Question 1

Carolyn Brownell, Executive Director of For Cardiff, in conversation with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and stories shaping places, destinations and commercial property. 
Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode features conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — unpacking what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.
In this episode: Tony speaks with Carolyn Brownell, Executive Director of For Cardiff.
Safety, Identity and the Business of Keeping a Capital City Happy.
Carolyn Brownell has spent 17 years working in Business Improvement Districts, the last nine running FOR Cardiff — the BID behind Wales&#8217; capital city. She&#8217;s also Vice Chair of ATCM Wales and sits on the leadership group for the BID Foundation.
In this episode she tells Tony Goodman what it actually takes to keep a capital city feeling safe, distinctive, and worth visiting — and where the money for all of it is meant to come from.

Why &#8220;clean and safe&#8221; topped Cardiff&#8217;s own resident survey, and the layered approach FOR Cardiff takes to safety — from purple flag accreditation to the Ask Angela scheme.
Why nearly a third of her £1.4m BID budget now covers services councils used to fund, and what that says about the wider funding squeeze on places The &#8220;City of Arcades&#8221; brand, and why leaning into what genuinely can&#8217;t be copied beats competing with every other high street on the same chains.
What happened when Cardiff&#8217;s tourism tax consultation collided with a harder truth: marketing photos don&#8217;t matter if the walk from the station feels unsafe.
Landsec&#8217;s decision to turn a dead department store into a free city park, and what that says about place-first thinking from a commercial landlord.
Why she wants Cardiff&#8217;s next ten years defined by long-term stewardship, not firefighting If you work in BIDs, town centre management or local government, this one&#8217;s worth your time.

Question 2

Sean Anstee, Director of Operations at the Devon & Torbay Combined Authority talks with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and stories shaping places, destinations and commercial property. 
Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode features conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — unpacking what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.
Sean Anstee discusses Reinvention, Devolution & What Makes a Happy Place
In this episode of PlaceCast, Tony Goodman speaks with Sean Anstee, Director of Operations at the Devon & Torbay Combined Authority and former Leader of Trafford Council. Drawing on experience across politics, policy and academia, Sean shares a unique perspective on what really drives successful places—from city centres like Manchester to rural and coastal economies.
Key topics include:

What actually makes a “happy” place
Why reinvention and belief matter more than ever
The shift from transactional to experiential high streets
Lessons from Altrincham’s transformation
The realities of devolution—and why true autonomy matters
Balancing tourism, housing and local identity
Measuring success: beyond footfall to sentiment

This is a practical and thoughtful discussion for anyone involved in shaping towns, cities and local economies.
https://youtu.be/8OSyRvvNZY8

Question 3

Imogen Thompson, Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute, in conversation with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and stories shaping places, destinations and commercial property. 
Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode features conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — unpacking what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.
Subscribe for more insights on place performance, visitor behaviour and commercial strategy.

Question 4

Danielle McRorie Smith, Director of Go Forth Stirling, in conversation with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and stories shaping places, destinations and commercial property. 
Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode features conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — unpacking what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.
Tony Goodman sits down with Danielle McRorie-Smith, Director of Go Forth Stirling BID and National Programme Manager for Scotland&#8217;s Improvement Districts, to talk about what actually makes a high street work — from the partnerships that hold a place together to the data that proves it&#8217;s paying off.
Danielle oversees 35 BIDs across Scotland, so she&#8217;s seen what works at every budget level, from £30k to £3 million. This one&#8217;s worth your time if you&#8217;re involved in town centres, retail, or place management in any capacity.
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																																https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l71_jKTHyp0&#038;feature=youtu.be

Question 5

Ian Harvey, Head of the Institute of Place Management, in conversation with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

Compelling discussion about what makes places happy and successful, the power of community and belonging, and why collaboration is the key to stronger high streets with Ian Harvey, Head of the Institute of Place Management.
PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and strategies shaping places, destinations and commercial property.
Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode brings conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — uncovering what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.  
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																																https://youtu.be/YsnWa6bO8Dg

Question 6

Kathryn Davis, CEO of Visit West, in conversation with Tony Goodman

Accepted Answer

Listen to this fascinating discussion about destination strategy, tourism trends and how places create compelling visitor experiences that drive economic impact, with Kathryn Davis, CEO of Visit West and President of the Tourism Management Institute.
		PlaceCast is the podcast from Place Informatics, exploring the data, trends and stories shaping places, destinations and commercial property. Hosted by Tony Goodman, each episode features conversations with industry leaders across retail, leisure, tourism and placemaking — unpacking what drives footfall, performance and long-term success. From real-world insights to future thinking, PlaceCast connects the dots between data and decision-making for anyone responsible for shaping better places.
Access This Podcast
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Why register?

Unlock our full library of podcasts and insight reports
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Join our community of visitor intelligence professionals

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																																https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-CC7J5GMXA

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