JFDI

Play your part in making xx town safe, create events and campaigns in xx city that attract people to visit and spend money in xx community and then market the hell out of all of that. It seems clear to me what the job is?  

So why then does the ‘place industry” get asked the question “place? What is that?” so often, and why does it so infrequently have an answer? 

I mean, it is not to say it is easy, and there are a huge amount of talented and passionate people that work tirelessly because they believe in, and want to improve, their place, the best of which truly cut through the jargon and just get on with delivering.  

I hope that I embody this but that is for others to judge. On any given day I will make mistakes, and we can all learn and improve constantly but it is that spirit of delivery that drives me on.  

So as a plea, can we all as an industry commit to cut out nebulous generic rubbish that doesn’t mean anything , top of which is “change needs to happen”, well NSS, go out put some events on, run a campaign to support business’, deliver some safety initiatives, basically find out what your place needs and get on with doing it,  or if you can’t I guess you aren’t part of the solution.  

There is a phrase a friend of mine told me in the police, “there is no such rank as Retired Chief Inspector” and I think the place industry would do well to learn from this, be part of the action, deliver projects and make a difference, otherwise, you are a part of the problem .  

I love my job, like really love my job, I get to come to work every day with a passion and a vigour for affecting change in my hometown and hopefully provide some advice and guidance along the way to some others. It's a privilege that so few get to have, the longer I can keep being a part of the solution the happier I will be…And to paraphrase Sir Steve Redgrave, “ if you ever see me looking at a generic place phrase, you have my permission to shoot me.”