Wilmslow Town Council has decided to appoint an independent local market research company to look into the impact of Artisan Market on trading patterns in the town.
Councillors voted unanimously to appoint Wilmslow based Wendy Dunn Research at a cost of over £3000 to help them determine whether the market should stay on a Saturday or move to a Sunday.
Last month Wilmslow Town Council passed a motion to investigate how much it would cost to do market research into the Artisan Market. As a result Wendy Dunn was approached about getting a retailers view on whether the market should be held on a Saturday or Sunday and submitted a proposal to the Town Council.
Wendy has been operating a full service market research company for 10 years, her clients include Marks & Spencer, Warburtons and Kellogg's and her projects normally range in value from £10,000 to £70,000.
Speaking at this week's town council meeting, Wendy said "To do this comprehensively now we need to illicit the response of in the region of 80% of all the retailers in whatever we see as our universe.
"It is a short, very straightforward, simple questionnaire and I think we need to cover initially the impact that the Artisan Market has had on their business, positive, negative or no impact. Then we understand how people currently perceive what the Artisan Market has done for their business and then whether they would want the market on a Saturday or Sunday.
"It is a really really straightforward objective in terms of what we need to do and what we need to find out and then statistically I have a fabulous statistician who works with me and will tell me that this has been statistically significant one way or the other. If it comes out split then we have to make a decision."
Cllr Ruth McNulty commented "It is very difficult to conduct research in a hypothetical setting, research done before we have experience of the Sunday market will be hypothetical. So if we agree to do this research I would much prefer we have conducted this market in November."
Cllr Jim Crockatt raised concerns about whether they would gain anything from the research. He said "I have some reservations about doing market research because as far as I can see there are two answers we can get, one is yes it is best to be on a Saturday or it is better on a Sunday. I don't know whether detailed research is going to give us any better answer than we probably have at this moment."
Cllr Keith Purdom responded "To me the debate really goes around two central points, have you got enough information now to make a decision or do we need to spend some money to help us and secondly are we going to ignore a sizeable body of the retailers that keep Wilmslow town vibrant and lively and give us somewhere to shop, are we going to ignore their views and leave it on a Saturday?
"it might not be an absolute majority but we know there are a lot of retailers who are of the opinion that they want the market moved."
He added "I think that the dilemma is - we have a proposal that's passed to spend the money and we make a decision, if we don't then we're going to make a decision tonight, next month but we're going to have to make that decision ourselves based on no more evidence than we've got today."
Cllr Gary Barton requested that the survey also asks whether there are any other issues they feel have had an impact on their business and Cllr Martin Watkins requested that businesses are asked whether they currently open on a Sunday.
The proposal from Wendy Dunn included the town centre and the shops on Chapel Lane but the Town Council agreed that the research should be widened to include retailers at Summerfields and Lacey Green.
Wendy agreed to add to the two extra questions at no additional cost but said increasing the sample size, universe, will incur additional costs - which will be less than £500.
Wilmslow Town Councillors voted unanimously to appoint Wendy Dunn Research, to spend £3000 plus the additional money to cover all the retailers in Wilmslow and for the research to be carried out after the first Sunday market is held on Sunday 17th November.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Im getting out of markets and into market research
That really is money for nothing
The people that should decide are the people of wilmslow and they vote with their feet every month
Meanwhile the shopkeepers have taken to using aggressive behaviour to make their point
I have copied the following over from another post Ive made on here
"I would like to mention an incident that took place at the market this saturday past
I was not at the market personally but my wife and a friend were running the stall
A "Lady" came to the stall and very aggressively demanded to know if I was there
My wife replied I was not
She then started ranting about how she is not happy with my thoughts and comments on the Artisan market
To behave in this manner is totally unacceptable and if any of us on the stall are approached in this manner again rest assured the police will be called straight away
It appears this person has come from one of the shops on the street and efforts are being made to find out who it is, when we do it will be reported
My wife was quite shaken by this and is very unhappy
If the person concerned is reading this it may be an idea to get in touch and offer my wife a full apology."
