Derby’s latest chart performance is music to my ears

Here, in his latest column reflecting on the news over the past month, our Press and PR Executive Robin Johnson looks at the headlines.

It’s hard to believe it’s just over 20 years to the day that the final episode of Top of the Pops aired.

Those who remember the programme will recall the Top 40 Chart countdown, which culminated in the unveiling of that week’s ‘number one’.

Based on sales, sometimes the best song reached the top spot (Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody) – and sometimes it didn’t (Mr Blobby).

Music is, of course, a matter of taste.

But as a journalist, I love a good chart, league table or ranking – because, at the end of the day, statistics make great stories.

They certainly did for Derby in the month of August.

First up, there was the latest Creative Cities Report, which ranked the UK’s strongest emerging destinations for creative careers.

Derby was ranked ninth out of 50 UK cities for its balance of opportunity, affordability and creative infrastructure.

We outshone some major cities in the rankings, proving that you don’t have to go to the likes of London, Manchester or other major centres to succeed in a creative career.

This was followed by the release of the latest Regional Manufacturing Growth Powerhouse Report, which looked at the best places to start and grow small- to mid-sized manufacturers.

It analysed the five biggest manufacturing towns and cities in each region of England, scoring them on factors such as warehouse space availability, workforce size and broadband speed, which could support advanced manufacturing.

Derby was placed 11th, scoring particularly highly for its workforce size.

Both studies paint a picture of Derby’s credentials as a place to do business and carve out a career.

A challenge for cities like Derby is retaining its talent – and we are creating talented individuals if the latest A Level results are anything to go by.

In August, students at our major educational institutions picked up their results – and didn’t they do well?

Of course, anyone looking to start a career or a business would rather do so in a supportive and collaborative business environment – and that is something that we here at Marketing Derby aim to facilitate through our Bondholder community.

There was evidence of this in August’s headlines. I was delighted to report on a story which saw two agencies – Nielsen McAllister and Gravity Digital – collaborate on a project.

Both companies credited their Bondholder membership for bringing them together.

However, for Derby to be an attractive prospect for business, it must be able to offer workers the quality of life they have come to expect. We must be a great place to ‘play’ as well as ‘work’.

For starters, the city has fantastic parks, as well as stunning countryside on our doorstep.

Champions, and in some cases custodians, of that countryside is Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, who, in August, secured its largest landmark site to date – 600 acres at Eyam Moor.

Derby’s cultural offer is continuing to grow in confidence – illustrated by new investments, such as Derby Theatre, which has secured planning permission to invest millions of pounds in upgrading its facilities.

Derby also has an amazing food and drink scene – borne out by the quality of finalists for this year’s Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards, which were announced in August.

Huge congratulations to all our finalists. Hospitality is an integral part of the city’s visitor economy. The people involved in the sector work incredibly hard, so it’s great to celebrate their contribution.

The Food and Drink Awards ceremony takes place at the Market Hall on 12 October – but before that, Marketing Derby will hold another major event in its calendar – the Derby Property Summit.

Taking place at Vaillant Live on 22 September, we have assembled a stellar line-up of speakers and panellists, who will give delegates an exclusive insight into the city’s development pipeline and major regeneration projects.

Among the keynote speakers will be Paul Morris, development director at St James Securities, who will talk more about the latest phase of its £200 million Becketwell regeneration scheme.

3 Springwell Square will bring high-quality Grade A office space to the heart of the city centre – and in August, a consultation was launched asking the public what they thought of the plans.

This year, the summit will also shine a light on the key role Derby College Group – the summit’s headline sponsor – is playing in developing the workforce to meet the demands of the construction industry.

Marketing Derby Bondholders are welcome to attend both events. To find out more and to register click here.

Talking of great events, August saw The Darley Park Weekender take place – three nights of unforgettable music featuring the likes of Billy Ocean, Marti Pellow, JLS and the amazing Sinfonia Viva.

Sadly, I didn’t manage to get to it this year, but I hear it was a massive success. Music to my ears – which brings me back to Top of the Pops and an interesting fact.

A couple of years after Top of the Pops was axed, the then serving Culture Secretary made headlines by calling for its return.

His name? A certain Andy Burnham.

Now, I know there’s more pressing matters on his plate right now, but now he’s Prime Minister, well, you never know!

Anyway, have a safe and productive September and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.