A CAMPAIGN to encourage more people into Newquay town centre during Boardmasters has shown “positive signs” of being a success.

Newquay BID’s first feedback from businesses following the launch of Beyond Boardmasters, which aims to change outdated perceptions the town is a no go zone during the festival, shows a mixed picture of trading but a “clear sign” the initiative is beginning to move in the right direction.

Some businesses had an “exceptionally” successful Boardmasters period while others experienced a significant reduction in trade, particularly during the evening and night-time economy.

But the overall feedback also pointed to some encouraging developments, including more families and visitors coming into the town, a positive atmosphere, improved traffic management and a “strong response” to the activities delivered as part of the Beyond Boardmasters campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage people to look beyond the festival and enjoy Newquay’s beaches, activities, restaurants, hotels, independent businesses and family attractions.

Newquay BID manager Mark Warren said: “The feedback is very mixed, and I think it is important that we are completely honest about that. Some businesses had a fantastic Boardmasters and saw significant increases in trade. Some reported growth of more than 20 per cent, and there are businesses that will quite rightly say it was an excellent week for them.

“But equally, some businesses were significantly impacted, with some reporting reductions of more than 20 per cent. The night-time economy in particular appears to have been affected for a number of businesses.

“We cannot ignore that feedback. The whole point of asking businesses for their views is so that we can understand what worked, what didn't and where we need to improve.

“What is encouraging is that there are also some really positive shoots.

“We had businesses reporting more families and visitors coming into town. The atmosphere was generally viewed positively by many respondents, the traffic management was significantly better received than in previous years, and the activity we put on through Beyond Boardmasters helped create a much stronger sense that Newquay itself was part of the wider experience. That is what this campaign is about.”

The ambition is encourage people to consider the town as a destination throughout August whether they are attending the festival or not.

Mr Warren said: “You cannot change a perception that has developed over many years with one campaign over one week. This is the beginning of something that we want to build year on year.

“We have work to do. We need to look at the night-time economy, how we spread activity around the town, how we encourage people to spend more time in Newquay and how we make sure more businesses can benefit.

“We also need to listen carefully to the businesses that found the week difficult and understand what can be done differently.

“But I am really pleased with the first launch. We have started a conversation, businesses are getting behind the idea, and there is clearly an opportunity to build awareness of Newquay beyond Boardmasters.”