WVOne_issue15_web

ISSUE
15
WINTER 2012
What’s free, will boost sales and encourage
shoppers into the city? It’s the re-launched
Wolverhampton Privilege Card!
The discount and offers scheme now has
over 1400 members since its re-launch in
August as a free card. So many were keen
on signing up that WV One, which now
administers the scheme, had to order a
new batch of cards. Following the support
funding received from the Portas Pilot
project, WV One scrapped charges which
had been £15 for an annual card, hoping
that it would encourage more people to
join the scheme.
The card can be used in over 100 outlets
in the city centre, and some food and drink
venues outside of the ring road. The scheme
is completely free for businesses to join,
which can tailor offers to suit sales. This
WV One’s Marianne Carter, Kim Gilmour
and Lucy Bickley signing up new members
Huge Demand for Free City Discount Card
Miz Hussain (Café Rickshaw), Ram Chandra Subedi (Red
Fort), Sam Hussain (Café Rickshaw) and Satinder Satyal
(Red Fort) of Team Wolverhampton 2012 with spice box
could be a percentage discount which
many already offer to students and staff,
so would be easy to extend to card holders,
or a special offer, free gift over certain
spend… the choices are endless. Promotions
can be changed on a monthly basis, or
special short-term offers can be tweeted/
facebooked to followers at minimal notice.
The scheme runs alongside the
Wolverhampton Independent Network
(WIN), a group hosted by WV One that
supports city centre independents as part
of the Portas Pilot.
If your business - whether independent
or multiple - would like more information
on joining the scheme, then contact
marianne@wvone.co.uk or full details
at www.ilovewlv.co.uk, where you can
also sign up to become a cardholder.
City Centre Regeneration
Vision Unveiled
Wolverhampton City Council has unveiled a
framework to regenerate the city centre, including
plans for an urban park, family leisure facilities, high
order shops, new homes and offices, with the launch
of the Wolverhampton City Centre Prospectus.
Wide ranging plans have been drawn up to revitalise
the city centre with an invitation to property companies
to invest in the future growth, in addition to the
council’s announcement to commit to spend £25
million improving the city centre to make it more
attractive for investment.
The city centre has a huge catchment area, with
nearly 600,000 people living within a 20 minute
drive-time and 3 million within 20 miles. The potential
for increased spend from this population has been
highlighted as a real opportunity to encourage more
retailers, restaurants, bars, cafes and leisure facilities to
improve the offer and attract more footfall and spend.
The prospectus has divided the city centre into three
areas - Canalside, Southside and Westside. The
major aspirations include plans for 1,300 new homes
in Canalside and more shops and leisure facilities.
The council has entered into an agreement with the
owners of the city’s main shopping centre, the Mander
Centre, to redevelop the centre to create more retail
and leisure space.
An expression of interest for Westside will be launched
this autumn which could see new offices and a hotel
in Westside alongside an urban park and a relocated
market. The prospectus has been drawn up following
18 months of discussions with developers. Real estate
firm DTZ is the council’s strategic advisor on city
centre regeneration and the prospectus.
The City Centre Prospectus can be viewed at:
www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/business/
regeneration/city_centre_prospectus
Wolverhampton Gets Better Each Year
That was the news from Curry Capital of Britain 2012 organisers announcing that
Wolverhampton had come third by the smallest of margins in this year’s competition.
The city, represented by Team Wolverhampton, made up of The Bilash and Red Fort
from the city centre, Café Rickshaw of Chapel Ash and Massalla Club in Tettenhall,
scored just two points less than Bradford and Glasgow. After a tie-breaker the
eventual winner was Bradford, for the second year running. Glasgow was runner
up and Wolverhampton was third for the third year in a row.
Wolverhampton’s submission is co-ordinated by WV One, and the portfolio was this
year presented in the form of an authentic hand-made Indian curry spice box, called
a dabba, which was full of spices and recipe cards outlining the contribution the
restaurants make to the city and wider community.
Marianne Carter, Marketing Officer for WV One said that this year the level of
competition had been even greater than before with sixteen towns and cities fighting
for the title. “This is a supreme effort to be placed third for three consecutive years
and shows that Wolverhampton is truly the Curry Capital of the Midlands, beating
local rivals Leicester, who were fourth, and Birmingham, placed sixth.”
Full information can be found at www.currycapitalwolves.co.uk
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Calling All Businesses - Have Your Say
Michelle Baker,
WV One BID Director
24/7 CCTV Trial for City Centre
The CCTV Working Group partners (WV One, WV One
BID, City Council Regeneration, Highways, Trading
Standards and the Mander Centre) are launching a
six month pilot scheme for a 24/7 camera monitoring
operation within the city centre.
