Here to help promote business, pubs, retailers, events and clubs in Belper, if we work together our town will go forward.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
How do you think Belper can be improved, what shops or services is the town missing?
How do you think Belper can be improved, what shops or services is the town missing? Please add your comments to the blog and lets see what can be done.
We most definitely need to start having a craft fayre in conjunction with the monthly farmers Market. Unfortunately as the Salvation Army are now in the process of selling the hall that used to hold it within the Market square this option has stopped at a dead end.
As the council has refused to extend the stalls to craft holders there is no other option but to find a new location as close to the Market as possible. Possibly the heritage centre? Although the three minute walk up hill may put people off! Maybe the Black Swan have a solution if they have a room upstairs that could be used? It could bring in more trade for them by getting people through there doors that might find it impossible to leave without surcoming to the smell of their great ale!
I am absolutely certain that any stalls would be filled quickly if it was managed right. Matlock farmers Market have the correct idea and have both options for food produce and crafters. We need to Show them how it's done and make it new, exciting and something to shout about. There are so many wonderful crafts people in our beautiful town...let's start celebrating them!!!
The craft fair in the salvation army was in dire need of becoming contemporary! Incidentally, the food festival now has an art trail organised by Corridor Arts, it runs for 2 weeks either side of the festival and showcases the works of professional artists living & working in Amber Valley, this year the trail has been extended internationally with a online participatory project called The Murmation Project. Also the Belper Open Homes group do a fantastic weekend in June and are also planning a xmas event, they also recently joined in the Derwent Valley Mills celebrations. So lots is going on, you just have to be positive and get on with things. Fleet Arts are also in the process of setting up studio space. We will have a stall kindly donated by the Town Council at the xmas food fair on the 4th Dec. so come along and say hello. you can check out Corridor Arts website to see what we've been up to. www.corridor-arts.org.uk
Really to stand out Belper needs something different rather than trying to recreate events similar to other local existing offerings.
The farmers market, craft stalls and even arts trail are all positive and worthwhile events but just so similar to many others such as matlock. Of course wirksworth has an exceptional arts event each year.
To my mind the food festival shows what can be created with the right people with the drive and ambition to push it forward, but even this isn't the most original event, there are only so many fairs I can visit during the summer to buy buffalo burgers, jams and pickles.
How about looking at other arts? Perhaps hooking up with the Derby Format fesival (if it continues) and showcase photography? Or film using the ritz as a hub.
Maybe a book week with speakers and readings, including poetry and children's events. I can imagine a town wide book group readingthe same novel in the months preceeding it and basing rents and talks around it. Hooking up with the library perhaps to provide the book at a cost price?
Or how about a children's festival with events and activities for families? Walks, stories, arts and drama for kids from 1 upwards? This could involve food and crafts that belper already has as well as performers and shows?
I completely agree Chris that the overall experience of the Salvation Army Craft Fayre left me feeling very deflated despite the friendly welcome.
Congratulations on the Arts trail and murmation project...it all sounds brilliant and very fascinating. Great for Belper.
I would really like to see something that could be offered across the board to local crafters so you had a bit of everything on offer. I'm sure there are many expert knitters, embroiderers, card makers and jewellery designers amongst us that would just love the original, good old craft fayre extravaganza to showcase their wares each month. Just needs re-vamping, great marketing, good organisation and preferably under cover!
I have discussed this with many crafters within the town and the feedback is pretty similar to the above. Something regular...well advertised...and out amongst it instead of put on the back burner.
May be we make the food festival bigger next year with a beer festival, arts and crafts, music etc by having marquees etc on Belper showgound near Morrisons and a trail from there to the market place. Get a celebritiy chief for cooking demos etc. What do you think?
@Kieran H - Great ideas kieran, if you want to initiate some of these we would certainly be their to support your efforts. I love the idea of a literature/film festival. I've always wanted to go to Hay-On-Wye Lit fest. so would be better if there was one of my doorstep. I would be keen to know who you are Promote Belper??? I prefer to talk to a human that a logo. Its worth contacting the Food festival committee if you want to make changes, thats how we initially got the art trail going. (while not being an original idea is dependant on volunteers to organise and run it, so any contributions to ideas would be good) Chris
Why not a music festival ... or a race (something like the Knaresborough bed-race) .... why not get some town planning and some forward thinking council employees and create a great place to shop instead of the half hearted pedestrian area .. give shops a reason to open and trade by building on what is great about Belper.. the river, the buildings, the people instead of just letting the town become dreary dull and boring.
There is the Belper Games on July 21st which pretty much incorporates everything mentioned above. Craft, food, children's activities and generally a great community spirit.
I also think Belper would benefit from a good high street name actually on the high street. Nothing quite has the lure of a known brand like H&M for example. Not very popular opinion with some but a a retailer myself I feel Belper needs that extra reason to bring another type of shopper in.
A Belper festival would be great, personally I would like to see all businesses involved for just one day...something happening in every outlet in the town, from special offers in shops to music in bars, guest chefs in eateries, etc. a well planned out event where all of Belper could fin something they wanted to visit, or even be spoiled for choice.
