Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1      The purpose of this report is to:

-       Update Members on proposals to provide additional marketing and advertising support to non-Council markets operating across the city

-       Update Members on the success of the recent Twilight Market and to set out plans for future events of this type.

2.0      Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Agree a budget of £5,000 to promote and advertise non-Council markets across the City in the coming calendar year, with finances being set aside within the Markets Unit budget

·        Note the success of the Twilight Market at St George’s on 11 November 2015 and note plans for similar future events in the coming year.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Promoting local markets

            Members will recall that, at an earlier meeting of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, it was agreed that consideration should be given to how the council could provide additional promotional support to non-Council markets that were operating across the city. 

3.2       At present, there are a number of regular markets that are run by organisations other than the Council.  These include:

-       Folktown Market – takes places every Thursday in Bank Square (but now closed for the winter season)

-       Fine and Dandy Market – takes place on last Sunday in every month in Crescent Arts Centre

-       Ballyhackamore Market – takes place on second Saturday of every month in grounds of St Colmcille’s church on Upper Newtownards Road

-       Conway Mill Market – takes place every Saturday in the mill

-       Dock Market – takes place at Titanic Quarter every other Saturday

-       Proposal for Cathedral Quarter/Dirty Onion – still to be developed

3.3       There are also a number of markets that operate on a one-off basis.  All markets are in receipt of a relevant licence from the Council, which gives them permission to trade and sets out the parameters of their operation, as well as any fees due to the Council. 

3.4       Members asked officers to draw up a plan to help promote these markets and to encourage the establishment of additional markets.  Officers from the Markets Unit have worked with Corporate Communications to develop an advertising and promotional campaign.  This plan will cover a 3-month period early in the New Year (in line with when markets are operational) and will include:

-       Radio, Press and Online advertising

-       Website update

-       Regular Facebook and Twitter posts on Belfast City Council accounts in line with market timings.

3.5       The costs for the advertising activity have been negotiated down to around £5,000. The Council Facebook, Twitter and website updates will be undertaken by officers at no additional financial cost, apart from staff time commitment.  The campaign will be monitored and reviewed at the end of the period, with a view to measuring its effectiveness. 

3.6       Twilight Market

            Members will be aware that the first ever Twilight Market took place at St George’s Market on 11 November 2015.  The focus of the market was primarily on food, but there were also a number of non-food stalls such as crafts and other local produce.  The market also incorporated a range of cookery demonstrations as well as live music performances from local artists. 

3.7       Over 140 stalls took part in the event.  Many of these were existing traders at St George’s, but a number were new traders.  The market ran from 5pm-11pm and over 17,000 people attended in the course of the evening.

3.8       The market received extensive promotional coverage.  There were live broadcasts from BBC Newsline, Radio Ulster, City Beat, Q Radio and U105 and there were very positive stories – both in the run-up to and after the event – in the Belfast Telegraph and Irish News.

3.9       The event had a very significant social media profile and this was the main communications channel used to build interest in advance of the event.  It reached 1.2 million users on Facebook and 188,000 people viewed the event on Facebook.  In addition, the event reached 200,444 twitter accounts.

3.10     Feedback from the traders was extremely positive with most, if not all, exceeding their targets and many traders running out of stock towards the end of the evening.  Feedback from customers also was mostly positive. There were some negative comments with regard to the need to queue for entry at some points in the course of the evening, as well as  references to the large crowds at the event.

3.11     Due to the huge success of the market, it is proposed that three Twilight Markets will be organised for the coming year.  These will each be two night events in order to ensure better crowd management and to give more people the opportunity to attend. Further details are set out within the Year of Food and Drink report that is also on this agenda.

            Financial and Resource Implications

            A budget of £5,000 to promote and advertise non-Council markets across the City in the coming calendar year from within the Markets Unit’s Budget.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications

            There are no equality or good relations implications.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.