This will be undertaken by the Mander Centre which
currently hosts the Radio Link base station and would
allow Mander Centre trained SIA staff to have access
to all the dedicated city centre cameras, talk to venues,
direct cameras and generally support those using the
Radio Link in the evening economy.
The trial is being launched as a Wolverhampton
Business Improvement District initiative and will
support the BID’s objective of making the city safer
and to demonstrate the effectiveness to businesses.
The trial will improve the communication between
licensed premises using the Radio Link, particularly in
the evening economy. This will result in an increase in
the number of crime and anti-social behaviour incidents
recorded, reported and to assist with crime prevention
and detection.
WV One is the not-for-profit partnership which operates
the Business Crime Partnership for the city centre which
includes the Radio Link.
The Radio Link is a proven tool of communication and
will provide an extremely important role as part of the
CCTV trial to enable all licensed venues to communicate
across the city centre, sharing information and
intelligence to prevent crime and disorder. The CCTV
trial will also support the extended Taxi Marshall
Operation on Market Street and the Keep It Safe
Campaign which will be in its fifth year of operating
over the Christmas Period.
The Wolverhampton Business
Improvement District (BID) is being
developed by Michelle Baker, Director for
WV One BID. Michelle is currently meeting
with businesses at both local and head
office level to explain BIDs, go through
the BID survey and find out the ideas
businesses have for improvements
to the City Centre and Chapel Ash.
A BID is a defined area, within which
businesses vote by ballot to pay around
1% of their premises’ rateable value to fund
improvements, projects and services that
businesses themselves have chosen. BID
projects typically include city rangers, CCTV
cameras and monitoring, additional policing,
initiatives to increase footfall, events,
Encouraging a Café
Culture for City
Consultation by the City Council on A Boards, Goods on the
Highway and Tables and Chairs has now ended and
recommendations will soon be put to the Cabinet on measures
to de-clutter the city centre and encourage more of a cafe culture.
From April 2013 businesses will have to apply and pay £25 for an
A board outside their premises. Guidance will be issued as to what
these should look like and where these should be located to ensure
good pedestrian flow, whilst still allowing advertising and seasonal
promotions.
Far from being a tax on business the idea is to regulate what
has become a bit of a nuisance with some businesses causing
obstructions with oversized A boards or locating them outside
other premises. This approach has been adopted by shopping
malls up and down the country to promote a more pedestrian -
and trader-friendly environment.
Cafés, restaurants and pubs are also being visited and encouraged
to apply to have a table and chairs permit. One of the newest
businesses to take up this offer is the Prince Albert pub in Fryer
Street, where working with the Council, owners have opted for
flower planters as seen in the picture.
Kim Gilmour, Operations Director, WV One said. “I am delighted that
the Prince Albert has created such an open area which complements
the already fantastic inside and outside space recently developed, the
planters really give it a very stylish finish. The ambiance of the whole
venue lifts the city centre and creates a different experience for a
more sophisticated customer.”
Stylish outside seating
at The Prince Albert
festivals or cheaper car parking charges.
Michelle said: “This is a fantastic
opportunity for businesses to work together
and directly influence how money is spent
and ensure that our city reaches its full
potential. £3 million in BID levy could be
raised over the next five years and this is a
unique opportunity, as BID’s are a tried and
tested, highly successful and effective way
of regenerating towns and cities.”
Please contact Michelle to complete the
BID survey and have your say on what
the BID should fund. Please also give
consideration to being on the BID Board.
Email: michelle@wvonebid.co.uk
or call 07805 896 629
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Promotional Space Available in Queen Square
City Centre
Promotional Space
WV One has taken over responsibility for some
high profile promotional spaces in the city
centre from the beginning of October this year.
Under this initiative, the spaces will now be
actively marketed by the city centre company
with the aim of improving the customer
experience and offering a variety of promotions.
Two spaces are now available in Dudley
Street, with two larger pitches capable of
accommodating vehicles in Queen Square.
Since the takeover from the City Council,
WV One has received numerous enquiries,
including interest from big-name promoters
and local car dealerships. WV One aims
to encourage customer interaction and
product sampling, with the outdoor space
in Wolverhampton offering high footfall
and a pleasant environment.
A new pack of promotional literature has
been produced to help promoters choose
their spaces and assist with technical
queries and permissions, available through
the WV One web site www.wvone.co.uk.
As part of the Portas Pilot project a new and exciting competition
has been launched to find entrepreneurs to fill empty shops and
provide a package of support to help turn their ideas into reality.
