Walthamstow Customer Perception Survey March 2001

1. WalthamstowCustomer Perception SurveyMarch 2001 Pedestrian Market Research Services Ltd Sopwell Mill, 61 Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, AL1 2ES Telephone 01727 867 100 Fax 01727 867 188 pmrs@idnet.co.uk

2. Table of contents Objectives 3 Background 4 Methodology 5 Limitations 6 Conclusions 7 Demographics 10 Results 11

3. Objectives • Who uses the Town Centre? • How and why do they shop here? • Are they satisfied with their centre? • Prioritise areas for improvement • Attitudes towards events & entertainment

4. Background • Relevant, up-to-date data on town centre users was minimal • In April 2000, the ‘Urban Design Framework’ questionnaire, with 200 respondents, identified several areas of concern e.g.. safety & cleanliness. These needed to be explored with a wider audience and in more depth. • Due to interview length constraints, only priority elements of the town centre mix were explored

5. Methodology • 500 street interviews • Random sample - every third person approached • Survey: Monday 26th February - Saturday 3rd March 2001 • 5 interviewers covered all days between 10am and 6pm • Highly structured questionnaire, 3 open-ended questions • Locations: Library, Selborne Walk, High St. & Hoe St.

6. Limitations • Only town centre users were interviewed. Those who may wish to use the centre but were unable / unwilling to do so were not included in the survey. • Small % withheld postcode information • Small % had no strong opinions regarding improvements • Small % didn’t know the name of the car-park they used

7. Conclusions - Shopping & Shoppers • The town centre attracts a significant number of non-residents - 48% in this survey • This sample indicated a high proportion of frequent, repeat town-centre visitors • There is a demand for increased evening & Sunday shop opening • A cinema, a coffee shop & a wine bar were the three outlets most people wanted to see, both in structured questions and in open-ended • Walthamstow is perceived as a value-for-money centre, with a popular market. There is significant demand for more quality outlets and multiples.

8. Conclusions - Safety, Litter & Cars • Most people feel safe during the day, but almost half of all respondents wouldn’t feel safe in the centre at night. Extra police, CCTV cameras & improved lighting would make people feel safer. • Improvement to litter clearing in the High Street particularly and the town centre in general is indicated. • Car is one of the least popular transport methods to the centre (20%). Car users are generally happy with parking provision & charges, but a quarter expressed dissatisfaction with safety in car parks.

9. Conclusions - Events/Entertainment • Most people have noticed events & entertainment in the town centre at least once a month. • Respondents would like to see more events & entertainment in this area. • Most people would like to be told about forthcoming events in their local paper.

10. Gender Female 64% Male 36% Main reason for being in Walthamstow Live 58% Visiting 28% Study 6% Work 5% Other 3% Demographics • Age Under 24 34% 25 - 44 43% 45 - 64 17% Over 65 6%

11. Q1. How often do you visit the Town Centre? • The majority of respondents (54%) visited Walthamstow Town Centre several times a week • 87% visited the town centre once a week or more

12. Q3. How often do you visit the Market? • The market was the most popular destination, with 82% of all respondents visiting at least once a week compared to other shops (77%) & services (69%) • 41% visited the market several times a week - also higher than shops (32%) or services (19%)

13. Q4. How often do you visit Services? • Most people (69%) visited a service (e.g.. restaurant, bank, hairdresser) at least once a week • Only 19% visited services several times a week.

14. Q5. How often do you visit the Shops? • Most people (77%) visited the shops at least once a week • A significant subset (32%) visited the shops several times a week

15. Q6. How often do you shop outside of Walthamstow? • Over half of all respondents (56%) shopped outside of Walthamstow at least once a week • Almost all respondents (89%) shopped outside of Walthamstow at least once a month

16. Q7. How satisfied are you that Walthamstow provides the shops & services that you need? • 42% were at least fairly satisfied with the provision of necessary shops & services • 25% were dissatisfied • Note that the wording of the question “that you need” does not necessarily include luxury or ‘nice-to-have’ outlets.

17. Q8. How satisfied are you that enough shops are open in the evening? • This question did not apply to 190 respondents who have been excluded from the chart. • Of those to whom it did apply, (310 respondents) 59% were dissatisfied with the number of shops open in the evening.