We most definitely need to start having a craft fayre in conjunction with the monthly farmers Market. Unfortunately as the Salvation Army are now in the process of selling the hall that used to hold it within the Market square this option has stopped at a dead end.
ReplyDeleteAs the council has refused to extend the stalls to craft holders there is no other option but to find a new location as close to the Market as possible. Possibly the heritage centre? Although the three minute walk up hill may put people off! Maybe the Black Swan have a solution if they have a room upstairs that could be used? It could bring in more trade for them by getting people through there doors that might find it impossible to leave without surcoming to the smell of their great ale!
I am absolutely certain that any stalls would be filled quickly if it was managed right. Matlock farmers Market have the correct idea and have both options for food produce and crafters. We need to Show them how it's done and make it new, exciting and something to shout about. There are so many wonderful crafts people in our beautiful town...let's start celebrating them!!!
Donna Smith
The craft fair in the salvation army was in dire need of becoming contemporary! Incidentally, the food festival now has an art trail organised by Corridor Arts, it runs for 2 weeks either side of the festival and showcases the works of professional artists living & working in Amber Valley, this year the trail has been extended internationally with a online participatory project called The Murmation Project. Also the Belper Open Homes group do a fantastic weekend in June and are also planning a xmas event, they also recently joined in the Derwent Valley Mills celebrations. So lots is going on, you just have to be positive and get on with things. Fleet Arts are also in the process of setting up studio space. We will have a stall kindly donated by the Town Council at the xmas food fair on the 4th Dec. so come along and say hello.
ReplyDeleteyou can check out Corridor Arts website to see what we've been up to.
www.corridor-arts.org.uk
Really to stand out Belper needs something different rather than trying to recreate events similar to other local existing offerings.
ReplyDeleteThe farmers market, craft stalls and even arts trail are all positive and worthwhile events but just so similar to many others such as matlock. Of course wirksworth has an exceptional arts event each year.
To my mind the food festival shows what can be created with the right people with the drive and ambition to push it forward, but even this isn't the most original event, there are only so many fairs I can visit during the summer to buy buffalo burgers, jams and pickles.
How about looking at other arts? Perhaps hooking up with the Derby Format fesival (if it continues) and showcase photography? Or film using the ritz as a hub.
Maybe a book week with speakers and readings, including poetry and children's events. I can imagine a town wide book group readingthe same novel in the months preceeding it and basing rents and talks around it. Hooking up with the library perhaps to provide the book at a cost price?
Or how about a children's festival with events and activities for families? Walks, stories, arts and drama for kids from 1 upwards? This could involve food and crafts that belper already has as well as performers and shows?
Some thoughts anyway.
I completely agree Chris that the overall experience of the Salvation Army Craft Fayre left me feeling very deflated despite the friendly welcome.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the Arts trail and murmation project...it all sounds brilliant and very fascinating. Great for Belper.
I would really like to see something that could be offered across the board to local crafters so you had a bit of everything on offer. I'm sure there are many expert knitters, embroiderers, card makers and jewellery designers amongst us that would just love the original, good old craft fayre extravaganza to showcase their wares each month. Just needs re-vamping, great marketing, good organisation and preferably under cover!
I have discussed this with many crafters within the town and the feedback is pretty similar to the above. Something regular...well advertised...and out amongst it instead of put on the back burner.
May be we make the food festival bigger next year with a beer festival, arts and crafts, music etc by having marquees etc on Belper showgound near Morrisons and a trail from there to the market place. Get a celebritiy chief for cooking demos etc. What do you think?
ReplyDelete@Kieran H - Great ideas kieran, if you want to initiate some of these we would certainly be their to support your efforts. I love the idea of a literature/film festival. I've always wanted to go to Hay-On-Wye Lit fest. so would be better if there was one of my doorstep. I would be keen to know who you are Promote Belper??? I prefer to talk to a human that a logo. Its worth contacting the Food festival committee if you want to make changes, thats how we initially got the art trail going. (while not being an original idea is dependant on volunteers to organise and run it, so any contributions to ideas would be good) Chris
ReplyDeleteWhy not a music festival ... or a race (something like the Knaresborough bed-race) .... why not get some town planning and some forward thinking council employees and create a great place to shop instead of the half hearted pedestrian area .. give shops a reason to open and trade by building on what is great about Belper.. the river, the buildings, the people instead of just letting the town become dreary dull and boring.
ReplyDeleteThere is the Belper Games on July 21st which pretty much incorporates everything mentioned above. Craft, food, children's activities and generally a great community spirit.
ReplyDeleteI also think Belper would benefit from a good high street name actually on the high street. Nothing quite has the lure of a known brand like H&M for example. Not very popular opinion with some but a a retailer myself I feel Belper needs that extra reason to bring another type of shopper in.
A Belper festival would be great, personally I would like to see all businesses involved for just one day...something happening in every outlet in the town, from special offers in shops to music in bars, guest chefs in eateries, etc. a well planned out event where all of Belper could fin something they wanted to visit, or even be spoiled for choice.