Lisa Carlson, BID CEO and Chair of the Association of Town and City Management Board, joined over 180 placemakers from around the UK and Ireland at a two-day event in Cardiff designed to share ideas and solve challenges we all face in towns and cities.
We explored the impact of technology on high streets with excellent insights from Nesta, in particular about their Challenge Prizes which bring “problem holders” together with innovators. We also heard from John Lewis’s Operations Director and Cardiff’s LUSH manager about their people-centred approaches and focus on customer experience.
There were also panel debates on how Covid has changed the high streets and the challenges and opportunities of the logistics industry, including a conversation about the impact of delivery companies in town and city centres from Deliveroo’s Senior Public Affairs Manager and The Restaurant Collective’s CEO.
The workshops covered the L-Commerce Revolution, Increasing Footfall with Digital Trails, Liverpool Without Walls ( project to re-imagine the city under social distancing), A Dislocated Workforce (hybrid working) and Purple Flag.
On day 2 we heard from the Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, and also from Brixton BID about their twinning project with the Harlem BID in New York City. The day also included insights from Movement Strategies and Visa on sales data and people movement.
The ATCM holds regional meetings with BIDs and local authorities, and meets regular with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Towns and Cities and the High Street Task Force Sector Leader’s Group. They also meet with government officials to represent the views and needs of towns and cities.
