The AMT Study Tours
Running on Day 1 Wednesday 1 October between 2.30pm - 4.15pm
A) On the waterfront – the regeneration of Skipton canal-side
From being a down-at-heel part of town, Skipton canal-side is undergoing a renaissance with performance spaces being created alongside retail and office developments.
Join Mike Osbourne from Arup on a canal barge to hear how these exciting developments were conceived, planned and funded – as well as future opportunities. Arup, the business and design consultancy, have been involved in master planning various canal-side sites, including the College and Bus Station. The canal-side now includes performance space as well as retail and office development. A key partner in the development is the British Waterways Board, who will also contribute to the study tour.
B) Going bag free
Millions of plastic bags end up in landfill every year – not to mention littering the countryside and polluting rivers and seas. Acting locally can make a difference and many towns are looking at ways of cutting the numbers of plastic bags given out by shops.
The two Yorkshire towns of Skipton and Hebden Bridge have taken very different approaches to making this happen. Hebden Bridge banned free plastic bags overnight, while Skipton has gone for a more gradual approach, working with retailers and talking to customers. This study tour will review the experiences of the two towns and give you ammunition to take back to your town.
C) New uses for old buildings: the Broughton Hall business park
Broughton Hall is at the heart of a country estate that for generations had been in the business of agriculture. But modern farming methods meant that traditional farm buildings became redundant and rundown. Twenty years ago, the estate started converting these buildings to offer office accommodation. Now, this family run business park has over 600 people employed on site in a stunning complex of converted outbuildings. It also has an award winning modern cafe.
Over the past 10 years, Roger Tempest built up an advisory arm, Rural Solutions, which was sold to the Accent Group in 2006. Join Roger Tempest for a fascinating insight into how they built up the business park into the thriving community of businesses that operate from here today and draw on his experience of advising others through Rural Solutions.
D) Art in the Cattle Mart
Like tourists in many attractive towns, visitors to Skipton often look, but do not buy. The challenge is to offer a venue and products to attract more visitors who will spend. An interesting cooperative venture with the cattle market sees it transformed on non-market days to a venue for arts exhibitions and events. Visit the market working as a market, hear about how they use this space and the impact it is having on the town visitors.
E) How large businesses can work in small towns – the case of the Skipton Building Society
Skipton Building Society employs over 2,000 people in a town and hinterland with a total population of under 15,000. This represents a major challenge of managing a business with a small, but strong labour pool.
Several times the Society has considered moving to larger urban areas to increase their employment pool and site options. Visit their head office and hear from Gill Davidson their Director responsible for Peoples Support and Development and find out how they have adapted their employment working practices to stay in Skipton and how they see the advantages and disadvantages.
F) Snapshot of Yorkshire and Humber Market Town Renaissance
Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Market Towns (RMT) programme is an approach to market town regeneration which is unique to the region. This virtual study tour will combine video with contributions from some of the RMT towns.
