Why is Swansea Concil charging local businesses to give out leaflets

Leaflets are a quick effective way to promote a retailer in a city centre. You come up with an idea or have a special offer that you want to get out quickly.

It is possible today to get full colour leaflets produced digitally almost instantly at a low cost. For example 500 A5 leaflets full colour ready next day for under £50. 

And the obvious path to distribution is to hand them out in the street. I understand that yo can stand in your shop doorway and hand the out but you have to pay if you move away fro your premises. Well you have to pay if your shop is in Swansea. It looks like £115 per position per day with up to two people. Sees a lot of money! Well you lucky city retailers within the BIDS area yo get a reduction of 50%. Well done BID. That's a good saving. SWANSEA IS AT LEAST £55

Or is it? Travel down the M4 to Cardiff and its free unless you are a large multi-national outlet and then it's up to £250 a day but no restriction on the number in the team. So I understand one iof the mobile phone companies was there and they paid. Fair enough. CARDIFF IS FREE

Go further down the M4 and in Newport there is no charge. They are keen to promote the service and support local businesses. In fact the department took my phone number and I had a call back within 30 minutes and an e-mail with full details and downloadable forms just 5 minutes later. I asked if I had to provide my own litter bin, as you do in some towns and cities. "No. Our team is here to help" NEWPORT IS FREE

Keep going down the M4 to Bristol. So what is the score there I wondered. "It's free!" I was told. "You don't need a licence. Just call us and tell us when and we'll tell the City Rangers so you don't get any trouble " BRISTOL IS FREE.

One other point. I found a very positive attitude from the staff at Cardiff, Newport and Bristol. In all cases they asked if there was any other help we wanted! I'm going to try and visit these cities over the next few weeks to get some more feedback. I spoke with the Swansea City Manager to make an appointment but she has been too busy for at least two weeks. She goes off on maternity leave on Monday and now I'm told the person who is taking over (??) is going to be too busy so I'd better talk to Phil Holmes Head of Regeneration and Planning at the Council. So much for the City Management Team. What a contrast from the reception I had at Cardiff, Newport and Bristol.

So the score on cost of giving out leaflets in city centres is:

Bristol Nil - Swansea 115

Newport Nil - Swansea 115

Cardiff Nil - Swansea 115

LOOKS LIKE SWANSEA ARE IN THE PREMIERSHIP