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

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

3. 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

4. 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 ed 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

5. 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

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

7. Results and Findings

8. 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

9. 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 which was an improved picture over 2017
The long term trend is positive

10. 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

11. 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 Further robust trading from many Angel businesses, given the national outlook

12. 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

13. 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 However it is clear that businesses view their performance as successful, and that of Angel. Similar levels to 2018 which was up on 2017

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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 and 2017

17. 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

18. 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 and 2017 and is improving

19. 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

20. 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.

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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

27. The Retail Group Informed Solutions
The Retail Group: Dunnings Oak Offices, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4AT
Tel: Web: