Angel Town Centre: Business Survey 2019 Report presentation prepared for The Retail Group June 2019

Contents Objectives Methodology and Response Rate Map of Research Area Results & Findings Summary

Objectives The key objectives of the study are: To conduct an independent confidential survey of businesses in the Angel Town Centre area on behalf of angel.london To understand how the town centre is performing and to direct improvements for future growth and development of the Angel area, as well as to obtain views on how angel.london is viewed as performing To provide input and direction for ongoing angel.london initiatives and actions To provide comparison and ongoing monitoring to previous business surveys

Methodology and Response Rate Bespoke questionnaire developed for Angel retail and business operators, based on previous questionnaire topics. Face to face, direct distribution method adopted; surveys handed out direct to managers / owners and collected later the same day Individual confidentiality is pledged and responses are analysed collectively Surveys were issued over 3 days between Wednesday 15 and Friday 17 May 2019 In addition to the direct distribution, businesses were emailed directly to provide a wide range of levy payers the opportunity to participate in the survey The surveys achieved an excellent response rate with 154 completed surveys (note slightly lower than 2018 due to one day less of distribution) A number of questions allow for a multi-response and therefore tables and graphs may not always total 100% A previous survey was completed by The Retail Group in 2018 and where relevant we have been able to make comparisons to this research, and other previous waves of survey

Survey Sample The survey achieved great response from a variety of business types Retail and F&B categories dominate, in line with the mix of customer facing businesses in the area The response mix is the similar to the previous survey, providing a robust comparison set * Survey respondents by type of business; a full list of respondents is included as an appendix

Map of Research Area The survey distribution covered the wider BID area The respondents reflect the distribution of businesses (self located responses)

Results and Findings

Typical Customers contd. Which of the following best describes your customers? (multi-response) Angel customer groups are dominated by local residents, families and workers Students and tourists make up a secondary group The top 5 groups are similar to last year and mostly at similar levels

Visit Patterns Visit Patterns In the last year would you say that your customer numbers have increased, decreased or stayed the same? Circa 60% of businesses are seeing similar or increasing customer numbers 36% are seeing decreasing customers This is the same as 2018 which was an improved picture over 2017 The long term trend is positive

Length of Trading How long has your business been trading here? Angel benefits from a mix of well established businesses and relatively new businesses Circa 20% have been trading for less than 2 years, this is higher than last year and indicates that Angel remains an attractive business destination for new businesses Circa two thirds of businesses have traded here for over 6 years Long term consistency

Trading Performance How are you currently trading compared to last year? 27% 33% Circa half of respondents are trading up or level compared to last year. Slightly fewer businesses are trading up than in 2018, although fewer are also down! More businesses are level than in 2018. Further robust trading from many Angel businesses, given the national outlook

Future Prospects Over the next 12 months do you expect business performance to? Business outlook is fairly positive with circa 75% of businesses expecting performance to improve or stay the same. Only 20% expect a decline Consistent with the 2018 survey, a long term positive trend

Success Rating How would you rate the success of your shop and Angel Town Centre as a whole? Success ratings for both ‘own business’ and Angel Town Centre remain very high. There has been a increase in the ‘poor’ rating compared to 2018. However it is clear that businesses view their performance as successful, and that of Angel. Similar levels to 2018 which was up on 2017

Appearance of Angel Town Centre How would you rate the appearance of Angel Town Centre? Respondents are positive about the appearance in terms of graffiti, lighting, cleanliness, Christmas lights and Waste collection The priority improvement area is crime & ASB Planting & greening is identified for improvement as is waste collection Broadly consistent with previous surveys

Facilities of Angel Town Centre How would you rate the facilities of Angel Town Centre? In regards the facilities of Angel Town Centre, operators are positive about the public transport links, open spaces, litter bins and wayfinding Priority improvement areas are the provision of public toilets and parking facilities Secondary improvements include seating & facilities, quality of air and pavement condition As per previous surveys

Awareness of angel.london Have you heard of angel.london? Awareness is improving slightly. Circa 70% of businesses are aware of angel.london 11% would like to know more about its role A quarter have not heard of the BID (this may include non BID members trading in the area) This is a continued improvement over 2018 and 2017

