SMALL BUSINESS AND CREATIVE THINKING

[leenewham]

Just read a great thread on the SE23.son site:

http://www.se23.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1372

The Honor Oak pub in..er..Honor Oak (which I have never been to ..yet) had been thinking creatively about how it can improve it's business.

It had also been promoting this on local community forums.

• On Christmas Day if got together with charity and held a free Christmas dinner for homeless people. It got the local community to donate sleeping bags and clothes.

• In one of it's back rooms it holds yoga classes. 5 Pubs a day close in the UK, if they thought a bit more creatively and became social hubs perhaps that figure might be less (I know some of you will hate that idea, but pubs have held comedy evenings, jazz or blues, karaoke, quiz nights etc for years.)

• Like some other places they hold food nights. Thursday is steak night. Varying menus is great way to encourage repeat custom to 'try something new'. I'm getting a bit bored of some local places that offer limited menu's that don't change (thank god for Ghurkas! that has the longest menu I have seen!).

A cafe and a pub in New Cross used to have film screenings. They were brilliant. The Kirkdale Bookshop hold local events (visiting the KBS made up my mind to live in Sydenham), Sugahill have art exhibits. This sort of creative thinking makes me want to use AND support these shops.

Personally, it would be great if more of them did this sort of thing. What if Candessa had a living fashion show in it's window (during The Arts Festival perhaps?). What if a local butcher gave a cookery lesson? "How to fix a leaky tap" classes in the local DIY shop?

You don't get that in Sainbury's (although B&Q have done in the past, and the Apple Store do it all the time in central London).

Like everyone who posts in these forums, I wan't to see the high street thrive. But it needs to improve. Personal service and flexibility is what I want from a small local business. When times are hard you have to try harder.

Anyone with any ideas?
Is anyone doing something that we should know about?

[crimson1]

Thanks Lee. Your ideas certainly give food for thought. All we need now are some of the businesses on board to adopt this creative approach during these trying times.

[Thomas]

Thanks Lee for starting this thread - apologies for not responding earlier.

The state of the high street has been discussed on this forum on an almost continuous basis - we all like the idea of improving the high street but how exactly can that be achieved?

The ideas you mentioned all seem interesting and would seem to me to be worth considering further - but how do you transmit these ideas to the businesses concerned, who might want to adapt and refine them further before implementing? Who is/ should be involved in sharing and developing innovative ideas in a local high street?

What role is there for the council in improving the high street? What exactly can they do that they're not doing already?

What can ordinary people do? Firstly, we can make a conscious choice to shop locally where they get good service and good value. This forum has a role in enabling people to share experiences of good/ bad experience. For example I go to Home Park butchers quite a bit now, because of a recommendation here, and I would never have come across the place if I hadn't read about it here. But what else can people do?

[paultreacy]

Fashion show in shop window during arts festival. That's a cool idea.

Let's do some more brainstorming along these lines.

I would love to do or be part of a group screening on the side of a building or something similar. I'll bounce the idea around.

It would be worth speaking to Candessa about your idea for a fashion show. I'm sure there are creative designers, young and old, round abouts that could design some interesting clothes too.

SydenhamShots

[paultreacy]

I'm going to make a crazy, short, stop motion film while walking down one side and then back up the other side of the high street to try and capture some buzz from the place. To try and generate some energy. Any musicians here who might want to put together a 2or 3 minute high tempo soundtrack and we could collaborate. Something like this could feature on a giant screen during the festival and be used to generate some excitement about our rather dour thoroughfare. Sexy it up some. Or at least make it appear lively.

There's a lot of potential to make the street a dynamic place for shopping, eating, hanging out and so on.

The windows in the vacant stores will most likely be utilized during the festival and hopefully beyond.

Much to talk and brainstorm about. Let's keep it up. Okay?

SydenhamShots

[Praying Bear Creations]

Hi Paul,

Sounds like a cool project.

I used to make mod player tracks when I was in university over 10 years ago and was really into it for a time... ah the good old days.. btw I am not a musician more of a software guy..

I have made a snippet of a track that I think would be rocking for this project available for you to listen to at:

http://www.prayingbear.co.uk/pbc001.wav

regards,
Rob.

[paultreacy]

Very generous of you to let me use this short piece. IT sets a fast pace which is perfect. I may have to loop it a little to stretch it. Most such stop motion films average out at 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.

Fantastic. I have no idea how to make tracks like these though I would like to experiment. I have Garage Band and a very good keyboard that my sons use for piano practice. Or at least they did. No piano lessons at the moment and I need to change the voltage from 110 to 220 anyway.

Many thanks again. Now I have to go and shoot. I'll let you know how things go.

Great website, by the way. One day I may need to commission you.

Best,
Paul Treacy

SydenhamShots

[Praying Bear Creations]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your comment on my website, I have just started up so nothing else to show off at this stage...

The full track is around 2minutes 20, which might come in more usefull

PM me and I will send you a link to it.

regards,
Rob.

[robin419]

What role is there for the council in improving the high street? What exactly can they do that they're not doing already?

What can ordinary people do? Firstly, we can make a conscious choice to shop locally where they get good service and good value. This forum has a role in enabling people to share experiences of good/ bad experience. For example I go to Home Park butchers quite a bit now, because of a recommendation here, and I would never have come across the place if I hadn't read about it here. But what else can people do?

I think that having ordinary people do more is the key. The council can pass things and create things, but that means designating money. Businesses can also try to do something - but they have a business to run. I think if there are more community development projects, and involvement that is fun for complete families to enjoy, it will help. More things like the art festival and complete community initiative and action that individuals take to start things up... that is what seems to be lacking.

[tulip1]

Some fantastic ideas in the threads above - but where can these suggestions go? Is there a business forum where the Sydenham entrepreneurs and businesses meet to share ideas on making improvements which ultimately surely must lead to improving sales and interest in the high street shops.

[admin]

There is a Sydenham Traders Association. However, my feedback is that in organisational terms it is a bit like herding cats.

There are some good people doing good things. If you want to get in touch - check out Scott Hamilton's posts and PM him.

Admin

[leenewham]

And of course the Sydenham Assembly.