Idea2Reality was launched on 6th November with three top
prizes of a 6 months’ rent-free vacant shop donated by landlords
the Mander Centre, the Wulfrun Centre and the City Council.
Winners will also receive a host of other business support to
ensure that both the initial trading period and the longer term
future of the new venture is viable and sustainable. The
estimated value of the support, which includes a small cash
grant from the Portas Pilot funding, is £50,000 for the top prize.
Bringing Life to the City’s Streets
Part of the Portas Pilot project includes Sights & Sounds of the City,
which aims to encourage people to enjoy the city centre as a social
space with Contemporary City Criers telling people all about events
and activities on the city’s streets. University students will also act
as Roving Reporters, recording these events and broadcasting them
across a variety of social media sites.
In September this year the first Wolverhampton International Street
Performers (WISP) Festival took place on Dudley Street, which saw
hundreds of people gather to watch a variety of artists perform acts
of escapology, fire eating, balloon contortion and street dance.
Forthcoming projects for the Contemporary Criers and Roving
Reporters could include Wolverhampton Central Youth Theatre’s
Our Town project, which will celebrate the history of retail in the
city. A funding bid is being made for this project where people will
be asked for their memories of shopping at both the market and in
town, which will be used to create a variety of performances and
exhibitions in empty shops and stalls during the summer of 2013.
In addition to this, EAT! will be coming to the city centre next year.
This project, produced by Black Country Touring, has already been
widely acclaimed in other cities. The performances take place in
four caravans, examining peoples’ relationship with food and the
importance of food in historical events. It is hoped that this event
will connect with city centre cafés, restaurants and food associated
businesses to enhance the experience.
By improving the cultural offer on the city streets and letting the
world know, the revitalisation of the high street will have begun,
and Wolverhampton will be seen to have taken on board the
suggestions outlined in the Portas Review.
Turning an Idea2Reality
Do you have a bright idea for retail, leisure or service business in the city centre?
There will also be a number of other winners who could get
the opportunity to trade from a market stall or display goods
within the city centre for sale by a third party in Showcase
Opportunities. All winners will receive specialist retail
training and ongoing support from a top team of advisors.
Finalists will be given intensive support in two workshops
before going on to pitch before a Dragon’s Den style panel.
Far from being burned in the den, the panel will be giving
positive feedback on how to nurture and set up a new
business in the heart of the city.
Closing date is 4th January 2013 with winners announced in
mid March. Further information from www.Idea2Reality.co.uk
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What’s New!
Deichmann
Seasonably stylish shoes, bags and accessories
retailer in the Mander Centre.
Jessica’s
Sweets galore in this confectionary delight in the
Wulfrun Centre.
Sachin’s Delhi
Tasty selection of curries, samosas, wraps and snacks
in this Victoria Street café.
The Vintage Co
The Haven Wolverhampton charity shop selling
authentic vintage clothing, accessories and more
in the Mander Centre.
Lych Gate Tavern
This Grade II listed building built in the mid-16th
Century is now a warm welcoming traditional cask
ale pub with courtyard and function room.
Café Central
New café snack bar in the upper gallery Mander Centre.
YMCA
A return to Cleveland Street for this charity shop.
Darlington Street Bar
The city’s newest gay venue has opened in Darlington
Street by Easy Pub Management, owners of Gorgeous
and Divine.
Discount UK
Retail has moved back into the ex-Woolworth’s
unit in Lower Floor Mander Centre with this
discount offers store
Business Crime Prevention Training
WV One, in partnership with WM Police, will be working
with all businesses that are signed up to the Radio Link
over the next few months. Training around crime prevention
will be offered and encouragement to businesses to exclude
prolific offenders that continue to visit the city centre
through the Daytime Exclusion Scheme.
It is hoped this will give businesses extra support when
asking an individual to leave stores when they have been
served an Exclusion Notice. If an individual continues to
breach the Exclusion, WV One with the support of WMP
will move towards CRASBO’s or ASBO’s on the individual
concerned.
This should improve the bottom line for retailers and
overall crime levels in the city centre.
For further information contact:
Sitab Khan in the new Bilash kitchen
Spotlight on city centre business:
Michelin Rated Makeover for The Bilash
“Open for business again” is the message
from Mohammed Khan for the newly
refurbished Cheapside restaurant following
a refurbishment that has cost several
hundred thousand pounds.
The Michelin-rated fine dining restaurant
has been totally transformed to create a
spacious dining area, an upstairs corporate
function room for up to 40 people and a state
of the art re-fitted kitchen, including a
tandoor oven for making naan breads. The
basement is now a stylish bar area for diners
to relax before enjoying the highly praised
Bangladeshi and Southern Indian cuisine.
