The 5 Things I’d Like To See Happen In Altrincham have become one of the most popular blogs of the year and if you’re new to Altrincham HQ I’d recommend you read of 2013 wish here and our 2014 wishes here
As we start 2015 Altrincham is looking very positive and it’s important we continue that for the next 12 months with our NYE motto “Pull Yourself Up Don’t Drag Others Down”
However things can always change for the better in Altrincham and here are the 5 Thing’s I’d Like To See Happen In Altrincham In 2015
1. Mobile Phone Charging Points / Free Wifi Become The Norm Across Altrincham Town Centre
The 1st wish is a carryover from our 2014 wish list – which shows how important I feel it is on the landscape of Altrincham for the good of the town
Ourselves along with Sue Aldridge of the Altrincham & Sale Chamber put this idea forward to the Altrincham Forward team in early 2014 and sadly nothing has been done – but there is hope with a recent survey by the Business Neighbourhood
Plan. In the survey, it was revealed that the key requirements for Altrincham’s young people are Mobile Phone Charging Points and Free Wifi. When you put this together for the revamped plans for the Stamford Square and Stamford Quarter everything could be possible
These are absolute musts for Altrincham and with the news that by spring next year all 94 Metrolink trams will have free wifi we don’t want to be left in the scenario where the youth of Altrincham can access free wifi on the public transport route going out of the town and of course inside the Manchester Arndale and Trafford Centre
2. The Old McDonalds Building Comes Back Into Use
The 2nd most popular post of the last few months on our Facebook page was the news that the Old Altrincham Post Office was to be turned into a Vintage Team Room and a hub for independent businesses. A number of the said businesses are moving from the Emporium (aka Traders Outlet) to a more central location.
It’s the 1st time the building will have been in use since the post office closed in 2006 and it’s with this news that we ask
When will the former McDonalds and Pizza Hut building be refurbished and put back into general usage? McDonalds on Stamford New Road closed on 31st March 2007 after 23 years of trading. The building has not been in use since and with the growing popularity of Stamford House / Station Buildings opposite
2015 would be great to be the year we see this key location in Altrincham back in use
3. Local Businesses Get Better At Marketing
In 2014 we talked a lot about the lifetime value of a customer, the classic mistakes businesses make when launching their business and how to measure the success of your marketing
Whilst more businesses have opened in Altrincham than closed in Altrincham in recent months – there are still difficulties for startup businesses when that 1st big rents and rates bill arrives. A recent report revealed MORE than 1,200 businesses in Trafford went to the wall last year and 3 in 10 businesses not reaching their 2nd birthday (read in full here )
So when you’re marketing please take note that there is a difference between
- Adding Value with Social Media which brings in new customers VS Adding Noise with Social Media which pushes away new customers
- Hiring a professional web design company VS Designing a website in WIX for free
- Hiring a PR Company to get you press in multiple publications on a regular basis VS Getting 1 article in 1 publication
- Delivering leaflets solus and gaining full attention VS Delivering leaflets on the cheap with 6 others and them all going in the bin
- Getting a Graphic Designer to design your marketing literature VS using Microsoft Word and putting clipart on your marketing
The difference of Great Marketing VS DIY Marketing can be huge and can mean a massive difference in your tills
We work with businesses that for every £1 they spend on marketing – they generate £6 worth of business – think about that return for a while and then get in touch on alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
4. More New Business Offerings For Men in Altrincham
If Christmas and Birthdays teach you one thing – it’s 10 times easier to buy a present for woman than a man in Altrincham
The number of men reminiscing about Stolen from Ivor on our Facebook Page went to show this wasn’t always the case and we used to have a fairer distribution of shops aimed at both gender back in the day
Don’t get us wrong – there are a number of shops aimed mainly at men in Altrincham (we’ll let you name them below in the comments section – so we don’t get accused of #everydaysexism ) – but it would be great to see some more clothes shops aimed at men or the equivalent of Tandy which we used to Geek out in
What do you think men? What would you like to see in Altrincham?
