Issue 2 Waterford Business Group

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Welcome to the second issue of the Waterford Business Group Newsletter.

In this second issue, we will update you on the latest developments in

promoting Waterford City & County to become the shopping, tourist,

business and recreational capital of the South East.

MAKE A PLEDGE………BUY LOCAL AND SAVE 1500 JOBS

IN THIS ISSUE

Summer in the City Waterford City Centre Management Plan

Commercial rates Purple Flag

Street Ambassadors Gardening, City in Bloom & New Street Gardens

Retail watch Website, App & City Voucher update

This was the second year of our ‘Summer in the City’ campaign, run in conjunction

with Waterford Council and ArtBeat. Starting in June and running right through to

September, visitors, shoppers and families alike were treated to such acts as Bee Gees

Live, Rubber Soul, Thank Funk, The Christy Moore Tribute band, to name a few, and

finishing off with the hugely popular local band The Unusual Suspects. Every Friday &

Saturday there was kids entertainment, with face painting, balloon modelling and

Punch & Judy shows. Well done to all involved, and let’s make 2015 bigger & better!

SUMMER IN THE CITY

As we are all aware 2013/2014 saw Waterford City and County “revaluated” for commercial rates. Our extensive

lobbying of Government throughout 2013 and in particular our close interaction with Minister Hogan allowed for an

equalisation of the ARV across the City and County in line with the amalgamation.

The revaluation process means that Commercial Rates will NOT change for 2015.

However, we must not stop lobbying for further rates reductions as in 2016 we could potentially see a reversal of this

downward trend. The new amalgamated budgets will see commercial rates collection of circa €32,000,000 with the City

contributing circa €19,000,000 towards that income figures. Thus, it is essential that our members keep feeding and

engaging with us in this fundamental issue so that we can ALL drive the cost of operating a business down across the

City and County.

2015 COMMERCIAL RATES CAMPAIGN

WATERFORD – A SUIR THING! TM AUTUMN 2014

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We are aware of the issue of shoplifting in Waterford City and would urge all

business owners to be vigilant in their premises and on the streets. The

Gardai have been very open and helpful over the last few months in trying to

get this situation under control. Along with the Street Ambassador scheme,

and the Purple Flag initiative, we would hope that we can remove shoplifters

from our shops. If you see any incidences of crime, or any suspicious

behaviour, please don’t hesitate to contact your street ambassador, or the

Guards through the following contact details. We would also encourage

EVERY business owner to register with Retail Watch, which has been very

successful in targeting shoplifters in recent months.

RETAIL WATCH AND CONTACT DETAILS

Numbers of note:

Garda Station, Ballybricken

051 305370/051 305371

Gda. Alan White (City Centre Garda)

086 8282703

Retail Watch (text alert) 086 3708355 (text

to register your details) or indeed if you

want to make us aware of any issues

directly, contact your street ambassador or

Waterford Business Group member

directly (see contact details below).

The Waterford Business Group was delighted to see our Chair, Eddie Mulligan, elected as a new and first time

candidate to the Waterford City and County Council. Eddie was elected following a short, but very targeted, five

week campaign that drew support from all the member businesses right across the City and County. The Group is

the only representative member group, in the City and County, that now has a political endorsement. On behalf

of the Group and its many members we wish Cllr. Mulligan our wholehearted congratulations and pledge that

we will support him in every way to deliver jobs, jobs and more jobs to the City and County and put Waterford

back on the map as the economic hub of the South East.

CONGRATULATIONS TO CLLR. EDDIE MULLIGAN

contact for the many city centre business. The Ambassadors will liaise directly with and through Anne Marie Coade,

(Waterford Business Group Management Committee Member), who will report to the larger group meeting on a weekly

basis.

The Street Ambassador scheme will ultimately help us make a better and safer City, which must be everyone’s definitive

goal. With future projects such as the Purple Flag, the need for Street Ambassadors will be invaluable to the City’s

application and implementation of this initiative.

The Street Ambassadors include, Anne Marie Coade (Waterford Hearing Services, Stephen St.), Fiona Quilty (Pamela Scott,

Georges St.), George Kehoe (Occasions, The Quay), Declan Conway (City Jewellers, Arundel Sq.), Edel Murphy (Urban Hype,

John St.), Eamon Barrett (Altitude, Ballybricken), Mark Deevy (Deevys, Parnell St.), Gerry O’Carroll (Photographer, Mayors

Walk), Peter Jones (Foot Solutions, Michael St.), Brian Tynan (Sam McCauleys, Broad St.), Cormac Cronin (Bodega, John St.),

Amy Kelly (Shades, Ferrybank) & David Cunningham (Fresh Food Hall, Michael St.).

We would welcome new street ambassadors; if you would like to get involved, please contact Anne-Marie Coade on 086

1071734 or by email acoade@yahoo.co.uk.

In May 2014, a number of business owners/retailers were

approached by the Waterford Business Group, to create a network

of communication between the business community and the Gardai.

The 14 Street Ambassadors, who are all members of the Waterford

Business Group, were officially introduced to the Garda Operation

Centre at the Garda Station headquarters in Ballybricken.

The Street Ambassadors will work directly through the Waterford

Business Group and will be the “eyes and ears” of the business

community when dealing with City Centre issues. The Ambassadors

will help with dissemination of information to and from the Garda,

communication with city centre businesses, distributing Waterford

Business Group information and being a localised point of

Sgt. Langton with the Street Ambassadors

STREET AMBASSADORS – ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CRACKING ON STREET CRIME

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You may have noticed the beautiful hanging baskets that adorned

our businesses and streets this Summer. This initiative was run in

conjunction with Waterford Council. Approximately 100 extra

baskets were hung around the city, along The Quays, in Michael St.,

Barronstrand St. & Georges St. The baskets and brackets are

made from steel, and so have a lifespan over 10 years. We are

hoping to increase the numbers of baskets next summer, to

areas such as Patrick St., Stephen St. & Ballybricken & where

demand is strongest. We will be starting earlier in the year and

plan to have flowers in place by June 2015. If you would like to

be included in next year’s scheme, please contact George Kehoe

or Jim Gordon.

