Original thinking will top the agenda at Towns Network Conference
“The Towns Conference is always an uplifting and highly valuable event and, with some fantastic guest speakers lined up, this one is sure to be no different."
New ideas and innovative thinking will be high on the agenda when placemakers assemble for the Warwickshire Towns Network Conference next month.
Delegates from Warwickshire and beyond will come together for the event on March 7th, organised by Warwickshire County Council to provide a supportive and informative environment to consider the opportunities and challenges facing town centres in 2023. Guest speakers will inject new ideas and flip thinking to energise placemaking and share best practice.
The post-lockdown months provided pots of money and a flurry of activity for local authorities and placemakers. all with a focus on getting people back into town centres and staving off the potential loss in footfall after people became accustomed to doing lots of everyday things online. That was the biggest challenge at that time, but new challenges have since arisen. The cost of living is a factor for all - businesses, consumers and residents – so the Towns Conference will consider how the effects of that can be mitigated by highlighting the positive impact of supporting the local economy.
Warwickshire’s towns all have community assets of all types and each has a unique place-based offer, whether green spaces, business, or community action. The conference will explore what makes a place vibrant and how that vibrancy can be economically fully exploited.
Julia Aratoon, Sustainable Communities and Places Officer for Warwickshire County Council said:
“The Towns Conference is always an uplifting and highly valuable event and, with some fantastic guest speakers lined up, this one is sure to be no different.
“We will weave in a positive story of place, flipping the current narrative and thinking about the role each of us plays in creating vibrant place. Warwickshire’s towns each have a great story to tell and to sell and, while there is a lot already going on around how to maximise their visitor appeal, there is always room for new ideas. That’s what this conference is all about.
“Anyone who is interested in taking a fresh approach to our town centres, please email us at towns@warwickshire.gov.uk to find out more. Also please follow the Talk Up Our Towns series in Warwickshire Means Business which each month takes us round the county, considering what makes our places special.”