Sunday 24 April 2016

Traders Front QVM Board


Each year QVMAC Trader Representatives are invited to present issues to the QVM Board. This is part of a commitment made by Chairman Paul Guerra a few years ago to allow direct Board access through two Board members attending QVMAC meetings and traders in turn presenting to the full Board each year.

Last week, Trader Representatives Catherine Underhill and Ivano Guseli fronted the QVM Board and following is a brief synopsis of what was presented –

Ivano Guseli – “If You Can’t Measure It You Can’t Manage It” – Ivano presented a case for introducing a system of measuring sales and other performance data for the purpose of jointly improving the likely future success of the total market.
Ivano drew from the UK experience where traders and market managers share data about market performance as part of their overall strategy to improve markets. He also drew on the Barcelona experience where comprehensive data supports the professional management of markets in that city. And just to show it can be done here, Ivano presented some sales performance data results from a trader run survey at QVM in 2012/13.

Catherine Underhill – “What Is A Small Business?” – Catherine asked “How does the board plan to negotiate the conflicting ideals embodied in the desire for upmarket presentation and “landmark tenants” and the traditional function of the market as a small business incubator?” She pointed out that there are varying interpretations of how small business might be defined and asked whether small chain operations with multiple stores, some of which exist at QVM, meet those criteria.
Catherine went on to ask about the role of “anchor tenants” and franchise tenants in the Boards vision of a future QVM.