The Group continues to have a very strong voice at the CCMG. It is our voice that has pushed for the Purple Flag initiative,

the development of Michael Street Shopping Centre, worked to improve City In Bloom, and working

to improve Summer In The City and other campaigns.

However, we can only continue to be an influential voice with a strong and

expanding membership.

It is essential that our members interact, on a confidential basis, with the Group

so that we can continue to bring your concerns to the CCMG. We need to ensure

that you have good lines of communication and this is why it is necessary to

develop our Street Ambassadors programme.

As the City starts to grow once again we will need our members to feed ever

more information to the Group, through our Street Ambassadors, and it is this

information that we can directly bring to the programme at future CCMG meetings.

GUERILLA GARDENING

During the summer months, members of the

Waterford Business Group got involved in some

‘Guerrilla Gardening’ along the Quays, in Ferrybank

and Castle St. Over three nights, the 21 planters along

the entire length of the river, were weeded, sprayed,

cleaned and then replanted with shrubs and herbs,

kindly donated by Morris’ DIY. The overgrown weeds

along the river edge were also sprayed. We were

amazed by the amount of people, both local and

visitors, who use this fantastic facility! The weed killer

and sprayers were sponsored by Morris’ DIY and

Waterford Council supplied bags and provided

collection the next morning. We hope to replicate this

activity next year on a more regular basis.

If you would like to get involved, or can suggest

areas to be included, please contact any member

of the Waterford Business Group.

WATERFORD CITY CENTRE MANAGEMENT PLAN (CCMP) UPDATE

PURPLE FLAG UPDATE

As you will be aware the City is in the process of applying for a Purple Flag. This Award, which will see the City recognised

as a safe, clean and attractive proposition for a thriving night time economy is in the application process at the moment.

This application process is being lead by the City Council with the support of a number of partners including a lead partner

role of the Waterford Business Group. Since the Group’s foundation we have been pushing for implementation of this

type of project and we are delighted that the process is underway through the CCMG. This initiative will only work if ALL

the businesses in the City get behind the project and promote the initiative to staff and customers alike. Further

information on the Purple Flag will be distributed and circulated on an ongoing basis.

The Group are developing two websites. One for public information and one is aimed at businesses and providing

business help, support and information. The app is currently a “mirror” of the public website and in time will also become

a focus of public information. Both websites and the app are a “work in progress” and there will be continued ongoing

development in conjunction with our partners. The public website is being supported by the Local Enterprise Office and

the app is being supported through the Eircom Digital Boost award.

WEBSITE & NEW WATERFORD BUSINESS GROUP APP

CITY IN BLOOM – MAKING OUR CITY PRETTY

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Welcome to new businesses!

Welcome to all those who have joined the Waterford Business Group in the last number of months. If you are not a

member, and wish to become one, please contact us on waterfordcitycentre@gmail.com for an application form.

If you are a member, please send us details of any promotions you have and we will put them on our Facebook page.

Cost: €50 member only. For €100 you will also be listed on our website, www.waterfordcitycentre.ie.

Please download our app Waterford City Centre on Apple & Android.

Contact us on email at waterfordcitycentre@gmail.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waterfordcitycentre or any of our

committee members below.

Eddie Mulligan (eddie@urbanhype.ie), Michael Garland (michaelgarland2013@gmail.com), Glenn Sheridan (glenn@tommyireland.com),

Brian Tynan (brian.tynan@smcc.ie), Declan Conway (dpconway2012@gmail.com), George Kehoe (george.kehoe@gmail.com),

Jim Gordon (flash@iol.ie), Anne Marie Coade (acoade@yahoo.co.uk), Fiona Quilty (fquilty@gmail.com),

Amy Kelly (shadeshair@gmail.com), Gemma Hughes (gemmahughes@gmail.com) and Janet O'Hare (jja.ohare@gmail.com).

WATERFORD CITY VOUCHER UPDATE

The New Street Gardens opened in June 2014 and in doing so have

become a beautiful addition to this area. During the summer, a number

of events were held here, from outdoor cinema nights to picnics at the

weekends, concerts to family fun days. They have also held a number of

very successful workshops, including basket weaving, bee keeping, clay

pizza oven demonstrations & Yoga classes.

This project would not have been so successful if not for the tremendous

amount of work that was carried out by the numerous volunteers.

Waterford Business group donated on behalf of its members some much

needed tools. Many local businesses also got on board, offering

discounts on the supplies that were required, donating their services, or

commissioning bespoke outdoor furniture.

WATERFORD BUSINESS GROUP IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

WATERFORD BUSINESS GROUP CONTACT DETAILS

In November last year, the Waterford City Voucher scheme was launched, and in

the 6 weeks before Christmas, over €35,000 worth of vouchers were sold through

Waterford Chamber & The Book Centre. This was money that otherwise may

have been spent outside of the region. This year, we are hoping that many more

will be sold. We would encourage any business who has not signed up to the

scheme to contact us on waterfordcitycentre@gmail.com so that we can get you

set up to accept the vouchers. At the moment, we have circa 100 businesses

locally who accept the voucher, which currently is more than the numbers that

accept the One-For-All voucher.

We would also encourage those businesses who can give their staff a reward a

Christmas time to think of giving them the Waterford Gift Voucher.

NEW STREET GARDENS

WBG presentation to New Street Gardens