Views and Opinions: angel.london Do you believe angel.london provides good value for your BID levy contribution? The majority of businesses ‘Don’t know’ whether the BID is providing good value Of those that have a view there is a positive ratio of 5:1 that think it does provide good value Responses are identical to 2018 The 2017 survey had a positive ratio of 3:1, in terms of more businesses saying yes than no

Views and Opinions: Police Team How important is it that angel.london provides the Angel Police Team responsive to businesses? Businesses find the Police Team ‘very important’ Nearly 90% of businesses find it important This is consistent with 2018 and 2017 and is improving

Views and Opinions: Recycling Services Are you using the free recycling services that angel.london offers? If not, would you like to join the scheme? An additional 12% of businesses would like to join the scheme. Over half of local businesses are using the free recycling scheme. Much less are not, and this has improved from both 2018 and 2017

Media Channels Which of the following do you READ or USE? All media channels are read by at least 20%. Angel.London monthly news letter is most read / used. The majority of respondents indicated they are ‘not aware’ of all media channels or online sources of information.

Views and Opinions: Future Priorities Please rate what you consider to be the level of priority for each of the following proposed BID activities? All proposed BID activities are seen as important High priority improvement areas include increased CCTV and promotion of the area. All other areas were rated as high and medium priority

Views and Opinions: Angel Town Centre Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following? There is broad and improving consensus that Angel is clean, comfortable and attractive Most agree Angel is an attractive town centre, as well as improving year on year Most respondents feel Angel is a safe place. Although 26% disagree. This is a big improvement on last year and the year before, when more considered it unsafe

Summary Excellent response rate at with 154 completed surveys over 4 days A cross section of businesses from the whole BID area, dominated by retail and hospitality Local residents, workers, families and students dominate customer types Customer visit numbers are steady for most, a third are seeing declining visits compared to previous year Stable mix of businesses, Angel maintaining a healthy balance of longstanding businesses and new arrivals Trading performance is reasonably robust, circa 50% are level or up on last year, a third of businesses are down Business outlook is positive circa 75% expect business to be same or better Angel is viewed as a successful location with a 4:1 positive ratio individually and for the town Overall the appearance factors are viewed positively. Crime / ASB, and planting / greening to improve In terms of facilities, more need improving, toilets, parking, seating and air quality Awareness of angel.london is very good at over 70%, only 26% are not aware VFM of the BID has a positive ratio of 5:1, but over 60% don’t know if the BID offers good value Police Team are highly regarded as a service

Summary contd. Free recycling waste services is a popular BID service, with a few more businesses keen to join. Circa a quarter do not wish to join. The various media channels are used by over 20% of businesses and 36% use the angel.london newsletter. However circa 50% are not aware of each one All the proposed BID initiatives are viewed as important CCTV and more promotion are slightly more important than the rest Angel is viewed positively as a location, it is clean, attractive, improving and getting safer.

Summary Priorities High Priority Crime and ASB Public toilets Promote BID ‘vfm’ Police Team Increased CCTV More promotion of area Medium / Lower Priority Continue to attract new businesses Promote success rating of Angel area Planting and Greening initiatives Environmental improvements Free recycling services Promote BID media channels Anti litter / clean ups Events Other planned BID initiatives

Key Statistics at a Glance: 2018 vs. 2019 page 1 Survey Topic 2018 2019 Comment Completed questionnaires 175 154 4 days distribution in 2018, 3 days in 2019 BID Awareness No Yes (know more) 33% 64% (14%) 26% 71% (11%) Improved awareness Customer visit patterns Up Same Down 29% 30% 38% 25% 36% Consistent trend Success rating of Angel TC Good Satisfied Poor 53% 6% 46% 34% 13% Positive success rating continues Top 3 Priority Improvements Crime ASB Toilets Parking 1 2 3 Priority improvement areas remain same BID VFM rating Don’t know Yes no 62% 27% 5% Consistent rating, room to improve, convert the ‘don’t knows Trading Performance Level / Up 49% 45% Consistent trading performance Performance Outlook Improve Decline 42% 20% 40% Slightly improved outlook BID Priorities CCTV Clean ups & litter removal All other initiatives Promotion

The Retail Group Informed Solutions The Retail Group: Dunnings Oak Offices, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4AT Tel: 0844 209 8480 Web: www.theretailgroup.co.uk Email: info@theretailgroup.co.uk