18. Q9. How satisfied are you that enough shops are open on a Sunday? • This question did not apply to 224 respondents who have been excluded from the chart. • Of those to whom it did apply, (276 respondents) 61% were dissatisfied with current Sunday shop opening practices.

19. Q10. How satisfied are you with information about how to find shops & services? • The majority of respondents had no strong views on this matter. • More respondents were satisfied (29%) than dissatisfied (19%).

20. Q11. What best describes why you shop in Walthamstow? • Of the options given, the most popular was ‘value-for-money’, with 44%. The next factor was ‘variety’ with 17%.. • Of the 29% n/a answers, many said they shopped here for ‘convenience’. We had deliberately removed this option to determine secondary motivators.

21. Q12. What would you most like to see during the day? • The most popular choice during the day, from the list provided, was a cinema (35%) • Next was a coffee shop with 19% • Third was a quality sandwich shop with 14%.

22. Q13. What would you most like to see in the evening? • The most popular choice in the evening, from the list provided, was a cinema (40%) • Next was a wine bar with 16% • Only 18% of respondents replied n/a. Non-residents were also interested in visiting Walthamstow in the evening.

23. Q14. How satisfied are you that you are safe in the town centre during the day? • 64% of respondents felt safe in the town centre during the day • 10% felt unsafe

24. Q15. How satisfied are you that you are safe in the town centre at night? • This question didn’t apply to 133 respondents who have been excluded from the chart. • Of those to whom the question applied (367 respondents), 46% didn’t feel safe at night.

25. Q16. Which safety measure would make you feel safest at night? • More police patrols were requested by 32% of all respondents. • CCTV cameras were the second most popular option (27%) • Better lighting was a significant third (19%)

26. Q17. How satisfied are you with litter clearing in the High Street? • 42% were dissatisfied with litter clearing in the High Street • 30% were satisfied

27. Q18. How satisfied are you with litter clearing elsewhere? • 38% of respondents were dissatisfied with litter clearing in the rest of the town centre . • 26% were satisfied.

28. Q19. How often have you noticed events or entertainment in the Town Square? • 36% of respondents had noticed entertainment or events at least once a month • 32% of respondents had not seen events or entertainment there

29. Q20. Do you think there should be more, less or the same amount of entertainment there? • Mot respondents would like to see more entertainment (42%) • Only 3% wanted to see less entertainment. • 31% n/a

30. Q21.What improvement to the town centre would you most like to see?

31. Q21. What improvement to the town centre would you most like to see? • Of the 346 respondents who responded to this open-ended question, the top 3 requests were: • A cleaner centre (19%) • Better quality shops (17%) • A cinema (14%)

32. Q22. How do you usually travel to the town centre? • The majority of respondents travelled by public transport (40%) • 37% walked • 20% came by car

33. Q23. How often do you travel in by car? • 357 responded n/a - they have been excluded from the chart. • Of those who travelled in by car, most did so at least once a week (69%)

34. Q24. Where do you park most often? • 368 responded n/a - theyhave been excluded from the chart. • 60% used the Selborne car parks (Selborne Road & Selborne Walk) • 12% were unsure of the name of the car park in which they usually parked

35. Q25. How satisfied are you with being able to find a parking space? • 369 responded n/a - theyhave been excluded from the chart. • The majority found it easy to find a parking space (64%) • 25% were not satisfied

36. Q26. How satisfied are you with car park charges? • 372 responded n/a - theyhave been excluded from the chart. • The majority were happy with car park charges (73%) • 14% were dissatisfied

37. Q27. How satisfied are you that you are safe in car parks? • 371 responded n/a - theyhave been excluded from the chart. • 44% were satisfied with their safety in car parks • 24% were concerned for their safety

38. Q28. How satisfied are you that your car is safe in car parks? • 371 responded n/a - theyhave been excluded from the chart. • 35% were satisfied with the safety of their cars in car parks • 26% were concerned for the safety of their cars

39. Q29. How often do you listen to Heart Radio? • 28% of respondents listened to Heart Radio at least once a week. • The majority (57%), did not listen to Heart Radio at all.

40. Q30. What would be the best way to tell you about local events? • Most people would like to read about forthcoming events in the local papers (61%).

41. Q33. What is your post-code? • The majority (51%) lived in the E17 area. • 5% refused to give their post-code.