Bernkastel-Kues „Strengthening the inner city“

Context

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Bernkastel-Kues (pop. 6,812) lies in the Mosel valley close to the town of Wittlich and the city Trier. Apart from the important industry of wine-making, the town is heavily characterised by tourism and is important as a supply centre for the region.

Local stakeholders have been trying to solve the inner city's structural problems for some years. With traditional town marketing and various events, this has only succeeded to a limited extent. It was clear very quickly that a comprehensive and cross-subject procedure was required to strength the inner city. As a result, the traditional town marketing was amended to include structural development components and service aspects.

Project description

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To solve the structural problems of the inner city, the development agency Bernkastel-Kues e.V. was founded in 2004 at the initiative of private companies. It is organised as an association and has approximately 110 members. Retailers, house owners, hoteliers, restaurateurs, other companies, citizens as well as representatives of the town council are represented – everybody who would like to add to a positive development of the city.

As an alternative approach to the traditional town marketing, the development agency's tasks are to develop fundamental structures and to strengthen the function of the inner city and the entire location. It works in the form of a Public-Private-Partnership and performs tasks in the fields of economic development, urban development and redevelopment. At the same time, it represents the interests of private stakeholders and their members. It offers services and products in the areas of tourism, retail, property and housing, culture and leisure. It has succeeded in reducing the otherwise time-consuming paths to project realisation.

Alongside the active cooperation of private stakeholders in the development agency, they also participate in the organisation and accomplishment of projects, such as the "Bernkast'ler Fenster". The retail project was initiated by the development agency in 2004. Retailers, vintners and artists offer special products from their range in vacant plots in the historic core of Bernkastel-Kues. The exhibitions, which change every six weeks, present the range of offers from retailers in Bernkastel-Kues.

In order to keep the town an attractive place to live and work in the future, the development agency relies on dialogue with town stakeholders and the cooperation of the economy, culture and administration/policy. Correspondingly, it follows a holistic approach and involves urban development, urban redevelopment, economic development and tourism in its projects.

A third of the agency's budget is financed through contributions from the association members. Bernkastel-Kues provides a subsidy and a town employee. Measures are also financed with funds from urban development grants, from project-related acquired funds and sponsoring funds.

The development agency acts independently in operative business. The town council is regularly informed of the activities and projects of the development agency.

Project chronology

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Year	Event
2004	Development agency founded
2005	"Bernkast'ler Fenster" opened
2005	"Service-Stadt Bernkastel-Kues" events started
2005/2006	"Service Fachkraft IHK" certified training course
2005	Quick-Check of shop spaces and assortments
2006	Inclusion in the state initiative "QuartiersGemeinschaften Innenstadt"
2006	Intaking of the development agency Bernkastel-Kues into the project “365 places in the country of ideas”
2007	Development of the tourism quality offensive
2007	Award during the congress “On the way to a national city development policy” as a model initiative for a worth living city centre
2008	Second prize in the trading-innovation competition for the “Bernkasteler Fenster”
2009/2010	Development of the masterplan “Health tourism” (in cooperation with the wine and holiday region Inc.)
Since 2010	Initiation of a professional floor-space and vacancy management

Aims

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• Reprofiling and improvement of the town’s public image
• Development of supportable and sustainable future prospects for the town and its population
• Attractive design of the town for customers and tourists
• Strengthening the inner city
• Improvement of the traffic and parking situation
• Closeness to the citizens and involvement of private stakeholders
• Customer orientation and service
• Representation of member’s interests

Types of measures

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• Service and quality offensive

  • Involvement of 96 companies in the "Servicequalität Rheinland-Pfalz" (Service quality Rhineland-Palatinate) programme from the Rhineland-Palatinate tourist board and training of quality coaches
  • Launch of a town-wide complaints management
  • Town-wide parasol-rental service
  • Training opportunities for retail and tourism companies ( i.e. complaints management, active sale)
  • Advice programme for retailers
  • Quick-Check of shop spaces and assortments

• Development of new service structures and operating forms in retail (e.g. "Bernkasteler Fenster")

• Creation of use and redevelopment concepts
• Continuation of the general plans and charters
• Advice on the continuation of development plans

Innovations

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The overall concept of the Bernkastel-Kues e.V. development agency contributes to the sustained profiling of the inner city. Through various projects, the association has succeeded in improving the local conditions of Bernkastel-Kues and maintaining and expanding the town as a high quality residential economic and tourist location. Competitiveness has been enhanced and the attractiveness of the town for regional customers and tourists increased. Bernkastel-Kues has succeeded in establishing itself as a so-called "Enjoyment Town" in the region.

Sources

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• Publication: Lebenswerte Innenstädte - Initiativen, die bewegen! (Inner city worth living in - Initiatives which move!) Good examples of projects and initiatives of inner city development, published by: BMVBS/BBR, Bonn 2007, >>more information about the publication

Further information

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• <http://www.entwicklungsagentur-bks.de/>
• <http://www.bernkastel.de/>

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The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 54470 - town: Bernkastel-Kues - street: Mandatstraße 2.

Protagonists

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• Entwicklungsagentur (development agency) Bernkastel-Kues e.V., Iva Menzel, 1. Chairman Victor Hees, Mandatsstraße 2, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, Tel.: 06531/971230, Email: <entwicklungsagentur@bernkastel.de>