Agenda item

To receive the report of the Executive Director, Innovation and Growth.

The Committee received the report of the Executive Director, Innovation and Growth, and noted the evaluation report for Bartholomew Fair measuring the impact of the event across each event Key Performance Indicator (KPI), as approved by the Committee on 20 April 2023.

The Committee congratulated the Bartholomew Fair team on delivering a successful event at short notice.

The Committee noted the learnings of the event including location choice, timeframe and event types, noting also the large amounts of data available to inform those learnings. A Member commented that the 900^th anniversary element of the original Fair (focussing on the Church and the Hospital) appeared to have been less prominent than might have been expected, noting also the success of the Cloth Fair event. It was noted that the event was the first of its kind and was therefore less likely to generate TV coverage than might an established event such as the Lord Mayor’s Show - noting also that there was TV interest in St Paul’s-related events. The meeting heard that a partnership had been established with Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) which had presented its own publicity challenges. The meeting also heard that publicity had been rolled out across 23 tube stations as well as on buses and on poster sites and cultural attractions.

A Member asked whether the annual Bartholomew Fair was the best way to generate footfall and whether the event generated value for money. The meeting heard that independently provided data indicated that the event generated £1.8M revenue.

Noting earlier commitments to generating additional funding to cover future events, the Committee heard that the intention is for funding of large-scale events to come from external partners in future, and that such funding would be required for future iterations of Bartholomew Fair, in response to a question on whether the Bartolomew Fair event would be held again. Members noted the need for certainty on the matter given the need to form partnerships, generate interest and properly publicise the event. 

A Member noted that BIDs already had significant plans for the Christmas season and that there was merit in working with the BIDs to deliver seasonal events – noting, in response to a Member question, that the overspend on Bartholomew Fair would result in a lighter-touch Christmas programme on the part of the City of London Corporation. he meeting heard that the Destination team worked closely with the City BIDs to deliver Bartholomew Fair. The Destination team are also working with the City BIDs to promote Christmas activity across the Square Mile. Members were invited to visit the new destination website which is promoting this Christmas activity and events.

The Committee noted that there is currently no formal understanding between the City of London and its BIDs, despite the urgent need for such an understanding.   

Members commented that there was room for improvement in City of London Corporation communications plan.  

Referencing the overspend set out in paragraphs 12 and 13, a Member commented on an apparently excessive security presence at some events. The meeting heard that DC had agreed security levels with the City’s security team, and additional counter-terrorism measures (that were partly responsible for the overspend) were introduced following direct recommendations from the City of London Police shortly before the event.

A Member asked for clarification on the budget allocated for cleaning, and whether additional public toilets were provided. The meeting heard that cleansing costs came directly from the event budget. Additional bins and waste collection services were provided at a cost of £6.2K. Additional toilet facilities were managed through local business partnerships, and portable toilets were provided by the City of London where necessary.