Before I Die….
The Bilash was part of Team
Wolverhampton which represented
the city in the Curry Capital of Britain
competition for the third year running.
Mohammed said: “Bookings for the
restaurant have soared since we
reopened, and we are proud to celebrate
30 years in business in the City Centre.”
Another member of Team Wolverhampton
2012, Café Rickshaw based in Chapel Ash,
has also undergone a refurbishment of its
frontage, and there will be an update on
this in the spring issue of this newsletter.
“…..I want to hug a penguin” may sound like strange request, but this was just
one of thousands of messages left on the Before I Die…. art project walls in Victoria
Street this summer. The project was brought about by Wolverhampton University
Fine Art Students Debbie Shelley and Jo Rooney, who approached WV One to use
the hoardings which had been installed to cover vacant shops.
The Before I Die project is the brainchild of American artist Candy Chang, and whilst
there have been inspirational walls all across the world, this Wolverhampton project
was the first to reach British shores.
Debbie and Jo were on site for a whole week whilst people came along and chalked
their poignant, funny, sometimes sad, but mostly inspirational wishes. Messages
of hope, love for family and God, and the ambition to make something of their lives
are prevalent. These have now been preserved in brightly-coloured marker pens
protected by a layer of anti-graffiti paint so the public can now read them and
perhaps reflect on their own lives and hopes for the future.
Anti-Social Behaviour:
Don’t Turn a Blind Eye - Report It!
Call 101 to contact Police to report less urgent crimes and
disorder, or to speak to your local officers. For example, call 101:
• if your property has been damaged
• if you suspect drug use or dealing in your local area
• to give the police information about crime in your area
• to speak to the police about a general enquiry
• to report street drinkers
What’s On Where
The latest issue covering council supported live music, film, theatre, art, workshops, family/outdoor events and sports
events is available from WCC Tourism Dept on 01902 552055 or download from www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/whatson
Kim Gilmour, Lucy Bickley or Marianne Carter. WV One (Wolverhampton) Ltd. 3rd Floor, 18 Queen Square, Wolverhampton. WV1 1TQ
Tel: 01902 551077, email: info@wvone.co.uk or visit: www.wvone.co.uk for details on the work of WV One
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Late Night Shopping until 9.00pm
Wednesdays from 21st November to 19th December
and Monday 17th to Friday 21st December
Late Night Shopping until 7.00pm
Monday 10th to Friday 14th December
and Saturdays 15th and 22nd December
Sunday Trading
10.30am - 4.30pm
Christmas Eve
Shops open 9.00 am - 5.30pm
Bank Holidays
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Wednesday 26th December: 9.00am - 5.30pm
New Year’s Day: Tuesday 1st January: 10.30am - 4.30pm
*Opening hours believed to be correct at time of printing,
but are subject to confirmation and alteration. Please check
with individual stores.
Festive events in the shopping centres
and stores
Shoppers will be able to enjoy the Christmas cheer
as they make their purchases this year.
Beatties House of Fraser
Fun galore for children at the Christmas grotto in-store at
Beatties House of Fraser, while mums and dads can enjoy
a host of special brand, beauty and fashion events, along
with the attentions of a personal shopper.
Wulfrun Centre
The Wulfrun Centre will have a visit from Santa every
Saturday, along with Bjorn the animated life-size Polar
Bear, the Christmas Crackers, Lairy Xmas Fairy and the
Magic Xmas Pud on various Saturdays.
Mander Centre
The Mander Centre will see return of its Christmas
Grotto. The ‘Post-o-Matic Express’ grotto launches on the
21st November - shoppers will be able to post their letters
and watch them whizz around to eventually fall into the
‘Naughty or Nice’ sorter. Various Christmas themed events
and performances are planned during the festive period,
with the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton Tree of Light on
the lower ground floor.
Cards for Good Causes
St Peter’s Coffee Shop in Exchange Street will be selling
cards and Christmas goods from 29th October to 13th
December. Enjoy a coffee and a cake whilst you’re there.
Let’s Go Shopping!
Christmas & Bank Holiday Shopping Hours*
Other City Centre Christmas Events
A Christmas Carol Event
Light House, Chubb Buildings, Fryer Steet
Saturday 1st December 12pm – 6pm
30 stalls with their best Christmas cheer, carol singers
and everything else you need to put you in the mood for
Christmas. Free entry.
Christmas Vintage and Craft Fair
Wulfrun Hall, North Street
Saturday 8th December 10am - 4pm
Over 40 of the UK’s finest vintage and craft stalls, licensed bar,
live music, tea and cakes. £1.50p (OAP, NUS & Children free).
Christmas Fair
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Lichfield Street
Saturday 8th December 11am - 4pm
Annual Christmas Craft fair, with contemporary crafts,
hand-made gifts, cards and decorations. Free storytelling
and family craft activities. Children can also meet Santa
(£3 includes gift bag) Free, Drop-In.
Seasonal Sensations Craft Fayre
Ground Floor, Civic Centre
Wednesday 12th December 9.30am - 4.30pm
Unique and exclusive Christmas gifts created by local
artists and crafts people. Free Admission.
Christmas Coffee Morning
Mayoral Suite, Civic Centre
Wednesday 12th December 10.30am – 12 noon
Join the Mayor for a glass of mulled wine, tea or coffee
and a mince pie. £1.50 payable on day.
Grand Charity Christmas Dinner
Mayoral Suite, Civic Centre
Friday 14th December 7.15pm
Grand Charity Dinner in the Mayoral Suite, with after
dinner entertainment by local singer Chloe-Jean Bishop
and the chance to win some fabulous raffle prizes.
£32.50 in advance.

Wolverhampton Light Switch-On
Wednesday 21st November, Market Square 5.00pm - 7.00pm
Free Radio host the event in Market Square where The
Mayor will perform the switch-on at 6.30pm with the help
of SpongeBob SquarePants, panto star Sherrie Hewson and
Santa. A spectacular firework display will light up the sky
as the real reindeer parade takes SpongeBob to Beatties
to open their Santa’s Grotto, then The Mayor and Santa
will continue into the Mander Centre to launch their Grotto.
A brass band will perform outside Gorgeous Bar in School
Street during the event.
It’s Christmas Steam Festival
Saturday 1st December, Market Square
Steam engines will add to the misty winter air as Signal 107
Radio play host and brass bands play festive tunes. *Thomas
the Tank Engine, Fat Controller and Wallace & Gromit will
entertain in Market Square and Dudley Street respectively.
Wolverhampton Christmas Market
Friday 7th to Sunday 16th December,
9.00am to 5.30pm, Dudley Street
The Wolverhampton Christmas Market will be home
to festive food and fancies, gifts and goodies galore,
jewellery, jams, jumpers and much more.
It’s Christmas Fire Festival
Saturday 8th December, Queen Square & Dudley Street
Signal 107 Radio and brass bands entertain shoppers,
while modern and vintage fire engines park up in Queen
Square. *Fireman Sam and Peppa Pig will keep kids happy
in Dudley Street.
Grimm Tales
Wednesday 12th to Sunday 16th December, Arena Theatre
Enjoy this children’s stories panto which includes Red
Riding Hood, Snow White, Rumplestiltskin and more.
Dick Whittington
Saturday 15th December, Newhampton Arts Centre
Zip Theatre present their annual pantomime filled with
fun and laughter, performances at 2pm and 4.30pm.
Christmas in the City Centre
Let’s Get Festive!
Let’s make it a great Wolverhampton Christmas
this year, starting festivities with a bang at the
Light Switch-On fireworks display and ending
on a New Year high with another firework fest
at midnight on New Year’s Eve, with a host of
events and activities in between to amuse and
entertain.
It’s Christmas Live Nativity
Saturday 15th December, Queen Square & Dudley Street
A live nativity is performed in Queen Square with real camels
and donkeys. Signal 107 Radio will be on hand, brass bands
will serenade shoppers and watch out for *Sid and Scrat
(from Ice Age) in Dudley Street.
It’s Christmas Shopping Finale
Saturday 22nd December, Queen Square & Dudley Street
While the people of Wolverhampton go about their last
Saturday of Christmas shopping, Signal 107 Radio will
entertain, accompanied by brass bands while *Pingu
and Postman Pat will amuse children in Dudley Street.
Handel’s Messiah
Saturday 22nd December, St John’s in The Square Church
The City of Wolverhampton Choir perform, accompanied
by Orchestra da Camera.
Panto Magic in
Wolverhampton
8th December to
20th January 2013
Oh no it isn’t!
Oh yes it is….
Jack and The Beanstalk!
This year’s magical Grand
Theatre pantomime stars
much-loved actress Sherrie
Hewson, entertainer Keith
Harris (with Orville and
Cuddles of course), comic
actor Ken Morley and
the city’s favourite panto
singer Niki Evans. Full
details and tickets from
www.grandtheatre.info.
* Characters will be making personal appearances in
the city centre at various intervals throughout the day.
(Any of the above details may be changed without notice
- please check on day to avoid disappointment)