Category: Destination City

Invitation to the Great Disputation

Dear All,

As some of you know as you were actively involved in helping, I have been attempting to get the medieval Bartholomew Fair up and running again and it is to happen in a few weeks just in time for the 900th anniversary of Bart’s.

To celebrate as you will see below, we are resurrecting the Disputation that took place at the start of the Fair. 

The vicar who is very much to the Political Right has got his side and I (with the help of a couple of you!) have been getting the Left sorted.  The disputation will be ‘The love of money is the root of the nation’s evil’.  Those taking part will be Aaron Bastani (Novara Media), Eddie Dempsey (RMT), Michael Gove (!) and Alan Smith (the First Church Estates Commissioner) and promises to be an interesting evening.

If you wish to come along, get your free tickets as per the link below as they will go fast – there are only 280 seats – though it will hopefully be filmed and streamed.  please pass on to anyone you think would be interested.

Hope to see you there,

Matthew

Free Tickets

Tickets here:

CULTURE MILE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID)

Following a ballot of local businesses within its area, the BID has been given the go ahead.  As can be seen from illustration below, the BID’s area is far more extensive than that of the recently proposed Barbican and Golden Lane Neighbourhood Area.

According to the BID’s proposal:

The Culture Mile BID wants to work collaboratively with its residential communities, recognising the valuable contribution the wider community makes to the vibrancy and identity of the area. We want to develop a framework for meaningful engagement, which enables residents to feed into the work of the BID, not simply be informed of its plans. This could take the form of a Community Forum, facilitated by the BID, resident involvement with steering groups and agreed channels of communication between the BID and residential communities, working closely with ward member and resident associations. We want to develop the specific mechanics through dialogue with residents but want to make it clear that we are committed to working hand in hand with residents. Collaboration, diversity and community will be the bedrock of our BID.

However, the BID’s board has yet to be constituted. As a result, details of how and when engagement with residents will be effected will “follow in due course”. In the meantime, further details of the BID’s proposal can be found at https://culturemilebid.co.uk/.

Destination City

The following is an extract from a paper to be submitted for approval to the Court of Common Council on 07 October by Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chair and Wendy Hyde, Chair Culture, Heritage and Libraries:

Destination City – Strategic Review is a proposed programme of work setting out a renewed vision for the Square Mile to become the world’s most attractive destination for workers, residents and visitors.

The review will span all the elements that make for an attractive destination, engaging with numerous sectors including retail, hospitality, culture and heritage, and the night-time economy.

Numerous business areas across the City Corporation will be consulted to gather evidence and co-create a shared vision, while testing the feasibility and implications of proposed activities.

External engagement and relationship building will also be an integral pillar of the programme. Interviews and workshops with stakeholders will identify the City’s strengths, as well as new activities for development. This work will be underpinned by research exploring innovations in other global destinations.

The review will be led by Danny Lopez, founding head of London & Partners and former Consul General in New York. Danny will be working on a pro bono basis. He will be supported by Kate Keating, an external advisor with extensive experience in marketing.

The report will go to the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, then Policy & Resources Committee in the winter months. It is hoped that this will then be submitted to Court early next year.

We have been promised a workshop in the Barbican, “in the coming weeks”, so City Corporation “can hear our views directly”.