Grass Roots Town Regeneration Crickhowell Emma CorfieldWalters Bookish

Grass Roots Town Regeneration – Crickhowell Emma Corfield-Walters, Bookish, Crickhowell Chris Sands, Totally Locally

Emma Corfield-Walters Bookish, Crickhowell

GRASS ROOTS REGENERATIO NCRICKHOWELL

STREET IN WALES Population of approx. 2000 Eastern Brecon Beacons - very rural ✦ Year-round tourist pull ✦ High Street jam packed with family run indies from bakery to iron mongers ✦ ✦ BUT …. ✦ How do we retain the towns character and use it as a business advantage for all? ✦ How do we ensure High Street Sustainability

SMALL TOWN CHALLENGES ➤ Creating a vibrant and sustainable High Street ➤ Bullying from the BIG boys ➤ Working together for change ➤ Public perception - market towns as affluent areas

TOTALLY LOCALLY A group of local businesses, societies and local residents CRICKHOWELL coming together to highlight the town’s unique nature ➤ ➤ Holds regular ‘Fiver Fest’ & ‘Tenner Trail’ to highlight the importance of money circulating around the local economy ➤ Stages markets to showcase local artisans and brings people into the town ➤ Large social media following ➤ Helps other groups get their messages to a wider audience ➤ Cements relationships ffffffff

➤ THE CORN EXCHANGE In spring 2016, a planning application was lodged with the BBPA by a national supermarket chain - Crickhowell was not amused

So we started a campaign and bought the building ourselves! 270 local people banded together to raise £ 600, 00 to buy and renovate the building, they are now the shareholders of Corn Exchange Crickhowell Ltd. ➤ 3 independent business units and 3 affordable flats were created. ➤ All are now let and Crickhowell remains independent. ➤

GBHS 2019 – BEST HIGH STREET IN ➤ Crickhowell Won Best High Street in Wales & the overall UK Award THE UK ➤ High Street Hero for Wales ➤ ➤ ➤ Huge effort from the entire community – THAT is what won us the award Massive benefits for the entire town Bookish alone saw turnover increase by 40% in Dec & 68% in Jan! Community eager for new challenges and projects £ 15 k prize money allocated to community projects – but NO public funding

Now we have everybody’s attention…. . the town can look at other projects: Projects tackling rural loneliness – Ageing population. Dementia Friendly towns/ talking benches/conversation cafes ➤ Plastic Free Crickhowell ➤ Volunteer Action Groups ➤ Llangattock Litter Pickers ➤ Clarence Hall Regeneration ➤ Parking!!! ➤

SOUNDS OBVIOUS BUT…. ➤ Get to know your fellow business owners & explore ways of working together ➤ Get to know the local groups & get involved where you can ➤ Look at what’s missing from your community and get creative ➤ You don’t need permission from anybody, just support ➤ Use the power of social media to get people talking and sharing ➤ Make sure you’re practising what you preach ➤ Don’t do it unless you are prepared to commit!

Grass Roots Town Regeneration – Crickhowell Emma Corfield-Walters, Bookish, Crickhowell Chris Sands, Totally Locally