The market has already had to give up one day of its xmas trade
How much more damage would these people like to do to us ?
The retailers in wilmslow have a fantastic opportunity to target people coming into wilmslow specially for the market. These are people who don't normally shop in Wilmslow but who will come in on a Saturday. I know this as I have met people I work with in Tameside who have made a special trip to visit the town because of the market.
Despite this, I have yet to see any special offers which would attract these people back into the town on a non market day. The manager of Hoopers seemed to think that he can take advantage of the market...surely it must be possible for other retailers to draw people back into town at a later date. I noticed that the soon to arrive food shop on water lane were handing out leaflets to encourage people to take a look when the open or to shop online. Well done them.
Clearly high street retailing is extremely tough. Let's hope that the artisan market is not being made a scapegoat for the tough trading climate.
Hard to believe that the best thing to happen in the 23 years I have lived in Wilmslow is the cause of so much bad feeling.
However I truly believe that IF it is moved to a sunday for good we will see shops that currently dont trade on a sunday suddenly decide to open because of the footfall the market brings.....
The moment they do this they become hypocrites
I think this whole thing is them trying to get some sunday trading going
We shall see.....
Its been said before but it deserves saying again .....
Any retailer that cannot turn that footfall into an advantage really needs
to look at a different career
Go to any high street in the country and ask the shop owners if they would
like what Wilmslow have and I bet you they would bite your hand off
If I had that many people passing my gallery once a month I would be a very
wealthy man I can promise you because i would make it work for me !
Its not a survey thats needed its physiological help because these people
are clearly crazy !
This smacks of protectionism to me, but who knows - perhaps WTC will go the whole hog and also ban on-line shopping, out-of-town malls, supermarket convenience stores, mobile shopping (especially once 4G gets established) and Omni-channel retailing as well to ensure our complaining local shops survive.
Alternatively, they could use the £3k to give the aggrieved stores some help in marketing themselves. Perhaps they can then get the hoards of people who pass by their door once a month to actually go inside and buy something from them instead.
After all, this is the root cause of their complaint and it's the only win-win solution I can see for everyone concerned.
Any evidence whatever to support that statement? Please publish the list of businesses.
Cllr Jim Crockatt raised concerns about whether they would gain anything from the research.... I don't know whether detailed research is going to give us any better answer than we probably have at this moment."
Absolutely my opinion too.
The opinions of all permanent Wilmslow retail traders likely to be affected by the Artisan market should be taken into account, but those opinions must be backed by proper, comparative and verifiable records over the entire period of operation of the Saturday Artisan Market from commencement many months ago.
Those data gathered during the coming Christmas season will not be typical, partly because of the enforced change of the Artisan Market to Sunday, and partly because such figures will not reflect typical trading during springtime and summer.
Similarly data acquired during January, February and March, 2014 may be highly skewed by actual weather conditions on market days. Paramount in my view, will be data acquired from the regular customers of the permanent retail traders, and data from the visitors to the Artisan Market, (some of whom will be customers of both groups).
Lastly, but not least, the wishes and proposals of the Artisan Market traders themselves must be considered. (Let us not forget that a number of the Artisan Market Traders are also permanent retail traders in Wilmslow). If the survey is to be done, let it be seen to be appropriately comprehensive, of significant value and unbiased in its content.
Well if the market traders don't mind shift it to Sunday and see if there are enough customers compared to Saturday
Put it on Water lane and shut the road from say Dominos to the lights
more space for everyone then.
As you represent your business and your employees, and your employees are the face of your business then perhaps more consideration for long standing businesses should be at the front of your mind when making such comments if you want to avoid a backlash.
A lot of your comments make you sound very high and mighty as though you and your fellow market traders are the answer to all of Grove street's problems and the businesses there should be grateful for your presence.