5. The Market Quarter Is Linked Up With Other Areas Of Altrincham
The huge success of Altrincham Market has been undeniable with reported figures in the Manchester Evening News suggesting that the 180 seat food hall attracts an average of 6,000 visitors a week.
Many of the visitors to the Market House in Altrincham are visitors from outside the town and this presents a great opportunity to signpost people from the market to the other areas (or Quarter if we’re calling the different areas of Altrincham Quarters now)
Signage and community boards surrounding the market area (and key parking locations) pushing those other areas of Altrincham such as Goose Green; the restaurants of Oxford Road / Ashley Road / The Downs; the traditional pubs such as The Old Market Tavern, The Roebuck and Malt Shovels; the sports fixtures such as Altrincham FC or Manchester Phoenix
This could be the 1st stage in connecting up different areas of the town – next time you’re in Altrincham look around the town centre through the eyes of a 1st time visitor with no knowledge of all that Altrincham has to offer and it will be clear how need enhanced signage and local up to date information is.
Altrincham HQ work with hundreds of local businesses on Social Media Marketing – if you need help look here
“With over 12 years experience of Social Media and 17 years experience of online marketing in other companies, clients come to myself when they want a veteran rather than a rookie” Alex McCann
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To be fair a few places have tried to move into Pizza Hut but when they sold up they sold the glass for the windows for the whole place and as half the outside was thick
Glass people have been quoted 25k+ just for the glass to open the place. Add this to the rent and the extortionate business rates trafford charge and it’s never going to work. The failure of altrincham is mostly down to the councils business rates when you talk to local businesses. Shame on the Council for not promoting growth.
Contrary to popular belief, local councils do not set business rates – they are calculated using a formula which is set nationally. The council then collect them and send them on to central government, from where they are redistributed nationally. There is no doubt that the current method of calculating business rates does not take into account changes in shopping habits (ie internet shopping)and puts an unfair tax burden on the high street. The whole system needs a complete overhaul, but there is no point moaning about the council as they can do very little except tinker around the edges (Trafford to be fair have been quite successful in identifying instances where business rates can be appealed – eg when there are disruptive works going on nearby). The key thing is this is a central government issue, and in an election year everyone who claims to be concerned about the health of the high street should be bringing it up as an election issue with prospective candidates.
It would have zero affect on my happiness and well being whether we had mobile charging points or not and in days of budget cuts at the council is that really best use of tax payers money? FWIW, the other points (except the marketing bit), I agree with.
Personally, my number one would be to see the area at the bottom of The Downs sorted out. Yesterday afternoon it was littered with broken glass, dropped food and puke all round the immediate area. People are scared to walk past there at night and its not very pleasant the following day. With the resurgence and rejuvenation elsewhere in the town this has to be dealt with. It’s like a massive boil on the arse of the town!
Hi
While some may not need mobile phone charging points – there is the need for investment as it does keep people in the town longer (for instance after school / college / football match etc) and when people spend more time here they will spend more £££s in local businesses. I know for certain people if their phone runs out of battery that is the time they go home. Interesting McDonalds are trialing charging points at the moment in London Stores to increase spend in their own stores and if successfull will be rolled out nationally
Great Marketing is key to the long term success of local businesses i.e the very things that bring the people into the town. We mention this from both a marketing company perspective and also a customer perspective. Every time without fail when a business closes down – a very vocal majority say they never knew it was there and the business should have marketing themselves better. At Altrincham HQ we find out most new business openings well in advance and we inform people – but it is down to a business to market themselves consistently and well. Otherwise Altrincham will be a constant revolving door of opening and closures
I agree with issues towards the Downs area of town and litter is something that is already vocal on twitter so wanted to shine a light on some new ideas. Ultimately the council hold the keys to the tidy up and night time problem, but in terms of litter the general public must take responsibility to not litter. I know I never do
Alex