Bradford City Council, Museums & Galleries
Retail Buying Policy 16th August 2012
1 Overall Objectives
 To offer a range of gift merchandise for sale, in order to generate financial income
through MGH shops managed by Bradford City Council, educate visitors and
enhance the visitor experience.
 To offer gift merchandise which represents excellent value for money and is of
design and quality which reflect the values and high standards of Bradford City
Council’s museum and galleries.
2 Gift Merchandise
 Wherever possible merchandise should be relevant, to each of the museums
and other sites and the work carried out there.
 Products on offer will be to a high quality of manufacture. Packaging should be
of commensurate quality and enhance the product.
 Wherever possible merchandise will be of Bradford and Yorkshire manufacture
and/or design.
 All products and ranges should be purchased to ensure that sales and profit
targets are achieved.
 Merchandise should be purchased across a variety of price points to ensure
that there is a choice for visitors and local customers, to achieve targeted
average transaction values and spend per visitor
 The merchandise offer will include sufficient products and ranges to appeal to
families, children and younger visitors.
3 Exclusive Merchandise
 The merchandise should include products exclusive to Bradford City Council’s
museums and galleries and which feature the name or visual identities of the
individual sites.
 Merchandise developed using images or themed sources from the service
collections will; wherever possible be produced in the form of collections and
ranges in order to present a co-ordinated story, and not as isolated items.
4 Publications
 Exhibition catalogues, guidebooks and other publications will be produced both
to generate income and to inform visitors.
 Postcards & Cards will be developed to a high photographic standard and to a
consistent format and quality and should include images/scenes/items of
particular interest to visitors. Due note will be taken of commercial factors and
the projected rate of sale.
 Other publications will be produced to a high quality. Costings will include all
origination costs and due note will be taken of commercial factors and the
projected rate of sale.
5 Environmental Criteria
 Environmental issues will be given consideration in any purchase and BMDC
will adopt a responsible approach to this issue.
 All wood products are to be from sustained, renewable sources where possible.


Toiletry items selected will not have been tested on animals and no products
containing musk or ambergris will be purchased.
Products will be purchased with due regard to any environmental purchasing
policies and guidelines stipulated by BMDC.
6 British Standards and Legislation
 Merchandise offered for sale will comply with the appropriate British
Standards, British and European Legislation including :
Food Safety Act, Jam and Preserves Regulations and relevant detailed food
safety and labelling legislation.
Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995. All toys must also carry the CE mark.
EU cosmetic directive 76/768/EEC
7 Merchandise Categories
 Merchandise purchased or developed will generally fall into the following
product categories:
Bradford museums and galleries related gift products
Art related product
Geology related product
China & Glass
Stationery
Greetings Cards
Guide books, postcards and other publications
Books, maps and local publications
Children’s lines – toys & games & books
Food & confectionery
Crafts (with emphasis on local & Yorkshire made items)
Clothing/Textiles
Jewellery
Toiletries
Bradford Museum & Galleries – souvenir and branded items.
8 Responsibilities & Authority for Merchandise Selection
 The responsibility for the buying in and development of gift merchandise for
BMDC museums & galleries lies with the Business Assistants, liaising where
necessary with the Business Coordinator and Museum Manager.
 The Business Coordinator decision on the inclusion of any item is final.
 Products developed featuring images of the museum, galleries and/or their
collections or bearing the Bradford Museums and Galleries brand be approved
by the Museum & Gallery Manager (Maggie Pedley)
Appendix 1
2008/09
2009/10
18869
24p
21093
21p
Visitors
Spend per head
Bracken
Visitors
Spend per head
Cliffe
86041
13p
37998
8p
9840
29p
8597
34p
Visitors
Spend per head
Manor
Visitors
Spend per head
BIM
Visitors
Spend per head
76660
17p
Bolling
Visitors
Spend per head
Cartwright
2010/11
25750
25p
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
24720
31p
36p
41p
6000 *
17p
10p
15p
8641
31p
9108
32p
25p
30p
64946
13p
71378
12p
74991
16p
14387
20p
14987
14p
15549
17p
14490
18p
18p
23p
57319
50p
73763
41p
57063
59p
65601
57p
50p
55p
shop
closed
shop
closed
15p
* shop open Feb-March
based on visitors for period
Projections based on half year figures.
Cartwright Hall shop not open to capacity so will not achieve a high visitor spend.
Bracken Hall reduced school groups, less spend in shop.
Cliffe Castle shop closed.
BIM reduced offer, less visitors, impact on shop spend.