Epsom’s new business development manager (BDM) - who drew up a national framework for town centres - said people working together can bring about the change they want to see in "our Epsom".

In his first interview with the Epsom Guardian last week Adam Worley, 27, talked about his background and what he is hoping to achieve following his appointment as the town’s BDM in August.

Mr Worley, who is relocating to Epsom for the role from Bournemouth, believes his previous experience in the world of retail, business, sales and town centre management will help him implement changes in the historic market town which people "genuinely care about and want to succeed".

He worked in retail, at John Lewis, for 10 years until the age of 26, and spent a year as an outreach ambassador during his marketing and business management degree at Gloucestershire University - which involved encouraging youngsters to seek higher education opportunities.

After graduating, he worked for a financial services company in sales, for an online fashion retailer start-up, and then an economic development company as an economic research assistant.

During his time there, he helped businesses in the Forest of Dean who were looking to grow and was then a project manager on a project commissioned by the Government, conducted by the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM) and acclaimed practitioner and academic Andres Coco-Stefaniak.

The project formulated a national framework for town centres, which is being rolled out across the country for use by more than 300 town teams.

Mr Worley said that having a job where he can "see the change that takes place" and where he can "make a difference" has always been important to him.

He said: "The town centre affects everyone who lives in that community. Town centres are more than just retail. They are at the heart of the area and at the core of everyone. "It’s about bringing together all of the town’s businesses and organisations in partnership and looking at the town as whole, and holding people to account - not just the council and the residents, but also the businesses in the area.

"It’s not possible for me to fix everything myself - I need to bring people together to do it."

Mr Worley, who is based in The Ashley Centre’s management suite and whose role is "80 per cent focused on Epsom and 20 per cent on the rest of the borough", said people are welcome to call him and make an appointment to meet and discuss the town centre.

He spends most of his time out in the high street at different times of the day, meeting businesses, liaising with Epsom’s neighbourhood police where necessary and has even accompanied night pastors out on their rounds.

His role not only involves working on the ground to see what improvements can be made to ensure the town centre is a "welcoming environment with its own identity", but also considering business strategy issues aimed at ensuring that Epsom has a voice within its local enterprise partnership.

Mr Worley believes that while all town centres have been in a state of decline, Epsom has "weathered the recession very well".

He said: "In these times, shops contract and charity shops and other businesses move in that residents don’t want. But charity shops do provide an offering for an ageing demographic with items which can be bought with the revenue they have to live-off."

The BDM said that the "physical structure" of the high street goes some way to explain why people feel it is a ‘town of two halves’, but that "we need to encourage people to flow down so shoppers know of the offer in the other part of the high street".

On the controversial issue of car parking, he said that the council has generally "got it right".

Mr Worley said: "We need to encourage people to park in the Upper High Street car park, to encourage the flow of shoppers through the town. It was implemented for that purpose - to ensure that the smaller businesses in the area could benefit from passing trade."

He said that the issue was not one of the cost of car parking, but value: "It’s about ensuring that car parks are accessible, safe and well-lit and people want to use them.

"All of this is value and costs a price in maintenance."

He said Epsom Council has been "very positive" in response to new proposals on car parking from the business community, which will be considered by it in due course.

He defended the council’s plan to protect its office space from residential development, and said it needs to work with landlords, within Epsom’s "fragmented landlord estate", to influence their short-term letting visions. Mr Worley said the council will be conducting a survey of businesses, residents, workers and visitors to the town to develop an idea of what sort of identity Epsom has.

He added: "Businesses need to engage in discussions and set the agenda. They need to bring about the change. "It’s also about ensuring that Epsom has a clear identity and is a destination of choice for residents and visitors.

"The most positive thing is people genuinely care about Epsom and want to see it succeed. People are rightfully challenging on Epsom.

"It’s the community’s town. It’s our Epsom."

To contact Mr Worley, email AWorley@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.

 

MORE EPSOM NEWS