If you think about it Peter, were it not for these businesses keeping the street consumer-focused for all these years you would not have a well-known area to trade in, which is the only reason you get the "footfall" that you refer to. If Grove street was dying on its backside, as you seem to suggest, then would you still have considered setting up there? Or would you seek out an area that was more popular to begin with?
Being the new kid in town you should show some respect if you want to be treated with respect.
We have fully embraced the market since we opened in June and we're sad to see it moved to a Sunday. Remember not all retailers requested the move; i know many similar retailers who feel the same way (Sunday is our only day off too, plus Wilmslow isn't a Sunday town. We tried opening over the summer but the town is very sleepy unlike Macc, Knutsford... IMO).
I also don't believe that comparing the upcoming Nov/Dec Sunday markets will be fair due to the holiday season. Feb/March would have been better but it is what it is so we'll open up on a Sunday and go for it and see what it brings, however, speaking with our customers not many will give up their family day, rest day to go and shop in Wilmslow.
Anyway, the market has been very fruitful for us- on the day and later in the week as it's a platform and opportunity to shine to locals and visitors, it brings a positive vibe to the town... And just seeing crowds of people in and around Bank Sq is great, and a nice change. I have a feeling it will be back on a Saturday in the near future...time will tell.
In the meantime please swing by and say hi and take a look at what we've got to offer. Not all the best deals/service is online or in soulless retail parks. Wilmslow is your town, remember that. There's nothing like local human contact to make a town a special place.
I envy Knutsford's high street full of indies, it's very appealing when you drive/walk thru...what are they doing? As for the market research, good luck! i hope it brings fair results, looking forward to view the results.
First of all My wife was spoken to in an aggressive manner and was upset by this and felt threatened
You expect me to take that on the chin ?
Sorry no way
I am outspoken about the market as I believe in it very strongly
If you find that high and mighty thats fine but I prefer passionate
If anyone wishes to speak to me in person I am more than happy to do so but will not tolerate aggression or threats
Wilmslow is a great area for the market
When the market first began Grove street was dying there is no doubting that
The market has helped revitalise the area which was always one of its goals
I'm in no doubt its succeeded and maybe is becoming a victim of its own success
I will always be grateful to wilmslow for the trade its given me just as I am grateful to the other areas we work in
I will be looking to open a gallery in a new area within 18 months and Wilmslow is very much my first choice ..... I wonder if I do will I moan about the market !
Ive no wish to upset anyone but I will fight for what I believe in just as anyone else will
My understanding is that a few, a minority, of businesses have complained and that these businesses are high end jewellers citing their customers complaints about parking? Surely that says it all, if its a struggle to park then Wilmslow is busy?
This market brings in customers for all businesses to attract if you as a business can not attract the thousands of people that this market attracts then you should not be in business and you will eventually go the way of many others such as Simon Dunn, Bank, North West Fish etc etc etc.
The fact that the town will have just 1 day of the market for christmas is already a scandal to show that the tail is wagging the dog. WTC is there for the people of Wilmslow not the few high end shopkeepers that have created this fuss. Bring the market back to Saturdays, bring back the second christmas market day and give the people what they want or the Market will move away and then where will we be?
As a customer of many Wilmslow shops, including aforementioned jewellers, I can quite clearly state that should we lose the market then I will never shop in Wilmslow again and wait for it all to turn into just coffee shops and charity shops.
This survey should not be directed at permanent retailers, but at the people who do (and do not) shop in Wilmlsow. They should be asked whether the present of the Artisan market affects their decision to shop in Wilmlsow, and whether they purchase at the market, in the permanent shops or both. And finally they should be asked whether a move to Sunday will affect their decision to shop at the Artisan market.
We were at the last Artisan market and you could hardly move on Grove street for people both at the market stalls and in the shops. It's a long time since Grove street was anything like this.
Losing the xmas market 2nd day is a massive blow for the Artisan Traders I can assure you.
