CLIENT: MINIStry of housing, communities & local government

PROJECT: how to manage Town Centres

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What were MAKE asked to do?

The MHCLG developed a tour with leading urban thinkers on how best to make town centres even more successful places in which to live, work and play. The task for MAKE was to provide a keynote presentation that would provoke debate around what town centres need to change in order to not just survive but thrive. The series of six events supported MHCLG’s manual of good practice: How to Manage Town Centres.

How did MAKE do it?

  • MAKE put together a presentation with exciting and inspirational images of cutting town and city centre projects and success stories that demonstrated the need for an holistic approach to the future of these most valuable places.

  • Exciting interactive electronic input devices allowed people to project questions up on to big screens for speakers to address while also recording participants’ contribution to the debate and allowing for real time voting.

What happened next?

The events received positive feedback, but also provoked heated debate. Stirring up debate is arguably How to Manage Town Centres’ most important achievement. And, while it had a lower public profile than the more recent Portas Review, its approach to recognising best practice, exchanging new ideas and inclusive approach, perhaps provides a more practical and detailed programme for change.

What unique value did MAKE bring to this project?

For the first time MAKE pioneered its use of presentations without bullet points, loads of boring text and charts; instead using only large format images by great amateur and professional photographers to encourage and inspire. Participants rated this as one of the best things about the tour.