From Forgotten to Fabulous: The Gloucester Food Dock Story with Sarah Mansfield.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in urban regeneration, food tourism, or the transformative power of visionary development. Join us as we uncover the recipe for turning historic spaces into vibrant, modern destinations that celebrate local flavours and community spirit.Today, we’re diving deep into the heart of Gloucester with Sarah Mansfield, co-owner of L&R Group and the visionary behind the Gloucester Food Dock project. Sarah’s journey from running the Royal Scotsman luxury hotel train, to becoming a property developer with a passion for revitalising heritage spaces is nothing short of inspiring.
Work with others. So don’t land something onto a place, work with the city, work with the neighbours, work with the businesses you’re bringing in, and work hard on the communications around the place.
In our conversation, Sarah takes us through her fascinating career, starting with her background in leisure, city management and tourism.
We explore her pivotal role in developing Milsom Place in Bath, where she unlocked internal spaces and curated a diverse mix of businesses, breathing new life into the area.
Sarah shares insights into her transition to property investment and development, emphasising her people-first approach. We discuss how this led her to discover the potential in Gloucester’s former Victorian dock offices, now transformed into the thriving Gloucester Food Dock.
The Gloucester Food Dock project is a testament to Sarah and her partner’s innovative thinking. She explains how they adapted to the changing casual dining market by focusing on independent businesses and implementing a full turnover-based rent model. This collaborative approach between landlords and tenants is reshaping the way food destinations can operate.
We delve into comparisons between Gloucester and other regional hubs like Bristol and Bath, exploring Gloucester’s untapped potential as a thriving destination.
The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities in Gloucester, including the crucial aspects of positioning and marketing the city.
Sarah highlights the importance of building confidence and creating a platform for local businesses to thrive.
Sarah’s tips for redeveloping historic buildings as thriving destinations:
> Stay positive and enthusiastic: Sarah states that if you’re not positive and enthusiastic about bringing a new concept to a place, then no one else will be either.
> Work with others: Don’t just “land something onto a place”, but work collaboratively with the city, neighbours, and the businesses you’re bringing in.
> Focus on communications and engagement: Sarah shares that her team has recruited a management team to constantly communicate and work with the city and neighbouring businesses.
>Empower people to get on with it and have fun: The importance of empowering people involved in the project to “get on with it” and have fun while doing so.
Tune in to the full episode to hear Sarah’s inspiring story and gain valuable insights into the exciting developments shaping Gloucester’s future as a food and tourism destination. Whether you’re an industry professional or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes workings of successful tourism projects, this episode offers a feast of knowledge and inspiration.
And if you’re interested in learning more about Gloucester, have a listen to Episode 16 with former Head of Culture Philip Walker.
This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.
Hello Starling is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations. They’ve work with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
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