Claire’s Column – Consumers Key To Town’s Success

Published on: 26 Oct, 2016
Updated on: 26 Oct, 2016

In this regular column – a must-read for all those interested in Guildford business – Claire Dee highlights Guildford’s thriving consumer-led sector.

Claire Dee.

While some argue the local B2B (business to business) community is feeling the pinch from Brexit, Guildford’s booming B2C (business to consumer) sector is thriving.

Just last week I heard that the town’s Visit Guildford Tourism Team has received a gold award for Best Digital Communication from the Tourist Network for its digital online presence.

This comes not long after a report revealed tourism figures for Guildford have risen, bucking the regional trend. As reported on Guildford Dragon NEWS, Guildford Borough saw a rise in tourism value of 1.4% meaning the sector was worth £335.2 million to the local economy.

This month also brought the popular Experience Guildford Customer Service Awards, proving the breadth and depth of the town’s diverse consumer reach. Winners included national brands All Bar One, Cath Kidston, Virgin Money and Waitrose, through to small successful independents such as The Bear Garden, Coffee Culture, Field of Fitness and Olivo.

October also saw the town receive the much-coveted Purple Flag status for its evening and night-time economy for a third consecutive year.

Guildford is one of more than 65 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who proudly fly the Purple Flag and is currently the only town in Surrey to have gained such accreditation. Similar to the Blue Flag for beaches, the Purple Flag aims to raise the standards and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5pm and 5am.

And if you’re a fan of the Monopoly board game, this month saw G Live host the launch of a Guildford edition complete with links to local landmarks including Guildford Castle, Stoke Park and Dapdune Wharf. That’s Christmas sorted then!

Claire Dee runs her own communications consultancy near Guildford, and is an active member of the local business community including sitting on the Surrey Chambers of Commerce Board and the Institute of Directors Surrey Committee. To learn more visit www.clairedeecommunications.com

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