It is coming up to the most important time of year for jewellers and therefore the Jewellery Quarter, but I still feel a bit of a fraud talking about Christmas at the start of November on the basis I believe that tinsel is for December and Hot Cross Buns are for Easter.  However, like everything else, organising a Christmas campaign has to be planned well in advance.  Last year we ran a TV campaign but, this year, not surprising with the Credit Crunch, any media campaign is likely to be radio based.  As usual, we are working in partnership with the Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative and have interviewed Smooth, BRMB and Heart about campaigns.  They’ve all come up with some creative ideas and generally they present excellent value for money, but I am leaving the decision to the businesses as to who’s the most appropriate for the market that they are seeking to attract – definitely one for the businesses not the bureaucrats to decide.

We are hoping to launch our campaign on November 24th with roadside posters, which have already had to be designed with a new 2009 strap line.  As you can imagine, phrases like ‘Sparkle’ and ‘shopping’ are involved!  We are then having a switch on of our Christmas Lights on November 26th, with our usual world’s only three-legged Santa Race by the Jewellery Quarter Clock, in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital.  We always have a good take up from businesses and the race is always hotly contested particularly with the opportunity for the winners to become B List celebrities by switching on the lights.  This year, apart from Santas, there may well be an appearance of some fairies, depending on people’s personal preferences.  During the Christmas period there are lots of events being organised at the Museums and Galleries.  This will all form part of the campaign together with the excellent Brilliantly Birmingham contemporary jewellery event.  As usual, we are having a Shopping Day on Saturday December 12th with a free Vintage Bus and events including open workshops.  The week before, there’s a Christmas themed Farmers’ Market so there’s plenty going on.  We are also hoping to use our website to develop a ‘Christmas Present’ list with some quirky ideas and to encourage people to come to the Quarter to shop for something a bit different.

Meanwhile, it’s business as usual and we’ve put in a bid for Home Office for some community safety measures to help the shops in the Quarter.  The City Council has also introduced two excellent schemes – one to encourage independent shops and one to encourage small businesses to start up in new premises.  The scheme is Birmingham wide but quite obviously; I want to ensure that the Jewellery Quarter has its fair share and that we use these initiatives to add to the local offer.  For further information click here.

A Jewellery Quarter ‘Summit’ is scheduled for November 11th and we’re hoping to come away from that event with some actions to be delivered in the next one to three years.  The event involves movers and shakers from the Public Sector and a large contingent of local business and community representatives to ensure that it’s the businesses not the bureaucrats that set the pace.  Dr. Carl Chinn is the Chair of our Regeneration Partnership and, as you can imagine, Carl has plenty of influential contacts, which he is using to help the Jewellery Quarter.  In December, we have a visit from Ian Austin who is the Government Minister for the West Midlands and I am hoping to show him that despite the tragedy, which is Leyland and LDV, manufacturing in Birmingham must not be forgotten – we can’t do everything in life virtually!

Andy Munro