WHO WE ARE
Our love of town centres, concerns for failing ones and belief that economic and community solutions lie within them, has led us to set up this narrowly focused consultancy. Narrow focus, deep experience and knowledge.
Towncentred was founded by George Grace – a former partner at King Sturge and director of Jones Lang La Salle - whose career has entailed the creation of genuinely ground breaking partnerships in the UK:
One of the UK's first ever BIDs (Business Improvement Distict) in Paddington upon introduction of the legislation in 2003;
One of the UK's first ever Town Teams helping Bedminster, Bristol beat off competition from 400 other towns to win Town Team funding and convert into a BID;
One of the first council led LABVs (local asset backed vehicles), now trading as the Bournemouth Development Company;
One of the earliest TIF (Tax Increment Finance) studies in the UK - Ravenscraig - which has led to its approval by the Scottish parliament.
Nearly 30 years experience across the professions enables him to lead successful change in high street and town centres, drawing on a past that includes:
Strategy and innovation – at retail consultants 20/20;
Retail entrepreneur – operations and development director of Fresh and Wild (a pioneering community market);
Property - ie chartered surveying, working across all property sectors.
George Grace. Still crazy enough to think he can change the world - or at least a small part of it.
Hands on experience is complemented by an education that includes the study of:
Urban Estate Management (leading to qualification as a chartered surveyor)
Retail strategy and operations (via an MBA at the Institute of Retail Studies at the University of Stirling)
Local economic development (via the Institute of Economic Development)
He has sat on two national advisory boards:
Association of Town Centre Management (www.ATCM.org); and
Walk England (a social enterprise dedicated to encouraging people to walk – www.WalkEngland.org.uk).