Minutes of the Meeting of Business in Action on Wednesday 3 December 2008 at World Wide Shopping Mall
Present
Denys Townsend –Linton Pet Shop- Chair
Malcolm Chalk – WWSM, Caroline Sellers – Ethel Austin, Zoe Plummer – Ambiente,
Jeremy Powell - Palace Cinema, Roddy Bushell - Fitzwilliam Estates, John Collins
Apologies – Ray King – Corks & Cans, Richard Mellon - Savilles, Tracey Holroyd –
The Old Lodge
1. The minutes of the meeting on 5 November were agreed.
2. Matters arising
a. Road signs – DT & MC To revisit to get NYCC to complete
their work.
b. Tourism – 2009 – Meeting to arrange with Craig – Ryedale
District Council tourism dept
3. Lights Switch on – The meeting was opened to the lights committee to review
the Switch on 28 November 2008
a. To improve next year
i. Road Closures – Not beneficial to
Market Pace Trades
ii. Lack of Advertising of the
switch-on – Posters earlier and more detail in papers. - There will always be
someone who misses published information
iii. The switch on was on the wrong
side of the Market Place for the St Michaels Christmas Fair.
iv. Bag it up – Charity event was a
disappointment to them. But we could not have done much more.
b. Well done
i. The lights are excellent. Letters
to go to those who helped.
ii. Next year if the western car park
can be lit more then move switch on back there.
iii. Choir competition was very good
even though only 3 choirs. Good idea – Could this work on a Saturday? Thanks to
go to Mr I Little from Ampleforth college.
iv. Sleigh Race was a great success.
Organisation needs tightening up but fortunately no injury’s reported. Same
again next year. A Saturday could be good with the race at 4.00pm when trade
seems to be dying in town.
v. Prize Presentation was good -
thanks to the platform party – Selina Scott, John Raper Chair RDC, Jane Ford
Mayor Malton, Malcolm Chalk Dickens Society
vi. Switch on.
1. Excellent
Crowd
2. Weather
very cold but clear all day.
3. Minster FM
broadcast live from town all afternoon
4. MinsterFM
presenter acted as our compere. Best from 5.00 on.
5. PA power
was a problem but Gareth Horsley solve for us.
6. Jeremy
provided PA. Conflict in operation with MinsterFM. But many thanks to Jeremy.
7. Santa
arrived late! We had no communication with him to discover the problem. Always
spot on in previous years.
8. Switch on
– Missed countdown – MUST have someone behind shouting the countdown!
9. Selena
Scott – personality helped a lot – very pleasant attracted some of the crowd.
vii. Recommendations
1. Next year go back to the other
side f the market place
2. Try a Saturday switch on – but tie
in with Norton.
3. Plan more Advertising
4. Sleigh Race a must if possible
5. Church Fir to be encouraged
6. Add something else on the day
4. Events
a. Continental Market - 13/14 Dec
i. The effort in organising this is
applauded
ii. The road closures were again
discussed at length – the need bearing in mind the adverse effect on regular
Malton customers was questioned.
(please note that this market has now
been cancelled -9 Dec 08)
b. Christmas Eve Market
i. No information was available
5. Ryedale DC Quick Fix Budget
a. Concern was raised that the value of the declared £350,000
available to be spent on physical work was now estimated at £125,000. An
explanation is needed.
b. The meeting prioritised the items on the list for
submission to the MNAP. (a copy has been submitted to the Ryedale District
Council officer in charge of the project)
c. The meeting then suggested the addition of the following
to the list:
i. Dickens Museum Reintroduce
Railings and wall/step improvements in front of the house in Chancery Lane
ii. Dickens Museum The funding of the
Interpretation study for the buildings in Ainsty Yard.
iii. Finishing the resurfacing with
blocks, of the Western Market Place in front and side of St Michael's Church to
the style adopted to the East
iv. The creation of river features or
activities on the river
v. The connecting Railway line to
Pickering.
6. Action Plan
a. Ambassador scheme- DT & MC are to meet Marie-Ann Jackson –
Ryedale District Council – to discuss further on 4 December. Suggestions for the
roll included:
i. Creating circumstances to promote
the town outside the immediate area
ii. A likeness to the floor manager
at a shopping complex
iii. Take out some of the promotion
activities
iv. Use the name ‘Host’
v. BIA needs to be fully engaged in
delivery
b. Town Trail leaflets – funding for the printing has been
secured from the Town Councils and Ryedale District Council.
7. Other business
a. RB explained that he was involved in the next funding bid
by Ryedale District Council under the Townscape Heritage Lottery scheme. He felt
that most items included ticked all the right boxes but it would be down to the
Lottery board. The bid is for substantial work on the Milton and assembly rooms,
Shop Front replacements etc.
b. Paul Andrews explained that the members might consider the
proposed increases in Car Park charges from next April are not in the best
interests of the businesses in the town. If members agreed with this view they
are invited to a meeting of the Car Park Action Group at the Fine Food Theatre
on 17 Dec at 9.00am to decide what action to take.
The meeting closed at 8.00pm
NEXT Meeting on Wednesday 7 January 2009 at the Old Lodge
Author:Denys Townsend
Date:11/12/2008
