Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours

Here, in his latest monthly column reflecting on the news over the past month, our Press and PR Executive Robin Johnson looks at the headlines.

For my generation, the theme tune to the long-running (too long in my opinion) Australian soap ‘Neighbours’ was pretty much part of our childhood.

For many of us, after coming home from school, it would be kids’ programmes followed by the latest antics of the residents on Ramsay Street.

Personally speaking, the opening strains of Neighbours reminded me it was time for football practice or to do some homework.

Suffice to say, the telly would be duly switched off before anyone got the opportunity to tell someone to “rack off” while sporting a generous mullet.

While Neighbours is not watched as religiously as it was back in the 1980s and 1990s – I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone still recognises the theme tune.

And okay, the lyrics aren’t exactly Dylan or Lennon, but they’re true enough – everybody needs good neighbours.

Here at Marketing Derby, we work hard to attract new businesses to the city.

Our hope is when they arrive here, they settle, integrate themselves into the community and become part of what we like to call ‘Team Derby’.

In short, they become “good neighbours” because, as the Neighbours theme rightly points out, good neighbours can “become good friends”.

A case in point is Wavensmere Home. Headquartered in Birmingham, through its investments in Derby, it has become a most welcome addition to the city’s business community.

And through its work creating more than 900 homes at Nightingale Quarter, it has helped Derby city centre welcome many new neighbours.

In the coming years, there will be thousands more.

At the beginning of October, Wavensmere received the green light for Cathedral One – a brand-new apartments scheme in the Cathedral Quarter, overlooking the River Derwent.

Not long after that, the developer announced it had officially started work on breathing new life into the historic Friar Gate Goods Yard.

That site has stood inactive for 56 years – and for many of us, all we have ever known is a derelict site.

It’s brilliant that work has finally started, and I can’t wait to see this mixed-use development take shape.

Another company which has shown neighbourly virtues since deciding to invest in Derby is heating giant Vaillant.

Next year, the firm is set to officially open its new manufacturing site at Indurent Park Derby.

But in the meantime, it has been forging strong links with many of our institutions, including Derby Museums, backing the recent Assemble festival, for example.

And it has built partnerships with the likes of Derby College Group.

The other week, I was delighted to attend the launch of a strategic partnership between Vaillant and the college to train the next generation of heating engineers and witness the opening of a new training room.

Great British Railways has also been another welcome arrival to Derby in recent years – with their presence having the potential to spark something even bigger for the city.

Anyone from Derby knows that we are at the epicentre of the rail industry – and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise!

The truth is, we are home to the largest rail cluster in Europe.

Underlining those credentials would be Rail Campus Derby – a new neighbourhood of rail-related businesses and organisations.

October saw the launch of this ambitious project – and it will be great to see it come to fruition.

Together is better. I’ve said this many times before, but it’s incredible what can be achieved when we are all working together towards a common goal.

A recent example off the top of my head is the Derbyshire Brain Game – an annual fund-raising quiz in aid of Marie Curie, which took place in October.

A total of thirty-four tables took part in the quiz, with teams made up from businesses and organisations from across the city and county.

A team from the University of Derby won. Many congratulations to them. No, really!

Marketing Derby came third – I think this will be the last time we decide to play our ‘joker’ on the music round!

But the most important thing of all was that together, in one single night, we managed to raise just shy of £66,000 for the end-of-life charity.

Talking of good nights out I couldn’t write this piece without mentioning the Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards.

Last month, the awards ceremony took place at the Chocolate Factory – and I was delighted to report on the success of these very special businesses.

They operate within a tough sector – one which has had to ride out many storms, from Covid to the cost-of-living crisis.

Another industry that is having to negotiate increasingly choppy waters is the cultural sector.

To my mind, it is absolutely vital that Derby has a cultural offer capable of drawing people into the city centre.

I think we are all still seeking the silver bullet which can guarantee the long-term future of some of our cultural institutions.

However, last month I was heartened to report that funding to boost Derby Theatre and reopen the Guildhall Theatre had been secured.

It is a positive step in the right direction – just as long as none of them decide to stage ‘Neighbours – The Musical’.

Anyway, have a safe and productive November and I look forward to catching up again with you soon.