Agenda item

Executive Director Environment to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Executive Director Environment regarding hospitality support that the City Corporation could provide for its licensed premises. The update was in response to the Chair of the Licensing Committee requesting that Officers explore actions to support City trade.

Members were informed that despite the City’s busy events schedule, local venues had not been open to take advantage of the increased footfall. Feedback from venues indicates that they are not uniformly informed about events occurring in the City. It was noted that the City could improve its communication of events to local venues so that they could consider the resulting potential increase in footfall to the City when making decisions about their opening times.

It was noted this links directly to the Destination City Strategy and the ambition to increase visitor numbers and visitor spend.

Members were informed of the following actions:

·         The Highways and Events teams will share a monthly events list by email to available hospitality contacts (of both licensed and non-licensed premises)

·         Officers will obtain updated contact information from premises at the annual Licensing Forum on 1 November and obtain their interest in receiving City events information.

·         Officers are currently assessing the interest in the City Corporation conducting a monthly online session providing information about City events.

·         The City Corporation has a Licensing Officer in place who is a specialist in facilitating the licensing of events. The Officer sits on key events groups.

·         The Golden Key event has developed an interactive eat, drink and after parties map sharing hospitality offers with visitors.

·         Officers are extending existing events communications delivered by the City or events organisers to include communication streams on the footfall opportunity to local venues and venues around our transport hubs.

In response to a query from a Member, the Committee was informed that the relevant teams across departments had been collaborating to avoid working in silos and that Officers would consider further ways to ensure a joined up approach.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted