Agenda item

The Director of Tourism, Culture and Inward Investment submits a report on the upcoming Christmas Campaign Events in Leicester.

The Director of Tourism, Culture and Inward Investment submitted a report on the upcoming Christmas Campaign Events in Leicester.

Deputy City Mayor Clair – Culture, Leisure, Sport and Regulatory Services introduced the report noting that the events were intended to make Christmas an inclusive event for everyone to enjoy with an increased offer which had seen different themes and activities happening across the city.

Jackie Ledger, Place Marketing Manager gave a presentation of the key elements to the campaign which included the following:

·         The place marketing, branding and active promotion of the events and activities for this Christmas around a theme of Christmas Cracker.

·         Involvement of “Arch Creative” who had devised the campaign theme and concept of Christmas Cracker which naturally followed previous years’ campaigns.

·         The event programme which contained new 3D images and retained an association with the “Make a date with Leicester” campaign to encourage wider use of retail, catering and bars in the city whilst visiting during the Christmas period.

·         A promotional video created for social media and to go out to wider audiences.

·         Details of the festive adventure trail and free activities to engage families including movie nights at Green Dragon Square.

·         Renewed focus on the ice rink, at Jubilee Square which would also see the return of the Wheel of Light.

·         The marketing campaign which will include “Toblerone towers” installed around the city, digital displays on the BT link screens across the city as well as distribution of leaflets and an A5 brochure which promoted shopping and local businesses and included a Christmas competition and information around opening hours, parking etc

The Chair welcomed the presentation and was pleased to see there were several free events included.

Members were advised that the annual Christmas Lights switch on event would also include several activities and 2 short films would be played at Green Dragon Square as fillers in between activity. Speakers had also been installed across the city centre so everyone could hear the count down for light switch on.

Members noted the wider business model and supported the free accessible universal events, however there was concern that some events were expensive and there might be a risk that costs were not recovered.

Members were informed that consideration of the current economic crisis was given to the overall, in terms of the Christmas Lights the council had invested in LED lighting several years ago so the impact of increasing energy costs was marginal and incidental in terms of the bigger picture.

In relation to costings and budgets Members were advised there had never been a specific budget allocated for Christmas activities save for the lights switch on so there was a challenge to cover off the cost of the rest of the event programme from money earned on Ice Rink ticket sales, Wheel of Light ticket sales and through sponsorship. Last year those costs were covered, and it was expected that if the same number of tickets were sold this year the costs would be covered this year too.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clair commented that in the Festival Budget there was a nominal amount of £15k set aside for the Christmas Lights switch on, and the investment into other costs were fully recovered and it had been evidenced that having the Christmas events brought people into the city increasing footfall and providing direct economic benefit to the city.

The Chair thanked staff and organisers involved in arranging the Christmas programme.

AGREED:

                        That the contents of the report be noted.