06/07/2023
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Announcements / Business Advice / Placemaking
One overarching theme of Waterloo’s Placemaking Strategy is its emphasis on the importance of data-based decision-making in shaping Waterloo’s future. Another key finding was that, to truly activate the area and unleash its potential, the issue of vacant retail units would have to be addressed. That’s why, we are excited to announce two new key strategic partnerships, that aim to improve the area’s data insights specifically with regard to retail trends and business premises.
This week is London Data Week (6-9 July 2023) and we are thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) “High Streets Data Service” and Completely Retail, a renowned retail intelligence platform. This collaboration represents a significant milestone in our mission to invigorate high streets across Waterloo and benefit the local community using data insights.
High Street Data Service
In partnership with the GLA, we will have access to market-leading spend, movement and retail occupancy data on top of our existing footfall camera and TfL station insights. The spend data, provided by Mastercard, will help us identify precise geographical areas of high and low spending and help us target policies to encourage economic activity in less prosperous areas, whereas the movement data, generated by BT/EE mobiles, will help us to measure the specific footfall changes created by BID funded events. The business premises data, provided by Experian, will help us more closely track retail trends and all of this data will be able to differentiate between the area’s visitors, residents and commuters to ensure any future events and services can be targeted towards the most relevant demographics.
Lastly, the insights generated through the High Streets Data Service will not only prove central to guiding WeAreWaterloo’s strategic direction but will be distributed directly to our BID members to help inform their own business decisions. This aims to empower businesses of any size to utilise the Overall, this is a pioneering move for the Business Improvement District sector which shows WeAreWaterloo’s ambition to become an industry leader in data-based decision-making for urban development
Find out more about the High Streets Data Service here.
Completely Retail
Completely Retail, known for its cutting-edge retail intelligence solutions, will play a pivotal role in this partnership. By granting access to their extensive database of retailers, investors, and property owners, Completely Retail will empower WeAreWaterloo to forge meaningful connections, attract new businesses, and curate a diverse and dynamic high street experience for residents and visitors alike.
In fact, WeAreWaterloo has recently launched its Completely Retail hub which highlights all of the vacant units in the area and allows potential tenants to reach out and fill that vacancy. This hub will form a core tenet of our Placemaking Strategy and help us improve the area’s overall retail mix.
See the Waterloo Retail Hub here.
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