Quite why the shops would not want 2 days of a busy vibrant market full of people looking to spend money is beyond me
But The Artisan Market traders promise that although we just have one day we are determined to make it the best market day Wilmslow has ever seen and we know that the people of the town will turn out in huge numbers as they always do to support it.
Because the truth hurts (Wilmslow's high street has been dying the proverbial slow and painful death for many years), I detect a distinct feeling of clutching at straws to the point whereby the only brilliant, frequent event that the town has been able to enjoy monthly is now standing trial. Go ahead, spend 3k on the research, then find additional ways to kill the market and the joy, buzz and trade it brings.
Oh and by the way, am I the only one to remember so-called 'community events and picnics' in Grove Street for William and Catherine's wedding and for the Jubilee, for example? They were shockingly pathetic because they were not a market. Compare with the brilliant Christmas Market that took place a few years back (was it Crimbo 2010 I think?) outside of Hoopers and what are the conclusions? That's what people want, a market, on a Saturday, and you've had proof month after month after month.
Parking in Alderley Edge, Poynton, Macclesfield, Handforth Dean, John Lewis or the Trafford Centre on a Saturday afternoon is just as bad, if not worse than Wilmslow on market day.
It seems to me shoppers who don't like Wilmslow's crowds must stay at home instead. They must also have a better alternative - probably because they can visit Wilmslow on another day of the week when it returns to normal.
Therefore, I doubt the complaining retailers lose much business from their "regulars". It's just that their trading loss on market day is far more visible than the extra sales they get on the days when their regulars return.
Perhaps the research could ask this question too? Do the shoppers who stay away on market day just return in the week instead?
That way, we may get an objective view of the situation and help remove much of the bitterness and resentment this issue seems to have created.
'Oh dear',said Alice.
If a survey is needed, ir should be paid for by those who have demanded it.
The market has brought life back to an otherwise unattractive and sleepy, probably moribund, shopping street. Those who want to get rid of it for their own ends will not gice up, whatever the results of the survey. If they don't get the results they want they will simply come back with another tactic, hoping to wear people down until the market goes away. then they will have no excuse left for the fact that they are not running the businesses that people want.
Then we would all know who is who and a chance for all to air their views
I suggest 6 of each side
Are you up for it shop keepers ?
It is clear to me that WTC have made the correct decision to carry out the research. Shall we wait and see what this produces before getting over heated?
In my view, the proposed research will only be meaningful if all the retailers disclose their takings on Saturdays over a full 52 week period so that reasonable comparisons can be made between "ordinary" Saturdays and "market" Saturdays. I have a feeling, however, that many will be reluctant to do so, and will claim commercial confidentiality.
Personally I find it difficult to believe that, when the retailers have 40 non market Saturdays over the year, they are finding their businesses being unfairly affected by the market when their financial results are viewed on an annual basis.
Furthermore, any ultimate decision must be taken on a balanced basis, having regard to the legitimate interests of all involved. That must therefore include taking into account the views of the market traders and perhaps most importantly the public. The proposed research does not appear to address these factors.
Are they thinking well Saturday is ok ish. Without a market so if we get market moved to Sunday it's an extra busy day for us ?
It will be interesting to see on next market which is on a Sunday who suddenly opens that didn't before
Then it may become clear what's going on
This is a specious argument which does not bear close inspection; they simply want rid of competitors and are not particular how they go about it.
What will the excuse be when the market has closed and the shops are still not making the profits they would like?
We need to understand the actual footfall and how different it is to a normal Saturday. If the rise in footfall is overstated, and attention and shopping habits are focussed on the stall holders, then I can understand the shops concerns. They would be unlikely to want to waste valuable time complaining if their tills were ringing.
One of the reasons stall holders will not want a Sunday market is that it does not come with the automatic Saturday footfall that Grove Street has had for many years with no street market. If the market is generating a significant footfall of its own it will thrive on a Sunday just as Macclesfield's successful Treacle Market does.
Next time you are on Grove Street on a normal day ask how packed it would seem if over half the street was blocked off and walking speeds were halved due to the congestion?