report commissioned by the government from one of the UK's most respected retail experts, Southwark, which uses 'modern government' as one of its tags lines, is way behind the curve in its senseless pursuit of this scheme, which can only have a negative impact on the local community.

The moment East Dulwich gets the slightest reputation as being somewhere difficult to park then shoppers will travel elsewhere; to centres where adequate municipal parking is provided by the councils, out of town retail parks or simply shop online.

There is very little economic good news around at the moment. Our local businesses are currently not robust; and some shops reported a drop in footfall last year of up to 40%. Any further dip will result in these shops closing.

A busy, diverse, vibrant high street benefits everyone. Yes, the business owners but also the many local people who work for and with them, and the local community who use the businesses. It benefits families that depend on a strong local economy. And, of course, it has a direct impact on the quality of life of all who enjoy living in East Dulwich or visiting the area.

With the utmost respect, we must point out that Southwark Council are not retailers or restaurateurs and, therefore, when it comes to matters that relate to local business then the council has a duty to listen to those on the front line. There has been no consultation with the business community.

In densely populated, busy areas not all of us may be able to park directly outside our houses all of the time. The irony is that the proposed CPZ will not enable that to happen anyway.
I know that our community is very proud of our unique retail environment; however, if we wish it to survive, we must protect it, value it and invest in it. Introducing a CPZ, with a local economy already teetering on the brink, will have an irreversibly negative impact. At best there will be no growth. At worst, shop owners will leave businesses will close down and the unique community will all enjoy will change for ever.

Speak to Dave, the owner of William Rose, our successful local butcher. He had a thriving business in its previous premises in Vauxhall. But the introduction of controlled parking in that area made it impossible for his delivery vans to offload, drove away customers and had such an impact on the business, that he was forced to move.

Southwark, we know that you are facing financial challenges as business owners we face those same challenges on a daily basis. But can you please listen to those around you, as well as to industry experts, and abandon these senseless plans which will ruin the local economy and destroy the unique community that we all enjoy in East Dulwich. Please work together with the local community of residents and businesses and help us protect and promote this part of London as one of the most desirable and safe places to live. Move with the times and show yourselves, as you claim to be, a forward thinking, modern model of government.