What makes an historic district attractive and successful?
The streets should be Welcoming, Clean, Uncluttered, Vibrant, Fun, Authentic, Safe, Pedestrian Orientated, & Visitor Friendly. The Village atmosphere is present but the place needs tidying up.
The buildings should be clean, in good decorative order, promote architectural elegance, and exude history. Much more could be done to enhance and educate visitors about the fascinating history of the area.
People want unique experiences and settings, a place they will remember and recommend when they get back home. In Bloomsbury we do not need to invent this like a theme park, but merely promote the area better.
Special events and promotions will attract people exiting the Museum – such as street events, book fairs, art shows. How about a ‘Bloomsbury Book Bang’ to start?
Ensure Bloomsbury is ‘on the map’. Build links to ‘Legible London’ and ensure we get the latest pedestrian signage for Bloomsbury as soon as possible.
Use of Technology allows even the smallest areas to market and promote themselves in a cost effective manner. Web sites at BloomsburyVillage.com and BloomsburyOnline.net could achieve this.
Terry Farrell Study – Bloomsbury - A Strategic Vision: Use the recommendations of this study as a basis for environmental improvements.
Camden Conservation Area Statement: Consider aspects of this statement that apply to Bloomsbury Village.
Catalyst for Change: At some stage in the near future the redevelopment of the land immediately south of the Village will have an impact on the area, particularly the postal sorting office building and the redevelopment of St Giles Court. The British Museum is also investing in the future. It is important that the quality of Bloomsbury Village keeps pace with these multi-million pound developments.
Organise for action — Fight to get the Streetscape Improved
- Coordinated action is required
- Raising money for promotions
· Getting your share of heritage tourism
· Running events inexpensively and efficiently
· Building membership and participation
· Attracting sponsors and using them effectively
· Projecting a better image for the area
· Adding new life to your current events and starting new traditions.
· Green Image to attract new Quality specialist retailers.
A REALISTIC PLAN
Funding and operating successful programmes and improvement projects — using traditional and non-traditional funding sources, including grants, special agreements, membership funding, corporate support / sponsorship, income-producing projects, and more.
In recent exploratory talks a number of traders and landowners have indicated they would support realistic and achievable plans to improve the streetscape of the area and participate on projects to encourage more pedestrians into the area.
In a study carried out in wider Bloomsbury during 2006 this firm conducted a feasibility study to determine if greater Bloomsbury would benefit from forming a Business Improvement District (BID). A BID is the process by which a given number of streets and businesses agree to pay a levy in addition to their business rates to carry out improvements to their district (Holborn, Waterloo and the West End are examples).The results of that study confirmed that a ballot could be won in terms of rateable values but that individual votes were less certain and it was decided that the risk and cost of taking the larger area to a ballot and achieving a successful Yes vote were too great. The BID study area consisted of over 1,000 businesses between New Oxford Street and Euston Road. The principle behind a BID is to ensure that every business within a designated area contributes to the process. i.e. No free-riders.
In effect the ideas we have proposed here are not that far removed from those of a Business Improvement District but voluntary and on a much smaller scale, effectively an informal BID – but without the heavy cost and time involved in the process of conducting a ballot, running the legal process and managing a BID.
It is worth noting that it is likely that the government will introduce a supplementary business rate of up to 4% in a few years time (The Lyons Inquiry). This rate is intended to be used to implement environmental improvements to the areas that it is collected from and will be administered by Camden Council. It is vital that Bloomsbury Village is organised to lobby as a district for their share of this pot.
See: www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/doc.asp
Investment into 7 Dials / Monmouth Street (Camden & Shaftesbury), the Brunswick Shopping Centre (Allied London) and Lamb’s Conduit Street (Rugby Estate), was a much needed shot in the arm for those areas and show that vibrancy can be achieved.
The majority of traders are specialists and long-standing in the area and their shops are of quality, clean and well maintained, but have suffered as a result of lack of investment into the street environment. The majority of the buildings are in good condition, but others might be encouraged to agree to implement improved maintenance standards. Bloomsbury does have an aura about it which could easily be enhanced and improved if all the stakeholders were willing to participate in the process. Without that participation nothing will happen and the area will continue a downward spiral of deprivation.
There is tremendous pride and community spirit in the area and a strong feeling that now is the time to start the revitalisation of Bloomsbury Village by engaging with and bringing together all the stakeholders to achieve common aims for improvement. It is important that the large resident population is invited to join this renaissance and we will therefore consult with local resident groups throughout the project.
When: March – August 2008 (6 months)
We wish to encourage improvements to the quality of the streetscape and make the area south of The British Museum more welcoming to visitors. We hope to attract all stakeholders into this project.
