The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 12: Summer 2019 | Page 5

BUSINESS NEWS
ECONOMIC SUCCESS FOR
BATH CHRISTMAS MARKET
Results of the Bath Christmas Market survey, commissioned by Visit Bath and
conducted by The South West Research Company, show an uplift in visitors staying in
the city for one night or more. 27% of visitors are staying rather than visiting for the
day, this is a 4% points increase since 2017 and an 8% points increase since 2014.
Executive Chairman of Visit Bath, Craig
Jenkins said, “Visitors’ satisfaction levels
for Bath Christmas Market remain high
and the event continues to be of huge
economic benefit to Bath. Over half of the
people surveyed were returning visitors from
previous years so we are building a dedicated
following for this event, putting it firmly in
many people’s social calendar. The Market’s
extension into Milsom Street received
lots of positive feedback from residents,
visitors, stallholders and local retailers. We
are delighted to see that more visitors are
staying in the city for longer as this is one
of the primary focuses of our marketing
activity.”
Over 400,000 people attended Bath
Christmas Market over the 18-day
period, the majority being adult groups
of UK residents. The direct spend at Bath
Christmas Market in 2018 was over £7
million. The total associated spend in the
Market and across the city was over £30
million.
This year, Bath Christmas Market
dedicated one chalet to a different local
charity per day for the duration of the
Market. Eighteen charities signed up to
be involved, they were listed in the Bath at
Christmas Guide, which was distributed to
60,000 people and local businesses, and
they collectively raised more than £10,000.
Many of these charities, such as Mentoring
Plus and Bath Food Cycle, see an upsurge
in demand of their services over the
Christmas period, so building awareness
about charities during the festive period is
imperative.
Lynne Fernquest, CEO of Bath Rugby
Foundation, which uses sport and education
to change the lives of vulnerable children
and young people in Bath, found the chalet to
be of great benefit to the charity. Lynne said,
“We raised around £1,000 in just one day
for our charity. This was an amazing day for
us as we were able to take advantage of the
huge success of Bath Christmas Market
for the benefit of the disadvantaged young
people we work with.”
Bath Christmas Market 2019 will take
place from Thursday 28th November-
Sunday 15th December. To find out more
visit: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk
THE STATS IN FULL:
• Over 400,000 people attended Bath
Christmas Market over the 18-day period.
• The direct spend at Bath Christmas
Market in 2018 was over £7 million.
• The total associated spend in the Market
and across the city was over £30 million.
• More than £10,000 was raised for local
charities.
• 89% of visitors were adult groups, with
11% being adults with children.
• 96% of visitors were UK residents with
13% living within the postal area and 11%
in the Bristol postal area.
• 4% of visitors were from overseas.
• 52% of visitors were prompted to visit
the Market from a previous visit (46%
2017) whilst 24% visited because of a
recommendation (21% 2017)
EYEWEAR DESIGNER
MAKES SUNDAY
TIMES 100 ONES TO
WATCH LIST
Bath-based eyewear designer
INSPECS has made the Sunday
Times Fast Track Profit 100 ‘Ones
to Watch’ list.
From a shortlist of 30 companies,
INSPECS made the final list of 10 selected
on the following criteria: strength of
management; challenges overcome;
innovation; past growth and future
prospects.
INSPECS, which has offices in
Portugal, the US, China and Vietnam, was
recognised for producing eight million
frames annually for international brands
and for a 2019 forecast EBITDA profit of
£9.5m.
The overall winner will be chosen by
a panel of judges at the Profit Track 100
National Awards dinner in June.
Robin Totterman, CEO of INSPECS,
The INSPECS team
said, “At a time of great uncertainty, it’s a
real milestone for INSPECS to be included
in the top 10 ‘Ones to Watch’ alongside
the Sunday Times Fast Track Profit 100
companies. We took a conscious decision
to relocate the company to Bath from
London in the early 2000s and it has really
paid off. Bath has been a fantastic talent
pool for the creative and management
teams who drive the growth of our
company. The beautiful surroundings help
us to be more strategic while enjoying a
more balanced work/life environment.”
Now in its 14th year, the Profit
Track 100 list has played host to many
of Britain’s most successful private
companies. Previous winners include
household names such as Barbour and
Moonpig, and more locally, Dyson.
Robin added, “Our inclusion in this
prestigious category comes hot on the
heels of receiving Wylde IA’s ‘Happiest
Workplace’ award, proving the immense
importance of a company’s culture to its
overall success.
“Our recognition in the Sunday Times
Fast Tack Profit 100 list also highlights
the valuable contribution that regional
companies are making to the UK’s
economic growth – eight of the ten
shortlisted companies are headquartered
outside London. There are still British
success stories emerging, even in the
current economic climate.”
The INSPECS organisation has grown
significantly to a workforce of over 1,300
in the past 18 months following the
acquisition of Killine Group, which has
extended the newly formed INSPECS
Group’s reach with new factories in China
and Vietnam and global design offices in
Lisbon.
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019
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