Customers and events

Strategic report

Environment and community Customers and events

Our customers

We recognise the importance of our customers as the source of our income, and the role they play in creating vibrancy in the community and supporting the local economy. The Group works hard to attract, retain and support customers and considers them a key part of our stakeholder network.

The Group continues to invest in marketing and communications to promote our customers and the area. This includes resident newsletters and helping to fund the publication of two highly acclaimed periodicals, the Marylebone Journal, promoting retail, restaurants and lifestyle, and Prognosis, promoting medical care. This year, we also bolstered our support with various campaigns, such as My Independent Marylebone, and International Women’s Day on social media. These campaigns help promote and celebrate many of our various occupiers and members of our community to our 12.5k+ following. We also continue to work with our customers to improve our digital presence and increase the area’s profile and footfall through an active calendar of events, promotions, press opportunities and campaigns via our destination brand, Marylebone Village.

This year has shown more than ever how important digital connection is and to strengthen our residential offering, we have continued the rollout of ultrafast fibre broadband across our Estate. Security is also a priority for our customers. Accordingly, we continue to provide security guards who undertake additional patrols around our area of Marylebone. This remains a successful initiative with residents, retailers and business occupiers.

Events

Another way the Group engages with occupiers, adding to the sense of community in Marylebone and promoting the area, is through an active calendar of events. As with everyone else this year, some of our events had to be cancelled, and where possible we had to be creative and think of alternative ways to bring people together. By taking our two largest events, the Marylebone Summer Festival and Christmas Lights online, we still provided activities and entertainment for those who joined in, and the opportunity to promote our retailers through challenging times.

During the summer, when restrictions eased, we pedestrianised Marylebone Lane, allowing more space for social distancing and alfresco dining, and partnered with the charity Open City to create guided and audio tours of the Estate as part of the Open House Festival. These popular tours encouraged people back into Marylebone, and when restrictions resumed, the self-guided audio tours still helped to promote and highlight the beauty and uniqueness of the area.

Social media

This year, we bolstered our support with various campaigns on social media, such as My Independent Marylebone, and International Women’s Day. These campaigns help promote and highlight many of our various occupiers to our 12.5k+ following.

12.5k+

Back on tour

We partnered with the charity Open City to create guided and audio tours of the Estate, as part of the Open House Festival. These popular tours encouraged people back into Marylebone.

To celebrate Merry Marylebone and to continue Marylebone's tradition of hosting Santa and his grotto, this year Santa was live-streamed into homes direct from Lapland!

Get connected

To strengthen our residential offering, we have continued the rollout of ultrafast fibre broadband across our estate.

Social distancing

During the summer, when more activity was allowed, we pedestrianised Marylebone Lane, allowing more space for social distancing and alfresco dining.