IPM members discuss putting the 'pizazz' back into our town centres at thinkingplace conference
Institute of Place Management members took centre stage at the annual thinkinglace event in Chesterfield on 12th November, leading discussions on the future of place-making, place leadership, and the role of place-partnerships in high street revitalisation. With a line-up that included IPM Senior Fellows Professor Steve Millington and Jean Ball, and IPM members Esther Morrison, Hazel Kimmett and Diane Dunkley, they engaged council officers, BIDs, DMOs, and consultants in exchanges on how we can put the "pizazz"—a lively and exciting quality or style, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary—back to our town centres and high streets.
Hosts and key IPM partner thinkingplace specialise in place branding and place marketing. Their expertise was evident in cultivating a programme that attracted around 100 place professionals.
Keynote speaker Martin Reeves, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, emphasised the importance of place leadership and ensuring that communities and wider stakeholders work together to achieve a common vision for the area. He urged attendees to reimagine the role of local government in an era of rapid change. Continuing this theme, Professor Steve Millington, who had recently returned from speaking at the International Place Branding Association conference in Thailand, shared insights from the High Street Task Force findings. He explained that before places can bring "pizazz" back, they need to adopt a place-management approach to change. Steve noted that too many places still work in a siloed way and emphasised that all places can add "pizazz" if they begin approaching change through a multi-stakeholder approach to improvement. He then introduced the IPM 4Rs Framework, which was adopted by the High Streets Task Force to support the 150 towns and high streets it has worked with. He highlighted areas including Barnsley, Bolsover, and Kendal, all of which have received support from High Street Task Force experts and are now activating their places through events. He encouraged people to reconnect with individuals involved in the High Street Task Force Placemaking Workshops from Bolsover and Ollerton who were in the room.
Another highlight of the day, in line with the theme of partnerships, was a panel discussion featuring IPM Senior Fellow Jean Ball and Anne Wright from the Ashbourne Town Team. They explained that high street change is an ongoing process and that placemaking activities can encompass a range of actions, such as organising community events, promoting arts and culture, and activating public spaces. The day concluded with Darren Rodwell, former leader of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, delivering a talk on the connection between housing, well-being, and sustainable growth. His remarks sparked further conversations on the role of new housing in high streets and town centres. Darren explained that through effective placemaking—a key strand of place management—we can create vibrant places and enhance overall well-being simultaneously.
The event reinforced the key role that IPM members and place partnerships have in putting the "pizazz" back into place, though a clear message throughout the day was that this can only be achieved long-term through a shared vision delivered by multi-sector partnerships and strong place leadership. As Professor Millington noted, based on research from Manchester Met University, it is no longer a secret how to bring "pizazz" to your place—yet the essential ingredients are still not being consistently followed by the majority of places.
Steve thanked the team at thinkingplace for convening the event and said it had been another great opportunity to connect and learn from others. He added that he hopes IPM can play a bigger role at next year's conference, including hosting workshops and a dedicated exhibition stand. Steve finished by saying: "IPM members continue to lead the charge in defining the future of place-making, and it was great to see so many at this event and in discussions online since too. If you are interested in bringing the "pizazz" back to your area, get in touch with IPM, and we can support you in utilising the IPM 4Rs Framework to activate change in your place. I look forward to hearing how delegates take ideas from the conference to put the pizazz back into their place!"
With recent appointments bolstering the IPM network we will be dedicating more time to attending and speaking at external events. We encourage members to inform us of upcoming events they plan to attend or where they’ve been invited to speak, so we can support them with connecting with others ahead of meetings, briefings and relevant research materials to support your talks.
About the author
Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.